Fellandale has organised the ten mile off-road Boundary Run as part of the Horsforth Festival. The run on Sunday, June 18, commences at 2 pm with a series of junior cross-country events covering four age groups and organised by Horsforth Harriers starting at 1 pm

The age groups for the junior cross-country are: under-10's (one mile course); 11-12 years (2km); 13-14 years (3km) and 15 and over (4km).

The Boundary Run is a scenic course that utilises tracks and paths, which although they climb from the bottom to the top of the valley, have only a few short climbs.

The winning time is expected to be around one hour.

Other events in the Hall Park on that day include five-a-side football for Under-14s and adults, Kwik Cricket for all ages, a skateboard competition and display, fun runs for ages 3 - 10, bowls, tug o'war and egg throwing.

It is envisaged that there will be around 1,500 competitors on the day - and all entrants will receive a T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded for various categories of winners; some of which have been sponsored by local businesses including the Mid-Yorkshire Nuffield Hospital based on Outwood Lane in Horsforth.

A number of other displays are taking place on the day - a Health and Fitness Marquee will have physiotherapists and nutritionists on hand to give advice, and the Sporting Chance team from Leeds Metropolitan University will give advice for young people wanting to take up a career in sports or local clubs looking for coaching training.

The club is also represented on the Steering Committee of the inaugural

Horsforth Sports Council, which aims to promote sport to local people of all ages.

It is envisaged that a committee will be established in early May to take forward a proactive programme.

On April 19, club training will recommence at the Chevin - meeting at Surprise View car park at 6.30pm. Members of other clubs are invited to train with the club for what is usually a mix of hill climbing, speed work and some distance multi terrain running.

The other event the club is working towards is the third Danefield Relay which will take place on Wednesday, July 5, from the main car park on the Chevin opposite the Ramblers Tea Rooms.

The event requires a team of three runners, each running a course of around three miles. Registration will be from 6pm and they are asking runners to come early, as they have around 45 teams from local clubs, etc to register in a very short time.

For more information on Fellandale events and training please contact Mark Saville (0113) 258 4680 or e-mail: mark@thinkdifferent.co.uk.

Skyrac's Alex nets a double success

LAST weekend Spenborough AC hosted the first of the local Spring open meetings and Skyrac's Alex Merrill further demonstrated her throwing prowess by winning both the Under-15 girls' shot putt (9.54m) and discus (28.66m). These two victories come on the back of successes at the Blackpool and Fylde AC Winter Warm-Up meeting and leave Alex optimistic for the rest of the season.

On Sunday two Skyrac athletes travelled to Hull Spartan's annual Spring Open meeting and, in conditions more suited to swimming than track and field athletics, achieved considerable success.

Bethany Staniland gained a bronze medal in the Under-13 girls' 800m in 2min 49.4sec, a very pleasing performance considering the cold and wet weather. She was also fifth in the final of the 100m in the personal best time of 15.0sec and, although still only 11 years' old, entered the Under-15 girls' long jump, where she came seventh out of 16 girls with the respectable leap of 3.93m.

Her brother, Andrew Staniland, came home with a silver medal after struggling with the puddles on the long jump runway, with 4.72m in the Under-15 boys. He also came sixth in the final of the Under-15 boys' 100m in a personal best of 13.7sec.

Skyrac fell runners

IN the poem "On the Wenlock Edge" A E Houseman refers to the heaving Wrekin but "where is the Wrekin?" was the question posed by most fell-runners when they heard that this Shropshire hill was to be included as a counter in the English Fell-running Championship.

The response "near Telford" did not generate much enthusiasm but when you have Yorkshire's peaks to race over a hill of only 1,334ft hardly sets the blood coursing through the veins.

The Wrekin is not even the highest hill in Shropshire (that is Brown Clee Hill at 1,771ft) but even so, hundreds of fell-runners headed south last weekend to seek championship points and to explore what southerners run over for recreation.

Competing in English Championship events after winning a few prizes in local races is always salutary because your position indicates where you lie in the ranking of English fell-runners.

Skyrac has several regular prize-winners and with either hubris or humility seven clubmen lined up in Telford on Golf Links Lane, an address which said it all.

At just over five miles and with a mere 1,700ft of ascent the race was quickly over for Ian Holmes (Bingley), who won in a time of 35min 54sec. Ian was 50 yards behind at the summit but then demonstrated a classic falling stone descent to win by a comfortable 12 seconds.

No one from Borrowdale, including current English champion Gavin Bland, thought it worth making the journey south to run. For Skyrac first home was Nigel Kirkbright followed by John Forsyth (48.36), Graham Breeze (49.03), Ralph Warman (49.34), Graham Grinstead (50.06), Steve Batley (54.21) and Max Wood (56.04).

The race date clashed with the 13-mile Baildon Boundary Way and so only Peter Rawnsley, who finished third Over-50 Vet, in 1hr 32min 39sec, and Bob Pritchard (1-38.00) could support the local event.

Skyrac train every Tuesday and Thursday from Nunroyd Park, Yeadon, and race every weekend of the year. If you would like to run with them, ring Neil on 0113-229-0924.

Wharfedale Harriers

The planned assault on the Wrekin for the first championship race of the season didn't quite turn out as hoped, with the Wharfedale squad being decimated by a combination of injuries, colds and springtime lambing commitments.

In the ladies race, Kate Rogan started steadily and ran strongly through the field to finish in 50.37, 15th overall and 2nd in the Under 20s, only being beaten in this category by the extremely talented Kate Bailey who won the main race outright in a time of 44.18. Wharfedale's only competitor in the men's race was David Hird, something of a surprise to those who witnessed him carrying an ankle injury following Thursday night's training, when he was unable even to walk. Two consecutive days abstinence from running obviously worked wonders.

On Saturday in the classic Pendle Fell Race, Andy Holden had a good run to finish 24th with Kevin Rogan also having a run as part of his effort to return to competitive form after injury. In the Under 16 boys race, Ross Whittaker had an excellent race to finish in 2nd place.

In the Kendal Winter League event at Barbon Fell, Andy Holden again proved how well he thrives on racing, thoroughly enjoying the steep terrain to come home the winner in 22.07. Steve Hounslow also had a good run with 5th place in 23.42. Also running were Paul Rogan, 8th in 25.17 and Damien Scholes, 12th in 28.14.

In the Under 17 boys Martin Hounslow also picked up his first win of the season, coming home first in 16.18, followed in 2nd place by brother Sam in 17.30 with Ross Whittaker 4th in 18.47. In the ladies race, Lynn Whittaker continued her steady improvement with 2nd place in 27.05.

Next Wednesday's social run will start from the Black Bull at Cowling, meeting 6.45 to start running at 7pm prompt. All local runners are very welcome to join us.

Wharfedale Harriers is a family oriented club aiming to promote fell and cross-country running across all ages and abilities. Training takes place on Monday and Tuesday evenings from Silsden, and Thursday evening from Ilkley. For more details please contact David Hird on 01535 653826 or visit the website ww.wharfedaleharriers.org.uk.

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