Report of the committee to the AGM

Category: Notices Published Date Hits: 1886

The Committee is pleased to report the following performance achievements by the Club's athletes in 2011/12.

At national level the Club were well represented thanks to the efforts of the following members. Mark Buckingham successfully defended his British Elite Duathlon title. Max Kaye was British Colleges Cross Country Champion. Olivia Sykes was 2nd U13 girl in the final standings of the McCain UK Junior Cross Country series. Lewis Byram and Sunnivah Waterman won their age category at the England Schools Fell Running Championship and Max Kaye was a finalist in the senior boys 1500m. Jordon Toth reached the semi-final stage of the 100m at the Aviva UK Championships and won the English Schools 100 metre gold where Luke Craven-Ellis was a finalist. Katie Walshaw represented England at the International Snowden fell race for the second year in a row. Katie was placed third in the European Mountain Running Trial and will represent GB at the Championships in July.

Jeremy Helm won the Cerebral Palsy Track Athlete of the Year Award for 2011.

Mark Buckingham was 28th in the UK 10k rankings and Dave Turnbull was 29th in UK marathon rankings including his time at the Amsterdam marathon which was the fifth fastest in the Club's history.

At regional level Katie Walshaw and Helen Berry represented the North of England at the Home Counties Cross Country International helping the team to 4th place.

Katie Walshaw, Helen Berry and Lewis Byram ran for Yorkshire at the Inter Counties Fell Champs. Lewis finished 2nd Yorkshire boy to win U16 team gold. Katie Walshaw finished 4th overall and Helen Berry was 8th overall to win gold team prizes.

At the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships Holmfirth athletes represented Yorkshire. Thomas Travis-Pollard & Max Kaye helped the U20Yorkshire team to gold; Helen Berry achieved bronze team medal; Seth Waterman, Olivia Sykes, Lucy Byram & Lewis Byram also got County vests.

Aaron Kettlewell took gold at the Northern Athletics Indoor Championships with other medal winners being Max Kaye and Jordon Toth.

Jordon Toth won gold at the U/20 100 m at the Northern Athletics Outdoor Championships with silver medals for Max Kaye in the 1500m. Max took gold in the Northern 3000 M championship.

In the Northern U17/U15 championships Edward Saxton took bronze in the long jump.

Holmfirth placed 4th mixed senior team in Div 1 of the Northern Track & Field League.

Lorraine Smith, Claire Leaver and Jane Stirling took bronze at the Northern Athletics 10K championships.

Katie Walshaw, Helen Berry & Claire Leaver took silver at the Northern Cross-Country Relays. At the same event Olivia Sykes, Erica Byram & Lucy Byram took U13 bronze medals.

In triathlon at the Yorks & Humber Champs age category wins were recorded by Elphina Waterman, Charlie Cross, Sunnivah Waterman, Erica Byram & Lucy Farquhar. Erica, Lucy, Lewis Byram and Lucy Farquhar gained regional team selection.

At the Yorkshire Cross Country Champs in their age groups Olivia Sykes was 3rd and with Lucy & Erica Byram secured silver team medal; Seth Waterman, Andrew Farquhar and Isaac Shepherd achieved third team; Lewis Byram, Aaron Arthur, Aaron Kettlewell and Eddie Hinchliffe took silver team medal. Max Kaye, Thomas-Travis Pollard, Max Lawton & Jake Richardson won gold. Helen Berry also secured a county vest.

At the Yorkshire Track & Field Max Kaye & Aaron Kettlewell took gold and Olivia Sykes and Seth Calvert-Green took silver.

At the Junior Yorkshire Fell Championships there were age category wins for Sunnivah Waterman and Lewis Byram; silver medals for Erica Byram and Seth Waterman and bronze for Lucy Byram and Ruby Sykes. The senior event was run over the gruelling 3-Peaks when Helen Berry became Yorkshire champion.

Olivia Sykes and Lewis Byram were their age winners at the West Yorkshire Schools Cross-Country Championships and along with Lucy Byram, Aaron Kettlewell, Peter Franklin, Thomas Travis-Pollard and Max Kaye represented WYS at the English Schools C C Championships.

Individually Club members continue to turn out at races throughout the country. On the road there were outright wins for Matthew Pierson, Kath Farquhar, Richard Smith, Dave Watson, Dave Turnbull and Margaret Sykes. Harriers also took 1st team prizes at the Sotos 10K (men), Brass Monkey (mens' & ladies') and Liversedge Half (ladies). Lorraine Smith recorded an age group win. The senior mens' and ladies' club road championship was won by Brandon Holroyd, retaining his title and Jane Stirling respectively.

On the fells there were outright wins for Katie Walshaw, who also won the Bunny Run series and currently leads the McCain Mountain Running Challenge, Lucy Needham, Andy Shaw/Julian Rank, Tom Brunt, Dave Watson and Helen Berry. There were age category wins for Andy Hauser, Alistair Rees, Jonathan Sykes, Maggie Sykes, Rob Kersey, John Ewart, Kath Farquhar, Barabara Hinchliffe, Karen Sinkinson, Neil Midgeley, Andy Shaw, Christine Couch, Dan Stewart and Tim Cock. Team prizes were won at the 3 Peaks (ladies retained) Coiners' Fell (ladies), Harden Moss (men), Denis Stitt (men & ladies), Ian Roberts (mens & ladies), the Bunny Run Series and the Cross Keys Road/Fell relay (ladies and lady vets). The senior ladies' and mens' fell championships were won by Helen Berry and Jim Durrans respectively with Phil Hobbs winning the 'all to count' category.

In triathlon age category wins were recorded by Hilary Booth, Julian Rank, Jonny McLean and Kath Farquhar.

In the West Yorkshire Cross-Country League there were individual age category wins for Helen Berry, Kath Farquhar, John Ewart, Tim Cock, Katie Walshaw, and Mark Buckingham. Holmfirth Ladies took team prizes at Guiseley, Wakefield and Shipley. In the overall series Katie Walshaw was first lady, John Ewart and Tim Cock were 1st in their age categories and the Ladies took the team prize.

The Vets section continues to represent the Club at the Yorkshire Vets Grand prix races. Age category wins were recorded by Dave Watson, Margaret Sykes, John Ewart, Jacqui Khoueiry, Rob Kersey, Bill Wade, Jim Durrans,Helen Berry and Lesley Ewart. Lesley, Dave and Rob Kersey took first prize in their age categories in the 2011 series.

At the Yorkshire Vets Cross Country Championships age category winners were Helen Berry (1st overall), Margaret Sykes, Lesley Ewart, with F35-44 and F45-54 team prize winners. At the Yorks Vets Cross Country Relays Holmfirth ladies took the F35-44 team prize. In the Yorkshire Vets Fell Championships there were age category wins for Dave Watson, Helen Berry and Julia Johnson. At the Yorkshire Vets road relays Holmfirth ladies took team gold in the F35-44 and the 55+ categories.

The Juniors continue to reap success in all disciplines. At triathlon there were age category wins for Elphina Waterman, Charlie Cross, Sunnivah Waterman, Erica Byram, Ruby Sykes, Robert Hinchliffe, Harmonie Waterman, Lucy Byram, Libby Shepherd, Seth Waterman, Amira Mellor, Sophie Kettlewell, Ruby Yates and Finn Kerry. On the fells Elphina Waterman, Sunnivah Waterman, Lewis Byram, Lewis Hodgson, Callum Durrans, Sophie Spencer, Robert Hinchliffe, Erica Byram, Seth Waterman, Harmonie Waterman and Olivia Sykes were age category winners. In cross country there were age category wins for Sunnivah Waterman, Seth Waterman, Lewis Byram, Libby Shepherd, Olivia Sykes. Sunnivah Waterman, Olivia Sykes, Seth Waterman and Lewis Byram won their age categories in the WYCC league series. In the West Yorks track & field league Jimmy Burke won gold and the team placed second in the U11 & U13 age categories.

The Club continued its regular promotion of local open races. The Ian Roberts Fell race, the Holme Moss Fell Race, the Harden Moss Fell race, the Holme Moss Duathlon, the Beaumont Park Junior races, the Holmfirth 15, the Neiley Races, the Dennis Stitt and the Yorkshire Vets trail race all continued due to the much appreciated hard work of the race organisers, helpers and sponsors and the Committee thanks them all. Early this year however, the Committee took the sad decision to cancel the 2012 Holmfirth 15 race. A combination of a significant increase in costs, more involved paperwork, a steady diminution of the quality of entrants together with a concern over the safety of athletes on busy roads left the Committee with little choice.

The Club's series of Members' only events continued over the last twelve months. The Club 5 was won by Darren Hanson with Richard Anderson running the fastest time. The Club 6 was won by Mary Shepherd with Matthew Pierson achieving the fastest time. The Club 10 was won by David Roberts with Matthew Pierson posting the fastest time. The Tinker Cup was won by Tim Cock with Mark Buckingham posting the fastest time. The junior Christmas Cross Country handicap age group winners were Holly Bailey-Taylor, Alfie Field, Issy Haley-Porteous, Joe Williams, Sophie Williams and Lewis Byram. The Junior Point to Point age group winners were Frances Keddie, Sam Brown, Erica Byram, Arthur Wilkinson, Ruby Sykes & Daniel Ellis. The senior Point to Point was won by Julian Rank.

The Club was selected to help re-launch Startrack as one of only 100 Clubs nationwide.

On the social side the Presentation Evening and Christmas Party went well and particular thanks go to Phil Senior who organised the Presentation Evening for the first time. Other notables include Rob Kersey for his efforts at the entrance desk sometimes at the expense of missing his run and John McFadzean for the amount of grant monies he has identified and successfully applied for.

A series of induction sessions for new members was introduced by the Committee as a means of introducing them to the ethos and practices of the Club and improving safety for members. These have been a great success and all those responsible for delivering them deserve our thanks.

The Club was pleased to mark a milestone when Brian Heywood was honoured for his long service to the Club. Brian was also nominated as President of Northern Athletics, a great honour for him and the Club.

A special mention to Russ Bangham who has been organising the Denis Stitt and the Holme Moss races for many years (this year' Holme Moss was his 25th) and has announced that he will be stepping down after this year. The Holme Moss race has been recognised as a Championship race by the Fell Runners Association and the Committee passes on its warm thanks and congratulations

One of the long on-going debates among Committee members is the 'are we a competitive or a participative athletic club' question. This will probably never be resolved but without question the number of Holmfirth vests in any race is a good indication of our vitality as a running club. Mention must be made of the efforts of Dave Turnbull, John Ewart and Tim Cock to encourage race participation. Most importantly however, the Committee is proud to note this year the trend of increasing success by the Club Members at national, regional or local level. Furthermore it's not just about winning. Whether it be Mark running an international race with the Holmfirth logo on his tri-suit or anyone running their first race or earning a pb in their Holmfirth vest. More and more of our runners are representing the Harriers in one form or another. There are many people who take the credit for all this. Mostly and obviously the athletes themselves but also their coaches, supportive parents, supporters and those annoying people who badger them into running in the first place.