1st Event – 19th March 2019 – Millhouses Park

Unusually, we had 4 walkers competing over 5km. Lara MacColl, in only her second race at the distance, set off very positively at sub-30 minute pace and soon pulled back the 32 second handicap on leader Tony Bell. On the 4th 500m lap, Lara slowed with stitch and trailed Tony by 6 seconds. It was 3 laps before she was able to work her way up to Tony again. Then, in the last 500m, she opened up a 15 second gap for victory in a new personal best of 30:21. 

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Lara MacCollCity of Sheffield & Dearne30:53(00:32)30.215km
2Tony BellLancashire W.C.31:08(00:00)31:085km
3natalie MyersCity of Sheffield & Dearne32:15(03:59)28:165km
4Ben Heley2Dash32:34(18:15)14:192km
5Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:51(00:22)32:295km

2nd Event – 15th April 2019 – Millhouses Park

In the closing stages of the race, the victory was always going to be between Ben Heley and Ellis Simmonds, the two walkers racing over 2km. After 1 km, Ellis had pulled back 1 minute and looked certain to win. Still closing, but at a slower rate, he was outsprinted in the final 100m. Ellis was rewarded with a 20 second PB and Ben’s sprint took him to a PB equalling 12:57.
With 500m to go, Natalie Myers, who had been chasing the field down, moved through to third.

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Ben Heley2Dash31:04(18:07)12:572km
2Ellis Simmonds2Dash31:07(19:35)11:322km
3Natalie Myers2Dash31:55(04:12)27:435km
4Lucy Walker2Dash32:18(13:00)19:183km
5Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:21(00:00)32:215km

3rd Event – 15th May 2019 – Millhouses Park

An uneventful race with all the walkers closing together as expected until just 38 seconds covered the field. The biggest question was how far through the field Natalie Myers could get, catching the field with 500m to go and failing to catch the winner, Tony Bell, by 10 seconds. 

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Tony BellLancashire WC31:52(00:57)30:555km
2Natalie Myers2Dash32:02(04:33)27:295km
3Lucy Walker2Dash32:09(20:06)12:032km
4=Imogen WalkerMeadowhead School32:30(25:55)06:351km
4=Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:30(00:00)32:305km

4th Event – 7th June 2019 – Olympic Legacy Park

This is our one SYL race each year that is not at Millhouses Park. This year we moved from the Woodbourn Road track to the paths of the Olympic Legacy Park on the site of the old Don Valley Stadium. The race is preceded by a coaching event that targets the qualifiers for the primary schools finals and new walkers representing Sheffield schools in the county schools championships. Only one regular walker in attendance, Simon Pugh, taking an easy ‘scratch’ victory.
Target times for the new walkers were calculated from their primary or secondary qualifying races. Most were amazingly close to their targets with 6 walkers within 7 seconds of their target. Just 2 beating their target times.

Target PositionCompetitorClubActual TimeTarget TimeVarianceHandicap Position
1Simon PughRotherham Harriers05:4905:45-04 seconds4
2Evan ShkulEccleshall School06:2506:19-06 seconds5
3Lauren RobertsonAbbey Lane School06:3106:37+06 seconds2
4Libby DavidsonSheffield High06:4206:00-42 seconds8
5Anna BulgerSheffield High06;4306:22-21 seconds7
6Esther PetersonEccleshall School07:0006:59-01 second3
7Daniel WebsterTotley Primary07:0107:08+07 seconds1
8Amy RobertsonAbbey Lane School07:3707:30-07 seconds6

5th Event – 25th June 2019 – Millhouses Park

With just 4 starters, the 5th SYL race soon developed into two separate races. Simon Pugh was first away with a 1:42 second advantage over Tony Bell and  Lara MacColl a few strides further back. That gap didn’t vary much. Ben Heley slotted in 15 seconds behind Simon with 2.5km to go and it took him until the last 500m to close in and take a 2 second victory. Lara eventually won the battle for 3rd place a minute and a half later.

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Ben Heley2Dash32:02(16:25)15:372.5km
2Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:04(00:00)32:045km
3Lara MacColl2Dash33:37(01:58)31:395km
4Tony BellLancashire WC33:44(01:42)32:025km

6th Event – 17th July 2019 – Millhouses Park

Ben Heley and Ellis Simmonds both made their debut at 3km. When Ben started, he dropped into the race comfortably ahead of the 5km walkers and held onto his lead right to the end. Natalie Myers was over 500m behind with 2km to go and just failed to get past Ellis for second as they both produced great sprint finishes.
Lara McColl was up with Ellis and Tony Bell midway through but then her shoe rubbed the back of her ankle raw and she slowed. She then put in a spirited sprint to regain 5th place on the line.

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Ben Heley2Dash31:30(12:43)18:473km
2Ellis Simmonds2Dash31:54(13:55)17:593km
3Natalie Myers2Dash31:55(04:42)27:135km
4Tony BellLancashire WC32:09(00:32)31:375km
5Lara McColl2Dash32:12(01:08)31:045km
6Simon PughMeadowhead School32:12(00:00)32:125km

7th Event -9th August 2019 – Millhouses Park

Tony Bell started just 10 seconds down on Simon Pugh but with his usual slow start the gap lengthened before getting into his rythm and moving past Simon for a 22 second victory. Lucy Walker, tackling her first race beyond 3km, dropped into the race for her 4km stint at the front of the field, slowly dropping back and holding 3rd place until caught by Natalie Myers in the final 250m. 

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Tony BellLancashire WC31:44(00:10)31:345km
2Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:06(00:00)32:065km
3Natalie Myers2Dash32:19(04:50)27:295km
4Lucy Walker2Dash32:48(05:33)27:154km

8th Event – 4th September 2019 – Millhouses Park

Lara MacColl and Lucy Walker started just a few seconds apart and a race long battle ensued, each one making efforts to move ahead. Soon after 500m to go, Lara made a determined effort and looked as if she had broken Lucy but Lucy came back at her in the final 100m and failed by 1 second to catch her. This took Lucy to a PB and Lara close to her PB. Ben and Ellis both walked solo races but also achieved their best 3km times.
With just 1 race to go, there are still 6 walkers who could get into the meals and it is still possible for Ben, Tony or Lara to take the trophy.

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Lara MacColl2Cash31:02(12:36)18:263km
2Lucy Walker2Dash31:03(12:39)18:243km
3Ben Heley2Dash31:35(13:04)18:313km
4Ellis Simmonds2Dash31:45(14:00)17:453km
5Simon PughRotherham Harriers32:07(00:00)32:075km

9th Event – 1st October 2019 – Millhouses Park

In the absence of 2 of the 3 series leaders, Simon Pugh had a chance of snatching the bronze medal, but he needed to take first place to do that. It was unfortunate for him that Helen Ellerker chose to use this event for a final preparation for her President’s Challenge and took a 22 second victory ahead of Simon. New walker Maya Marshall, recruited from the schoools races earlier in the year, held off series winner Ben Heley for fourth place.
With 4 races to score in the series, Ben scored 77 of a possible 80, second place was Lancashire’s Tony Bell with 74 and third was Lara MacColl with 72 points. 17 different walkers have taken part over the year.

PositionCompetitorClubTime on ClockStart TimeActual TimeDistance
1Helen Ellerker2DASH31:14(00:10)31:045km
2Simon PughRotherham Harriers31:36(00:00)31:365km
3Natalie Myers2DASH31:43(04:42)27:015km
4Maya MarshallHigh Storrs School31:49(25:28)06:211km
5Ben Heley2DASH32:01(13:32)18:293km

Final Positions – S.Y. Race Walking League – 2019

PositionNamePointsPositionNamePointsPositionNamePoints
1Ben Heley777Ellis Simmonds5213Imogen Walker15.5
2Tony Bell748=Daniel Webster2014Evan Shkull15
3Lara MacColl728=Helen Ellerker2015Amy Robinson14
4Simon Pugh7010Lauren Robinson1816Ana Bulger13
5Natalie Myers6911Esther Peterson1717Libby Davidson12
6Lucy Walker6712Maya Marshall1618
League Results 2019