Written by Frank S
After weeks of warm, dry weather, the last match of the YDL season instead brought high winds and relentless rain. Due largely to the start of school holidays only a small K&P team travelled to Portsmouth, but it soon became clear that the other teams were also struggling. What we lacked in numbers we had in class and attitude, not least thanks to some of K&P’s top athletes making a very welcome return to the team. Despite the atrocious conditions, our athletes were willing to go out and score points, many in 4 to 5 events. Like in the matches before, our main strength was in the field, which we even won (!) this time. On the track we missed many events, but several top places compensated for the gaps. After narrowly missing out on 4thplace in the first two matches by 2.5 and 3 points, for the second time in a row our team finished ahead of Portsmouth and Guildford. The 4thplace in the last match ensured 4thplace overall in the division, above the relegation zone. We will again compete in division 1 next year – well done everyone who contributed to the K&P YDL team as athlete or official during the 2018 season. The preliminary table:
Team
Match 4
Total
Total
1
Crawley AC
583.0
24
2531
Promoted
2
Camberley & District AC + Woking AC
552.5
18
2243
3
South Bucks
492.5
17
2113.5
4
Kingston AC & Polytechnic Harriers
400.5
11
1814.5
5
City of Portsmouth AC
376.0
7
1483.5
Relegated
6
Guildford & Godalming AC
212.5
7
1479.5
Relegated
Our success came from athletes scoring across the full range of events, but outstanding results were A string wins for Louisa Stoney (100m, 200m), Lucy Tunnacliffe (long jump), Hannah Lester (triple jump), Will Hobson (shot), Aaron Marlow (discus), Freddy Crosby (triple jump), Jack Dickson (400m, 800m), Rhianna Reynolds (triple jump), Pippa Earley (800m), and B string wins for Lucy Tunnacliffe (200m), Hannah Lester (long jump), Luca Di Libero (shot, discus). PBs were difficult to achieve in this weather, so well done to Will Hobson (shot, discus), Luca Di Libero (hammer), Marius Ball (100m), Gabby Icmat (1500SC). Full results are on Power of 10.
The team was (underlined are the athletes who competed in all four matches):
U17 women:Lucy Tunnacliffe, Hannah Lester, Katie Harrison, Louisa Stoney
U20 women:Eleanor Bartle, Kathryn Bartle, Rhianna Reynolds, Jessica Westley, Charlotte Josey, Pippa Earley, Leila Legris
U17 men:Luca Di Libero,Freddy Crosby, Aaron Marlow, Marius Ball, Conor McLarnon, Thomas White, William Hobson, Jack Dickson
U20 men:Sol Harris-Woodfin
Huge thanks also to our team of officials, who stayed out in the rain to gain the 55 officials points for the team: timekeeper Stewart Dickson, track judge Colin Watts, and the field team of Richard White, Mark Reynolds, Dorinda Lester, John Lester, Beverly Tunnacliffe and Paul Tunnacliffe.
The end of the 2018 season also means a farewell to a number of athletes who have been stalwarts of the junior teams for many years, but will be moving up to be seniors next year: Isabella Busa, Rebecca Keddie, Jessica Westley, Souleyman Bah, Alex and Darren Meaklim.
