I read with great amusement the whole page article in Athletics weekly this week, entitled’ Hell-ter skelter course.’ The most absurd extract was where Alistair Davy seems to think the course was akin to some kind of child abuse:
Perhaps my biggest concern, though, is for the younger age groups. Even with a clear course, was it absolutely necessary to include the hill for them all – in the case of the junior men three times just as it was for the seniors? Was its inclusion considered when we read week after week in AW about youngsters failing to join or remain in our sport, while they are queuing up to play football, cricket, rugby and many more sports? It is not hard to see why - they get enjoyment from them without the kind of suffering that the Alton Towers course inflicted upon them.
He later goes on to say:‘We need to be aware of young people’s tolerance levels and we need to be realistic and provide encouragement to them to both join and develop in our sport.’
Perhaps Mr Davy needs to travel up to the Dales one summer weekend, and witness the youngsters participating in the BOFRA races, over far tougher climbs. I’m sure the beaming smiles on their faces aren’t as a result of the ‘suffering’ they are enduring!
What are the opinions of the fell runners on here that ran the race?
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