1st Event – 21 March – Millhouses Park
Ana Garcia made the choice of racing over 5km in this first 2014 South Yorkshire League race. She lapped consistently at 2.30 for the 500m lap before picking up the pace in the last 4 laps. As she approached the line with 2 laps to go, she was just moving past Alan Zeidler into 4th place (it was a handicapped start), she was still 4 minutes behind Peter Bilson, the leader. One lap later, with just 500m to go, Melissa Wright had moved into the lead with Ana still 4th, 56 seconds behind, but with 170m to go, she hit the front and crossed the line in 24.23, almost 2 minutes inside Tracy Devlin’s 27 year old British Road Best. Tracy was also a member of the Sheffield Club.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 25.43 | (01.20) | 24.23 | 5km |
| 2 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 26.03 | (18.57) | 7.06 | 1km |
| 3 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 26.13 | (13.01) | 13.12 | 2km |
| 4 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 26.20 | (09.44) | 16.36 | 3km |
| 5 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 27.28 | (00.00) | 27.28 | 3km |
| 6 |
2nd Event – 8th April – Millhouses Park
As this yacht handicap race unfolded, it looked from Alana Zeidler’s consistent fast lapping that she could walk through the field for a win but well into the last 500m lap it was clear that Ella Sharkey was determined to hold her off. As they came down the finishing straight it was impossible to guess who would cross the finishing line first. Ella got to the line first but only by a foot as they were both given the same time. Ella’s effort over those final 200m gave her a PB (12.52) by 10 seconds.
Alana was pleased to have got within 8 seconds of her best 3km time with 16.20, 20 seconds faster than in the National.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 16.20 | (3.28) | 12.52 | 2km |
| 2 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 16.20 | (0.00) | 16.20 | 3km |
| 3 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 16.37 | (4.27) | 12.10 | 2km |
| 4 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 16.57 | (4.21) | 12.36 | 2km |
| 5 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 17.25 | (9.00) | 8.25 | 1km |
3rd Event – 2nd May – Millhouses Park
A satisfied handicapper as the top 6 walkers finish within 17 seconds after 24 minutes of racing. As in ‘race one’ in March, Ana Garcia came through the field to take the lead in the 125m finishing straight and crossed the line with a 7 second advantage over Ella Sharkey who was the winner of Race 2. In race 2, Ella won in a ‘photo-finish’. A photo-finish this time gave her second place ahead of Peter Bilson. Four personal bests were achieved.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 24.01 | (00.00) | 24.01 | 5km |
| 2 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 24.08 | (11.29) | 12.39 | 2km |
| 3 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 24.08 | (06.50) | 17.18 | 2km |
| 4 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 24.09 | (13.23) | 10.46 | 1.5km |
| 5 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 24.16 | (11.52) | 12.24 | 2km |
| 6 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 24.17 | (05.56) | 18.21 | 2km |
| 7 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 25.10 | (08.01) | 17.09 | 3km |
4th Event – 10th June – Woodbourn Road
Everyone started together in this 1,000m track race, then the times were adjusted afterward according to their handicap marks. We were also joined by 6 new primary school walkers who had just had a coaching session in preparation for the City Finals. The top 3 walkers on handicap were Simon, beating his handicap mark by 28 seconds, Estelle Wade of Nether Green, by 17 seconds, and Molly Meleady-Hanley, by 14 seconds.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 4.31 | (0.24) | 4.07 | 1km |
| 2 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 5.08 | (1.07) | 4.01 | 1km |
| 3 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 5.31 | (1.59) | 3.32 | 1km |
| 4 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 5.59 | (2.13) | 3.46 | 1km |
| 5 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 6.12 | (2.220 | 3.50 | 1km |
| 6 | Emily Goulding | Nether Green | 6.41 | (2.49) | 3.52 | 1km |
| 7 | Estelle Wade | Dobcroft | 6.45 | (3.02) | 3.43 | 1km |
| 8 | Archie Conway | Nether Green | 6.55 | (2.49) | 4.06 | 1km |
| 9 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 7.00 | (3.12) | 3.48 | 1km |
| 10 | Lola Pinnock | Nether Green | 7.03 | (2.53) | 4.10 | 1km |
| 11 | Grace Toward | Nether Green | 7.08 | (2.50) | 4.18 | 1km |
| 12 | Orla Hughes | St. Wilfred’s | 7.09 | (2.54) | 4.15 | 1km |
5th Event – 20th June – Millhouses park
This race took place amid the setting up of tents & ‘stuff’ for the ‘Cliffhanger’ event. In very warm conditions, Melissa was the only one to beat her target time for a comfortable win with a PB. Two close races in the middle of the field as Ana passed Simon just before the line for third, but Ella just held off Molly’s late charge. It was great to see Orla Hughes having another go at walking the day after finishing 11 in the City Schools Y6 finals. Orla missed the correct turning point and walked over distance. If we double her time for the second lap (3.37) it indicates that she should have done around 7.14.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 31.46 | (21.13) | 10.33 | 1.5km |
| 2 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 32.16 | (15.19) | 16.57 | 3km |
| 3 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 32.32 | (07.35) | 24.57 | 5km |
| 4 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 32.32 | (13.47) | 18.45 | 3km |
| 5 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 32.50 | (19.26) | 13.24 | 2km |
| 6 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 32.51 | (20.00) | 12.51 | 2km |
| 7 | Orla Hughes | St. Wilfred’s | 33.21 | (25.07) | 08.14 | 1km |
| 8 | Chris Bent | Leicester WC | 34.05 | (00.00) | 34.05 | 5km |
6th Event – 15th July – Millhouses Park
Another very warm evening and our usual field boosted by the presence of 3 new primary youngsters. Eight walkers were in the 125m finishing straight at the same time. Only Ana was off this pace, frustrated by having one or other shoe lace come loose on 4 occasions! Not through lack of preparation or lack of care but new racing shoes with inappropriate laces that slide undone…soon to be replaced! Ella Sharkey took a 2 second victory from Kai Cundey, the only 2 to beat their target time. Ella (75) extends her lead pulling away from Melissa again (70), Ana (68), Simon (67), Alana (66), Peter (63), Molly (62), Orla (41), Estelle (30), Kai (18), Emily (14), Archie (12), Chris (12), Lola (10) and Grace (8).
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 24.32 | (11.26) | 13.06 | 2km |
| 2 | Kai Cundey | Intake School | 24.34 | (18.13) | 06.21 | 1km |
| 3 | Orla Hughes | St. Wilfred’s | 24.41 | (17.32) | 07.09 | 1km |
| 4 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 24.46 | (06.40) | 18.06 | 2km |
| 5 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 24.55 | (13.59) | 10.56 | 1.5km |
| 6 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 25.02 | (07.17) | 17.45 | 3km |
| 7 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 25.03 | (11.43) | 13.20 | 2km |
| 8 | Estelle Wade | Dobcroft School | 25.09 | (17.45) | 07.24 | 1km |
| 9 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 25.58 | (00.00) | 25.58 | 5km |
7th Event -26th August – Millhouses Park
It was decided to move this fixture forward 10 days when fewer walkers were on holiday. First off, Peter Bilson lead the race right up until Molly passed him with just 125m to go. Simon Pugh won a tight race for third place beating Alana by 3 seconds & Kai by 4 seconds. 11 seconds covered positions 2 to 5.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 17.04 | (4.56) | 12.08 | 2km |
| 2 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 17.30 | (0.00) | 17.30 | 2km |
| 3 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 17.36 | (5.55) | 11.41 | 2km |
| 4 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 17.39 | (0.27) | 17.12 | 3km |
| 5 | Kai Cundey | Intake School | 17.40 | (8.24) | 09.16 | 1.5km |
| 6 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 18.07 | (7.17) | 10.50 | 1.5km |
| 7 | Orla Hughes | St. Wilfred’s | 18.21 | (7.17) | 11.04 | 1.5km |
8th Event – 16th September – Millhouses Park
Another great evening’s racing. Simon seemed to have it won with 300m to go but Ana cruised past him in the finishing straight. Simon was delighted to break 18 minutes for the first time. New comer Kai Cundey improved 29 seconds from his debut on Sunday, just losing out on 3rd place to a fast finishing Alana who had towed Natalie Myers round for 2km. Natalie was really pleased to break 17 minutes so soon in her comeback. Her time was only 27 seconds slower than her 3rd place in the ESAA championships just before she stopped walking in 2007. Ella tackled her first 3km with an evenly paced race; 5 laps (500m) in 3.21-3.28. There were some very happy walkers with 7 beating their handicap targets.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 26.11 | (11.45) | 14.26 | 3km |
| 2 | Simon Pugh | Rotherham Harriers | 26.16 | (08.33) | 17.43 | 3km |
| 3 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 26.32 | (09.56) | 16.36 | 3km |
| 4 | Kai Cundey | Intake School | 26.33 | (14.18) | 12.15 | 2km |
| 5 | Natalie Myers | Unattached | 26.37 | (09.42) | 16.55 | 3km |
| 6 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 26.37 | (06.24) | 20.13 | 3km |
| 7 | Melissa Wright | Meadowhead School | 26.56 | (16.12) | 10.44 | 1.5km |
| 8 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 27.46 | (00.00) | 27.46 | 3km |
9th Event – 17th October – Millhouses Park
The leading places were very similar to the previous round of the competition. Just remove Simon, absent due to a bad cold. Ana even produced exactly the same time as she repeated her victory and once again Alana eased past Kai. Despite racing over 5km, she was still able to cover the last 500m 7 seconds faster than Kai.
Ella needed to win tonight (and with Ana outside the top 2) to snatch the title. She held the lead with 400m to go but could not withstand the fast-finishing pack. She did enough to hold on to second place.
Alana also needed to win to take the bronze medal. Her second place put her level on points with Simon but lost the medal on countback. Simon had 1 win in the series; Alana’s best results were 3 second places.
| Position | Competitor | Club | Time on Clock | Start Time | Actual Time | Distance | |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | City of Sheffield | 30.50 | (16.24) | 14.26 | 3km | |
| 2 | Alana Zeidler | City of Sheffield | 31.06 | (01.41) | 29.25 | 5km | |
| 3 | Kai Cundey | Intake School | 31.10 | (19.06) | 12.04 | 2km | |
| 4 | Ella Sharkey | City of Sheffield | 31.16 | (14.28) | 16.48 | 2.5km | |
| 5 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | City of Sheffield | 31.57 | (19.22) | 12.35 | 2km | |
| 6 | Lara MacColl | Sheffield High School | 32.39 | (18.31) | 14.08 | 2km | |
| 7 | Peter Bilson | City of Sheffield | 32.39 | (13.48) | 18.51 | 3km |
Final Positions – S.Y. Race Walking League – 2014
| Position | Name | Points | Position | Name | Points | Position | Name | Points |
| 1 | Ana Garcia | 80 (Maximum) | 7 | Peter Bilson | 66 | 13 | Lara MacCall | 13 |
| 2 | Ella Sharkey | 75 | 7 | Kai Cundey | 66 | 14 | Chris Bent | 12 |
| 3 | Simon Pugh | 72 | 9 | Orla Hughes | 54 | 14 | Archie Conway | 12 |
| 4 | Alana Zeidler | 72 | 10 | Estelle Wade | 30 | 16 | Lola Pinnock | 10 |
| 5 | Melissa Wright | 70 | 11 | Natalie Myers | 15 | 17 | Grace Toward | 8 |
| 6 | Molly Meleady-Hanley | 68 | 12 | Emily Goulding | 14 |