Record field competes in cross country races

Bywell and St Patricks schools qualified for all six Kirklees Finals and will be joined on Wednesday October 14 by representatives from Windmill (three), Westmoor (two) St Paulinus and, for the first time, Batley Parish.

They will now bid to reach the West Yorkshire Finals, which take place in February.

The record entry, competing from 12 schools in the Batley, Birstall, Dewsbury areas, participated in six races and Healey, Holy Spirit, Ravensthorpe, St Joseph’s, St Peter’s and Thornhill also took part.

Runners were given points to coincide with their finishing positions, with the top three teams from each category qualifying for the Kirklees finals, along with any runner finishing in the top three.

The competition also attracted many competing teams as some schools sent A, B, C and D teams and, in one race an E team, cheered on by a large group of parents.

Individual medals were shared out between eight of the competing schools, another record, with that table headed by Bywell with two gold, a silver and two bronze, ahead of St Patrick’s (Birstall), who accumulated a gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

First time entrants Westmoor were third with a gold, silver and bronze medal, while Ravensthorpe, Holy Spirit, St Peter’s, St Paulinus and Windmill also had pupils celebrating individual successes during the afternoon.

The event also produced another first, as two races were deemed as dead heats for first place.

Individual Results (all qualify for Kirklees Finals)

Year3/4 Girls: 1 Olivia Wells Holy Spirit, 2 Chelsea Butterworth Westmoor, 3 Isobelle Toher St Patrick’s, 4 Catalina MurraySt Joseph’s.

Year 3/4 Boys: =1 Jimmy Curtin Bywell, =1 Oliver Dixon St Peters, 3 Fionn Illand-Hurd St Patrick’s, 4 Joe Diskin St Patrick’s.

Year 5 Girls: 1 Pheobe Butterworth St Patrick’s, 2 Matilda Butterworth St Patrick’s, 3 Kasey Gooch Westmoor, 4 Megan Mayman St Joseph’s.

Year 5 Boys: 1 Daniel Butterworth Westmoor, 2 Luke Armitage St Patrick’s, 3 Elliott Ramsey Bywell, 4 Aaron Jenkinson St Patrick’s.

Year 6 Girls: =1 Faye Senior Watson St Paulinus, =1 Alishba Ahmed, Ravensthorpe, 3 Maisie Poyznts-Powell Bywell, 4 Libby Clayton Holy Spirit.

Year 6 Boys: 1 Oliver Busfield Bywell, 2 Finley Curtis Bywell, Luke Partridge Windmill, 4 Sam Lenners Windmill.

St John Fisher Qualifiers

Year 4 Girls: St Patrick’s A, St Patrick’s B, Bywell A.

Year 4 Boys: St Patrick’s A, Bywell A, Windmill A.

Year 5 Girls: Bywell, St Patrick’s, Westmoor.

Year 5 Boys: St Patrick’s A, Windmill A, Bywell A.

Year 6 Girls: Bywell, Batley Parish, Westmoor.

Year 6 Boys: Bywell, Windmill A, St Paulinus A.

Young Sports Leaders from St John Fisher Catholic High School, Ellie Burland, Lily Loveday, Beth Vickers, Henry Welford, and runners Sean Smith and James Sweeney officiated and ensured the event ran smoothly.

The Kirklees finals will be held at Leeds Road Playing Fields, Huddersfield, on Wednesday October 14 between 1pm and 3pm, with places for the West Yorkshire finals up for grabs.