The Junior Inter-regional Championships (JIRCS) is an annual competition between the regional junior squads in the UK (From M/W14 – M/W18). The competition is an individual race on Saturday followed by a relay on Sunday. This year it was held in the Lake District on the last weekend in September. SYO had several juniors competing in the Yorkshire and Humberside (YHOA) squad and Dominic Dakin gives us an account of the competition below.
We had an early start on Saturday morning, to head up to Graythwaite in the South Lakes. My parents were going to drive me and my sister there, but we also took Catherine Hall, and Jo Smith.
After a smooth journey we arrived ahead of the rest of the YHOA squad, so we set up the YHOA camp, by putting the Yorkshire flag on the bonnet.
Once all of the Squad arrived, we had a team briefing. In the team from SYO, was Pippa Dakin (W16, running as W18), Jo Smith (W16), Catherine Hall (W18), Michael Adams (M16), Louise Adams (W16) and myself (M14).
The start was about a 20 minute walk away from assembly. As my start time was around 2pm, I had lots of time to spare – so I joined the rest of the Squad for face paint (a Yorkshire rose, and a ‘Y’).
My course was very enjoyable (helped by great weather) – the first part in dense woodland, but mostly running on paths. Then, to runnable woods (no undergrowth) with intricate contours, some open marshy ground, and finally back to the runnable woods. The course was also great for spectators, as there was a spectator control near the end, from where you could also see the finish.
Our accommodation for the night was Ulverston High School Sports Hall Floor. We got there late afternoon. After a freezing shower, we headed out to play football, which soon developed into a huge game of England Vs. Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Unfortunately, the result for us was like the real World Cup!
Tea for me was Bolognese sauce with pasta, salad, and then some chocolate cake with cream, which was good. After tea, the football continued in the dark, until the prize giving.
After that, the Yorkshire Squad retired indoors, and many of us played cards. Before bed, Nev Myers (squad coach) handed out the race numbers for the next day. I was on team 13!
10:45pm lights out.
6:00am lights on (rude awakening)
Breakfast was served from 6:30am, so after dressing, and starting to pack, we dashed straight there. After breakfast, we finished packing up, and loaded the car with people and bags and headed to Roanhead near Barrow in Furness for the relay.
The Relay was on an area of sand dunes, and so the assembly area was in a large basin, surrounded on three sides by a large dune. On one side, up a 15m dune, was a great viewing station of 3 spectator controls, and the rest of the terrain.
The first relay was the girls’. They raced off on the open side, past the start kite, to the contours ahead.
After the ad-hoc relay, the boys were off. My team’s first runner was Ruiridh (M16 – AIRE), I would be running the second leg with Michael Adams (M18 – SYO) running the last.
I was waiting on the top of the viewing dune for him, when the first pack of boys came into view – and he was in it. I raced down the dune, to wait for him in the pen. 5 minutes later, he arrived at the last control, and handed over to me.
I ran off, unfolding my map. I took a compass bearing and ran – and I found my first control. I continued like this, taking care of the different features of hills and other contours, but I didn’t really go wrong on any control, apart from being slightly off on a few. It was very easy running terrain, as there was not much open sand, but the Marram Grass really hurt you if you hit it at the wrong angle. At the end of my race, I handed over to Michael who ran well and we finished 10th.
Although our team didn’t come top three, one of YHOA’s girls’ teams did. My sister (Pippa) was announced in second place at the spectator control so her other team members (Tara (W14 – EBOR) and Lucy (W16 – AIRE)) went up to the last control, and a few minutes later, ran down after Pippa, bearing the Yorkshire flag.
YHOA came 3rd overall (with Scotland 1st and North-West 2nd) which was a great result and in the relays our top teams were 2nd in the Girls and 4th in the Boys.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first JIRCS, and I hope I have many more to come. Both of the areas were very nice, the courses were planned brilliantly, but also it was just such a great social occasion, allowing you to meet the rest of your team, and other juniors from across the country.
From all of the YHOA Junior Squad, many thanks to Nev Myers, and the many others who have helped throughout the year to improve the squad as a whole.
Results
Individual Day / Individual Race Overall Scores / Boys' and Girls' Relays / Overall Team Scores