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2018/19 Bingley Ladies Cross Country

15 Bingley ladies ran in the West Yorkshire Cross Country series at Cleckheaton, Nunroyd Park, Wakefield and Keighley and, despite the first event clashing with the British Fell Relay in late October, we got teams (of 4) out at all events.  The first three events were cool bright dry autumn days with plenty of autumn colour about and good firm running while Keighley was very much a wet winter day with plenty of mud; despite that Keighley saw the biggest turnout with 13 runners.

Cleckheaton Nunroyd Wakefield Keighley
Number of runners 111 112 108 97
Cat Pos Time Pos Time Pos Time Pos Time
LESLEY WATSON 45 17 22.39 19 21.59 31 22.42
EMMA GREEN 40 20 23.03 40 23.40
STEPHANIE ROBSON 45 31 23.48 40 23.04 32 24.00 58 25.46
SARAH DEWHIRST SW 41 24.42 50 25.36 48 24.54
DENISE WRIGHT 45 49 24.53 51 23.50 41 24.36 46 24.58
CAROLINE FRANCIS 50 59 25.23 68 24.51 60 26.36 73 27.21
ELEANOR BROWN SW 71 26.35
JO BUCKLEY 40 10 21.23 25 22.23
SUE CORDINLEY 55 38 23.00 34 24.02
ELIZA FINDLAY U20 41 23.19 42 24.51 43 24.07
BECKY WEIGHT 60 73 25.05 76 27.42 67 26.45
ALISON MARKS 50 95 26.57 78 27.47 70 27.00
SUE FULTON 55 100 27.40 ?? ??
SALLY ROBINSON 45 108 31.06 93 34.11
ANNA WHITEHEAD U20 30 23.58 44 24.09
Team Position 3rd 4th 6th 4th

After the third race at Wakefield we were equal third overall, with Skyrac and Ilkley in close contention, so we needed a strong result at Keighley, to make sure we secured a team medal place. The girls turned out in force and, with 13 running and a strong performance, we moved into third overall for the series.  A great result.

Great to see some of our younger girls running  – Sarah, Eliza and Anna – all important for the team results.   Well done to Stephanie, Denise and Caroline for making all 4 events – Denise running Cleckheaton the day after the British Fell Relay, and Stephanie running at Keighley despite being unwell.   Good to see Sue Cordingley (Becconsall) at the XC’s – her long troublesome back has improved with a new physio approach and Sue is pleased to be racing.  Also welcome back to Alison Marks – I think Alison will soon be back in front of me.  A learning note for us all – the weather was awful (wet and cold) at Keighley and Sue Fulton set off with her jacket on but forgot to take it off during the run – and was disqualified for ‘not running in her club vest and displaying her number’.   And Caroline gets the ‘persistance’ award – keeping running after 3 falls traversing the ‘slippery muddy slope’ at Keighley; she wasn’t alone in the mud!

8 ladies featured in the Individual Results (best 3 races count) having done at least 3 of the 4 races – Eliza was 4th U20, Sarah 17th Senior Women,  Lesley, Stephanie and Denise 1st, 2nd and 4th F45, Caroline and Alison 4th and 6th F50 and Becky 2nd F60.  Well done all.

And well done to Emily Field and Ruby Firth taking 1st & 2nd in the U17 girls;  we look forward to you joining in senior events soon.

Senior Ladies at the WYXC series in 2018.  Photos by Sally Spencer, Elinor Gorrell, and Woodentops.  Click on picture to see a larger version.

10 senior ladies made the Yorkshire XC Championships at Lightwater Valley on Sat 5th Jan 2019.  Eliza, Sally Robinson and Anna Whitehead were entered but colds & coughs took over – hope you are all better by now.   Stephen Fry is doing a general report, so a brief note here.

A cool, dry day with no wind and firm and dry underfoot gave great running conditions and big, high quality fields (with the Northerns and Nationals both coming up in Yorkshire) meant the races were fast.   Almost 200 lined up for the Senior Women’s race (8km/5miles) including 35 teams (of 4) from 25 Yorkshire clubs and many more clubs without full teams.  Bingley were 7th   (Vic, Jo, Ruth & Vicki) and 15th (Stephanie, Phoebe, Denise and Sarah) teams.  The first three teams were  Leeds City, Rotherham H’s and Hallamshire H’s.  The individual Bingley results are below :

 Yorkshire XC     5 Jan19 Pos Time
VICTORIA WILKINSON 10 29.42
JO BUCKLEY 31 32.06
RUTH THACKRAY 52 33.32
VICKI MERRICK 53 33.35
STEPHANIE ROBSON 59 34.04
PHOEBE FRANCIS 65 34.24
DENISE WRIGHT 74 35.08
SARAH DEWHIRST 89 36.20
CAROLINE FRANCIS 114 37.51
BECKY WEIGHT 136 39.30

Victoria (10th) and Ruth (52nd) were refreshing their cross country legs after several years away from XC, in readiness for the Nationals at Harewood. The Ladies race was won by Claire Duck of Leeds City in 27.57.  All who ran last year, Jo, Denise, Sarah, Caroline and Becky,  clocked faster times this year from a combination of better, drier running underfoot, improved training, and familiarity.  Caroline had the biggest gain and knocked over 3 minutes off with her regular interval training paying dividends.  And well done to Emily Field taking 5th place in the U17 Girls.

Bingley Ladies at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships – Sat 5 Jan 2019.  Photos by B Carney and J Tomes.