Press Report: Round the Walls Cancelled for 2020

THIS year’s popular Chester Round The Walls Race has been cancelled.

The Boxing Day fixture hosted annually by West Cheshire Athletic Club from Chester Racecourse will not be held because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Club officials unanimously agreed this week it would be impossible to guarantee the multi-terrain race going ahead because of current guidance and how guidance from the government, local authority, and England Athletics may change over the next few months.

The event is one of the oldest races in the UK having been an almost permanent Boxing Day fixture since its inception in 1972.

Although changing almost every year due to weather and ongoing maintenance of the roman and medieval walls, the typical route is around 6.8km/4.25 miles, starting and finishing on the Roodee racecourse and including sections of the walls including the iconic Eastgate clock.

West Cheshire AC is now in the process of contacting anyone who has entered the festive fixture and the club hopes the event can return in 2021.

THE 2021 Helsby Four Villages Half Marathon scheduled to take place in January has been cancelled.

The official statement read: “This is obviously hugely disappointing but we hope you will understand this decision in the current climate.

“Under current Covid guidelines and requirements from Athletic governing bodies we are not able to put on the 4VHM in its usual format. The social distancing requirements and need for staggered starts make putting on a half marathon race for over 1500 runners from Helsby impossible.”

ELOISE ECCLES of West Cheshire AC finished third lady with a time of 21 hours in the Robin Hood 100 Miles Race through Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.

SEVERAL West Cheshire AC members celebrated new personal bests at the latest Trafford AC Open Track and Field Meeting.

Charlotte Austin posted new bests in the under 13 girls 75m (12.15 seconds) and 150m (24.49), her brother Robert clocked new bests in the under 15 boys 100m (12.55) and 200m (25.63), and Lewis Parsons posted new bests in the under 15 boys 100m (12.06) and 200m (24.47).

Luke Parker rounded the under 15 boys 300m in a new best of 43.50, while Holly Bosworth cleared a new under 13 girls high jump best of 1-36, and Harriet Wheeler hit new under 13 girls bests of 7.94m in the shot put, and 29.30m in the javelin.

WEST CHESHIRE AC’s Tom Booth (sixth in 25:59) and Alex Duffey (seventh over-40 lady in 49:24), completed the 60th Anniversary Cilcain 5km Mountain Race which attracted 118 runners in a time trial variation up and down the original route spread out over a 2.5 hour period.

MICHAEL YOUNG of West Cheshire AC posted 15:41 for 77th spot in the Mid Cheshire 5k Road Race, ahead of club mates Chris Shaw (142nd in 16:44), and Sammy Hollins (156th in 17:15).

WEST CHESHIRE AC will be represented at the Inter Club Road Relays at Haydock, this Sunday.

The full timetable is: 9.30am: Under 20 and Senior Men’s 6×4.2km; 11am: Under 20 and Senior Women’s 4×4.2km; 12.30pm: Under 11 Boys and Girls 3×2.1km; 1.15pm: Under 13 Girls 3×2.1km; 1.45pm: Under 13 Boys 3×2.1km; 2.30pm: Under 15 Girls 3×2.1km; 3pm: Under 15 Boys 3×2.1km; 3.30pm: Under 17 Men’s 3×4.2km; 3.40pm: Under 17 Ladies 3×4.2km.

A NEW Covid-19 secure Farndon 10k Road Race on Sunday, September 27, will have a waived start and runners will be set off in a group based on their predicted finishing time. Race numbers and chips will be posted and race instructions will be emailed approximately seven days before race day. The entry link is: https://runcheshire.niftyentries.com/Bartletts-Farndon-10K-2020#entryoptions