Stretton 27 Apr: Champs Race 2

[LissaJous]

Goody bags should keep AndyA happy then! Pre-entries preferred, £2 each, standard FRA Junior form

Cheques for pre-entries payable to "MERCIA FELL RUNNERS" please but don't worry if you've sent one payable to Pauline, we'll sort it. Entries on the day will also be available but it will help us a lot if as many as can pre-enter over the next few days.

Post to Pauline Richards, 23 St Annes Road, Collegefields, Shrewsbury, SY3 6AU
Course & venue info here
Facebook page here

[FellJunior]

Maps for the event centre, parking and all the race routes can be printed from here.

[AndyA]

This should keep AndyA happy then!

Oy!

I heard that!

(hmm....goodie bags eh?.....tempting.)

Unfortunately I suspect that you won't see many Clayton Juniors there, purely because of the travelling time (well over two hours from Burnley).

Nothing against the venue/course, they can't all be local, hope it's a success etc.

I'm sure one or two diehard runners with keen parents may make the trip anyway. I'll certainly publicise it through the club but we'll be operating our training sessions as normal on that day.

[Lefty]

Hoping for a full complement of Rossendale Juniors there despite the travelling.

[jtinnion]

Nice one Lefty. How many roughly?

There are some other details on the event facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/499349576756853/

Cheques for pre-entries payable to "MERCIA FELL RUNNERS" please but don't worry if you've sent one payable to Pauline, we'll sort it. Entries on the day will also be available but it will help us a lot if as many as can pre-enter over the next few days.

Look forward to seeing you...

Jim

[Clash City Rocker]

Looks good and hope its a great success as new venues/races make it all very interesting unfortunately though its not on the list of 4 from 6 for us at Calder Valley because it would be 6 hrs in a car for the round trip. Sorry I'm sure it represents some great opportunities for those that do travel to pick up some valuable points and fair play to that.
Good luck everyone.

[Gazmuz]

I am very concerned that having read the following quote on the Facebook page for this event; "U18s is a little under 9km, U16 a bit under 7km. We were asked to provide proper routes, apparently a lot of the junior athletes were complaining that last year's champs races were too easy. " Having attended all of last years events and talked to numerous athletes, parents and coaches this is not the impression that I got, in fact Cowpe has been shortened this year for the older age groups. If anything there were concerns that some of the courses were too long and dangerous in places for the U16 age group. When the phrase "a lot" is used I always want this supported by facts and figures as one of the major issues in junior fell running is the high drop out in U16 and U18 age groups; having overlong courses is just going to add to this problem as does unnecessary fixture clashes. I wonder who asked for these courses to be near maximum distances and who were the junior athletes that complained that the courses were too easy?

[LissaJous]

I am very concerned that having read the following quote on the Facebook page for this event; "U18s is a little under 9km, U16 a bit under 7km. We were asked to provide proper routes, apparently a lot of the junior athletes were complaining that last year's champs races were too easy. " Having attended all of last years events and talked to numerous athletes, parents and coaches this is not the impression that I got, in fact Cowpe has been shorted this year for the older age groups. If anything there were concerns that some of the courses were too long and dangerous in places for the U16 age group. When the phrase "a lot" is used I always want this supported by facts and figures as one of the major issues in junior fell running is the high drop out in U16 and U18 age groups; having overlong courses is just going to add to this problem as does unnecessary fixture clashes. I wonder who asked for these courses to be near maximum distances and who were the junior athletes that complained that the courses were too easy?

Last year, the Cowpe U16 course was altered (combined with the U18s race) at short notice due to the International team having no other plan for a selection race. This was nothing to do with the Juniors team.

I believe the quote of races being 'too easy' must refer to races from a few years back. We have no intention of making the races harder than last year's, and would not be allowed to do so in any case.

[Gazmuz]

The quote very clearly refers to LAST YEARS, if he meant previous years he would surely have said so. With regard to Cowpe last year, I feel passing the buck on the international committee is wrong as surely the junior committee should have inspected the course prior to the event and intervened if they felt it was not suitable for U16's. If it was not suitable they shouldn't have been allowed to run it. The course was so suitable that they only selected 2 girls and 2 boys were selected to go to the junior international instead of 3 as all the other runners struggled on the course and the course didn't help the athletes gain selection..

[LissaJous]

The quote very clearly refers to LAST YEARS, if he meant previous years he would surely have said so.

The quote might say last year, but I believe this is in error. Last year's ROs already had the same advice as was provided to Mercia for Stretton. Feel free to email Duncan if you are concerned.

With regard to Cowpe last year, I feel passing the buck on the international committee is wrong as surely the junior committee should have inspected the course prior to the event and intervened if they felt it was not suitable for U16's. If it was not suitable they shouldn't have been allowed to run it. The course was so suitable that they only selected 2 girls and 2 boys were selected to go to the junior international instead of 3 as all the other runners struggled on the course and the course didn't help the athletes gain selection..

It was not my call. I would have told the International team to find their own selection race, and not interfere with our carefully planned Junor Champs (for which the U16 course had already been 'inspected'). But once again, if you disagree with that particular decision, you could contact Duncan or the RO.