April

Start of the Outdoor Season The Sportshall National Final, multiple running events and the start of the outdoor Track & Field season.

VALE TRIO HELP BUCKS TO SPORTSHALL SUCCESS! Congratulations went to the Vale’s Adam Ankers, Thomas Babb and Ryan Ryder, who were part of the Buckinghamshire U15 Boys Sportshall Team who won the UK Sportshall National Final in Essex!

“ Brilliant day - huge thanks to all supporting and making these events happen and the training of the boys. Amazing show of sportsmanship.” VoAAC athlete parent

READING HALF MARATHON Sophie Delderfield competed in the Reading Half Marathon and came away with a superb 4th place female in a time of 1hr 18mins 35seconds.

TRIO COMPETE IN GOOD FRIDAY 10 MILER Three Vale athletes took part in the Maidenhead 10 mile race on the Friday of Easter weekend. Nathan Jones had a storming run to finish 2nd in the race overall with a superb 53mins 13seconds. Tim Jones (Nathan’s father) made it two 2nd places for the Jones family on the day by finishing in 82nd place and 2nd vet 60 overall with a time of 1hr 5mins 44seconds. Alan Roberts completed the Vale’s trio by running 1hr 19mins 18seconds to come home in 223rd place.

ELLIS TAKES 3RD IN GERMANY Sunday 10th April saw VoAAC athlete Peter (Oz) Ellis compete in the Europe Triathlon Powerman Middle Distance Duathlon Championships in Alsdorf, Germany. Oz completed an excellent performance in 2hrs 47mins 58seconds to finish 3rd in the Vet 35 category!

WYCOMBE PHOENIX HARRIERS INVITATIONAL & CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS The club had 14 of its young athletes competing (some for the first time) at the Wycombe Phoenix Harriers Invitational & Club Championships at the Little Marlow track.

Each of the athletes came away with a personal best which was a fantastic achievement! The standout performance of the day came from Ibukun Familoni in the U15 boys long jump who propelled himself to 6th in the country this season with a 5.65m leap!

Full VoAAC results: U13 Girls

Zoe Partridge

75m – Heat: 12.52secs (-0.2) (wind legal PB) Final: 12.13secs (+2.1) (PB) Shot Put – 4:01m Long Jump – 3.28m (PB)

Natasha Rogers

75m – Heat: 11.30secs (-0.2) (wind legal PB) Final: 11.14secs (+2.1) (PB) Long Jump – 4.02m (PB) 150m – 22.30secs (+2.5) (PB)

Lois Gromnicki

75m – Heat: 11.74secs (-0.2) (wind legal PB) Final: 11.64secs (+2.1) (PB) 150m – 23.15secs (+2.5) (PB)

U13 Boys

Krishan Shergill

100m – 15.72secs (+0.1) (PB) Long Jump – 3.27m (PB) U15 Girls

Beatrice Peel

High Jump – 1.33m (PB) 200m – Heat: 31.88secs (+2.7) (PB) Final: 32.15secs (+2.6)

Katie Clarke

Shot Put – 8.98m 200m – 33.98secs (+2.0) Javelin – 21.61m (PB)

Darcy Bartlett

Shot Put – 7.44m (SB) 200m – Heat: 32.93secs (+2.0) (PB)

Esther Cann

100m – 14.94secs (-0.5) (PB) Alexandra Knott 100m – 15.32secs (-0.5) (PB)

Isobel Ferguson

800m – 2:39.02 (PB)

Natasha Bradley

1500m – 5:27.87 (PB) Javelin – 7.43m (PB) U15 Boys

Ibukun Familoni

Long Jump – 5.65m (PB) 100m – 12.31secs (+1.6) (PB) 200m – 25.37secs (+2.7) (PB)

Elliot Corke

300m – 42.16secs (PB) 200m – 27.76secs (+2.7) (PB)

Year 5 Girls Quadkids

Erin Rogers

75m – 2nd 11.99secs (+3.3) (PB) Howler Throw – 4th 13.13m Long Jump – 1st 2.90m 600m – 6th 2:25.39 (PB)

Youth Development League

April saw the start of the YDL league matches with both our Upper and Lower Age Groups in action.

KESTRELS MOVE UP TO U13 IN APRIL OF YEAR 6

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE In 2013, through an initiative set up by UK Athletics, the existing National Junior Athletic League and the National Young Athletics League amalgamated to form the UK Youth Development League (YDL) for athletes under 20 years of age. There are two different age group competitions within the YDL.

The Lower Age Group (LAG) for U13 and U15 athletes (school years 6, 7, 8 and 9) The Upper Age Group (UAG) for U17 and U20 athletes (school years 10, 11 and for U20 - competitors who are 17 or over on 31st August within the Competition Year, but Under 20 on 31st December in the calendar year of competition). U17 athletes are limited to 4 events and, if doing so, 1 MUST be a relay. LAG and UAG competitions are held on separate weekend days, between April and August. YDL is similar to football leagues with promotion or relegation from the league at the end of the season. A maximum of two athletes are selected for each event, as an A stream and a B stream. Athletes are selected by the coaches and Team Managers to represent VoAAC at YDL league matches. During team selection an athlete’s commitment and attitude to training as well as their performance is taken into consideration. YDL is a team event with athletes competing against other clubs for points for their team. Where there are gaps in team selection, athletes may be offered the opportunity to compete in an event they are less familiar with in order to give them competitive/ event experience and to obtain additional points for their team. Occasionally athletes will be offered the opportunity to compete in a non-scoring (NS) event to obtain competition experience. Athletes are encouraged to travel to YDL matches by coach (organised by VoAAC), travelling together forges relationships and creates a team atmosphere amongst the athletes. Parents also are encouraged to attend matches to support the team. Each team must also provide officials (see page 21) at each match. We currently need officials for the LAG YDL, as well as Level 2 Officials for both LAG and UAG. Not providing officials can mean points being deducted from the team's match total.

Upper Age Group YDL - Match 1

VOAAC FINISH 2ND IN OPENING UPPER AGE GROUP YDL MATCH The outdoor track and field season was now well and truly underway. The VoAAC had their opening Youth Development League (YDL) match of the season in April in Perivale, for the upper age group (U17’s and U20’s.) There were victories for a number of athletes on the day, including wins on the track for George Whincup, Nathan Jones and Lucy Cuthbert and field triumphs going to Christian Choy, Amber-Eve Tottle, Nathaniel Arulanandam (twice), Ffion Mabey, Harriet Squire (twice) and Lucy Cuthbert again. This helped the team achieve a fantastic 2nd place on the day.

Full VoAAC results: U20 MEN

100m

A 4th Quinlan Bartlett – 11.73s (+1.7) B 3rd Christian Choy – 12.20s (-1.6)

200m

A 3rd Quinlan Bartlett – 23.86s (-0.8 ) B 3rd George Whincup – 24.27s (-1.9)

400m

A 1st George Whincup – 51.68s

3000m

A 1st Nathan Jones – 9m 19.34s

Long Jump

A 3rd Quinlan Bartlett – 6.10m B 1st Christian Choy – 4.26m

4x100m

2nd Adam Ankers, Christian Choy,

George Whincup, Quinlan Bartlett

– 48.57secs U20 WOMEN

Shot Put

A 2nd Amber-Eve Tottle – 7.91m

Discus

A 1st Amber-Eve Tottle – 18.59m U17 MEN

100m

A 5th Adam Ankers – 12.23s (-1.7) B 3rd Ryan Ryder – 12.64s (-2.8)

200m

A 4th Adam Ankers – 25.04s (-1.7) B 2nd Ethan Perry – 25.61s (-2.1)

400m

A 4th Ethan Perry – 59.55s B 3rd Ryan Ryder – 59.73s

800m

A 6th Thomas Young – 2m 24.26s B 4th Jude Hudson – 2m 48.56s

1500m

A 2nd Woody Day – 4m 46.05s B 2nd Jude Hudson – 5m 31.74s

3000m

A 2nd Thomas Young – 10m 12.86s

Long Jump

A 4th Ryan Ryder – 4.86m B 1st Nathaniel Arulanandam – 4.85m

Shot Put

A 3rd Nathaniel Arulanandam – 9.62m B 2nd Leo Tottle – 8.95m

Javelin

A 1st Nathaniel Arulanandam – 39.56m B 2nd Leo Tottle – 30.05m

4x100m

2nd Ryan Ryder, Nathaniel Arulanandam, Ethan Perry, Thomas Young – 50.81s U17 WOMEN

200m

A 4th Kianna De Mesa – 29.29secs B 2nd Ffion Mabey – 30.01secs

300m

A 4th Kianna De Mesa – 46.66secs

3000m

A 1st Lucy Cuthbert – 13m 14.07s

1500m S/C

A 2nd Lucy Cuthbert – 6m 48.33s

Long Jump

A 2nd Harriet Squire – 3.27m

Shot Put

A 1st Ffion Mabey – 9.78m B 1st Harriet Squire – 7.97m

Discus

A 2nd Ffion Mabey – 24.70m

Javelin

A 1st Harriet Squire – 22.10m B 1st Lucy Cuthbert – 20.67m