“I’m sorry to have to inform you that we will not be able to run the junior version of the Washburn Valley Relays this year” was the message that came through from the race organiser about 4 weeks before the race date. It seemed that the date had been changed and the two usual organisers from Otley AC were both on holiday.
Mark Hetherington of Abbey Runners and Evensplits/Racebest fame phoned me a couple of days later and asked whether Abbey and Valley could organise it together. I said I didn’t usually go to this event but would pass it on to Richard.
A week later “Washburn Valley Junior Races back on!”. Richard would be in charge of marshalling, Mark in charge of course set up, race admin and recording.
Teams (or four) required at least one aged 9 or under, another aged 11 or under, another aged 13 or under, and at least one boy and one girl in each team. Richard managed to recruit 11 runners.
It had been a lovely sunny week but on the day of the race it was grey and drizzly. Fortunately there were tents for registration (provided by Otley AC and Yorkshire Runner).
Mark and Helen from Abbey and myself walked and marked the route (about 12 arrows and a few bits of tape) and then did registration. There were 14 teams – 5 from Otley, 3 from Valley, 2 each from Bingey and Ilkley and 1 each from Abbey and Skipton. Richard assembled a team of 8 marshals (2 Valley, 2 Abbey and 4 Otley). Mark was timekeeper and I was recorder and the race was ready to go.
And then it really started to pour down!
All 11 VS juniors performed brilliantly and it was a thrilling last couple of legs as two of our teams forced their way into the top 3.
Here are the results
| Pos | Team Name | Total time | Runner 1 | Time | Runner 2 | Time | Cum. Time | Runner 3 | Time | Cum. Time | Runner 4 | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bingley Juniors 1 | 32:53 | Theo Clay (B14) | 07:41 | Logan Walker (B11) | 08:10 | 15:51 | William Johnson (B9) | 09:01 | 24:52 | Rebecca Flaherty (G13) | 08:01 |
| 2 | Champions of the Valley | 34:40 | Jess Guthrie (G9) | 10:34 | Rafferty Mirfin (B11) | 08:18 | 18:52 | Jamie Walker (B13) | 07:56 | 26:48 | Alfie Jones (B13) | 07:52 |
| 3 | Washburn Valley Striders | 35:46 | Alfie Jones (B13) | 07:59 | Toby Walker (B11) | 09:20 | 17:19 | Natalie Ward (G9) | 10:11 | 27:30 | Leon Jones (B12) | 08:16 |
| 4 | Abbey Aces | 35:55 | Freddie Roden (B14) | 07:33 | Lexie Cunningham (G10) | 09:59 | 17:32 | Thomas Hetherington (B7) | 09:36 | 27:08 | Henry Swinson (B11) | 08:47 |
| 5 | Bingley Juniors 2 | 37:45 | Mia Naylor (G11) | 09:19 | Ruby Coulton (G13) | 09:14 | 18:33 | Noah (B7) | 09:55 | 28:28 | Abby Clay (G10) | 09:17 |
| 6 | Otley Otters | 38:21 | Charlotte Chambers (G11) | 08:42 | Oliver Jones (B9) | 09:49 | 18:31 | Rosie Barraclough (G12) | 10:41 | 29:12 | Charlotte Chambers (G11) | 09:09 |
| 7 | Skipton Juniors | 38:57 | Rowan Box (B11) | 09:05 | Rita Box (G9) | 09:58 | 19:03 | Seth Box (B8) | 09:51 | 28:54 | Jessica Fox (G11) | 10:03 |
| 8 | Ilkley Harriers 1 | 40:32 | Iris Smith (G8) | 10:31 | Martha Dix (G10) | 12:19 | 22:50 | Caleb Dix (B12) | 08:56 | 31:46 | Archie Budding (B12) | 08:46 |
| 9 | Otley Ospreys | 41:28 | Alice Webster (B13) | 10:46 | Bobby Milner (B9) | 10:40 | 21:26 | Fin Barraclough (B9) | 11:13 | 32:39 | Ned Gallagher-Thompson (B11) | 08:49 |
| 10 | Ilkley Harriers 2 | 41:57 | Lola Stead (G8) | 12:26 | Freddie McCutcheon (B9) | 10:44 | 23:10 | Max Stead (B12) | 10:21 | 33:31 | Harry Stead (B15) | 08:26 |
| 11 | Otley Ocelots | 42:32 | Agnes Gallagher-Thompson (G8) | 11:21 | Bella Barclay (G11) | 11:28 | 22:49 | Annie Chambers (G9) | 10:56 | 33:45 | Zac Quin (B14) | 08:47 |
| 12 | Otley Owls | 43:41 | Clemmie Quin (G7) | 12:23 | Thomas Nailer (B10) | 09:45 | 22:08 | Lily Richards (G8) | 10:48 | 32:56 | Martha Lake (G9) | 10:45 |
| 13 | Valley Nabirlims | 43:51 | Edward Nabozny (B8) | 09:27 | Kate Irvine (G11) | 12:39 | 22:06 | Ella Lim (G10) | 11:24 | 33:30 | Annabel Lim (G13) | 10:21 |
| 14 | Otley Ostriches | 52:08 | Zac Barclay (B7) | 10:48 | Ellie Whittaker (G9) | 12:25 | 23:13 | Finn Gallagher-Thompson (B13) | 17:53 | 41:06 | Oliver Jones (B9) | 11:02 |
P.S. the results explain why one of our runners in the photo is holding two trophies.