[Some of the Harriers at the latest PECO XC at West Park – photo credit Lucy Lowe]

From Peter Shelley & Nicola Budding…  

Harriers start 2026 at speed and navigate to success in a busy week of seasonal racing

Harriers clearly regard racing as part of the Christmas holiday festivity, many competing right up to December 31st, others opening their 2026 account at the earliest opportunity including New Year’s Day.  

Eleven Ilkley Harriers were among the 316 runners who saw 2025 out with a romp across Haworth Moor in the Auld Lang Syne fell race. Samesh Chotai finished a strong 4th and 1st runner under 20. Gawain Moore was 23rd and 3rd MV45 and Steve Gott 37th and 4th MV45. Kate Archer was 63rd and first FV45, Alison Weston first FV60 in 153rd place.

Oscar Shinn made a fast start to 2026, running to an excellent second place in the Silsden New Year’s Day Fun Run.

‘The Drop’ has become something of an early year fixture for Ilkley Harriers keen to rediscover their natural navigator. Taking place in various UK cities based on a 10-mile or 15-mile navigational challenge, the Leeds event took place on Saturday 3rd January. Runners surrender their tech and navigational aids at registration and are taken blindfolded by coach the requisite distance from Leeds city centre and left to navigate their way back from an undisclosed location using only road signs and their own sense of direction. This year’s 10-mile drop location was in Thornhill, from where Nick Kealey wasted no time making his way through Dewsbury, Tingley, Beeston and the suburbs of south Leeds back to the city centre without deviation in an efficient and rapid 1hr 21m, winning the 10-mile event by a substantial margin. Kate Archer was in action again finishing 3rd overall and first female pair with running partner Sam Booth.

Sunday saw the third race of the PECO cross country series take place at West Park in Leeds in bright but very cold conditions. Frozen mud provided runners with a novel challenge and provoked some pre-start shoe and kit deliberation. Seven Harriers were among the 319 lady competitors. First Harrier home was Rachel Carter in 26th place, 3rd F45. Sally Malir finished 115th, 2nd F60.

In the men’s race which attracted 447 competitors, Gawain Moore again ran strongly, finishing in 31st place and 1st M45. Harry Brook-Dobson was not far behind in 36th place. In action again Oscar Shinn and Steve Gott finished 50th and 73rd respectively. George Whittlestone finished 91st.

21 young Harriers took part in the junior races. Michael Moore ran the two-mile boys’ event placing 23rd of 94 in 13:14. Milena Morgan placed 25th of 93 girls in 14:48. Amelia Nichols placed 33rd in 15:14.

149 boys ran the one-mile event, Archie Hallworth finishing 20th in 7:22 and Thomas Bailey 39th in 7:54. 110 ran the girls’ event, Isobel Moore finishing 8th in 7:48 and Rose Weston 15th in 8:05.

Two parkrun dates over the festive period offered plenty of further running opportunities. Petra Bijsterveld notched up her 100th parkrun at East Holmes Field on New Year’s Day. Samesh Chotai underlined his form completing the 5k first in 18:10. John Hayes, Michael Odell, Matthew Cox, Dan McKeown and Stephen Coy put in strong age-graded times. Junior Harrier Milena Morgan ran 23:29.

Junior Harrier James Lee had a superb run at Chevin Forest coming home in 2nd place with a time of 19:27.

Geoff Howard and Diane Kitchen topped the age gradings at East Holmes Field on Sat 3rd January while Rob Cunningham ran 20:38. Junior Joseph Bentham was 3rd overall, 1st JM15-17, in 18:35, whilst Leo Freer was 1st JM10 in 21:48. Jaysson Sawyer ran 18:58 at Fountain Abbey and Jonathan Turner 20:48 at Lister Park. John Hayes ran 20:20 at Blaise Castle.

Samesh Chotai was flying again at Skipton posting 17:26. James Lee’s 19:23 secured him third place at Chevin Forest.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly welcoming club, open to all. If you would like to try us out, please register first on the training page at www.ilkleyharriers.org.uk and then come along to our main club night at 6.45pm on Tuesdays, meet upstairs at Ilkley tennis and squash club.