We love to have a great turn out to competitions, and all athletes are encouraged to come along and take part – there’s nothing like hearing your teammates yelling your name to give you a confidence boost. The indoor sportshall season runs from October to March, and outdoors April to September. On average there is a league competition each month, as well as cross country in the winter. For league events athletes are entered by the club. These competitions are added to Spond and the coaches pick who is doing each event so do make sure you respond to the invitations. For open events athletes are entered individually by their parents; you can enter the events of your choice and this is usually via the event website. You will need your child’s England Athletics number, and there is usually an entry fee.
Summer Season Competitions (Track and Field)
Oxon Junior League / Heart of England League (entered as a club)
These are the league competitions we take part in for all age groups, and we score points as a team. The majority are for U11s and upwards but often open to U9s as well. The U9/11s take part in a Quad Kids competition (they compete in long jump, howler throw, 600m and 75m each time), which is a great and fairly relaxed introduction to competitions. The older age groups take part in standard track and field events. Typically the events start at around 10am, and finish with relays at around 5pm. You may not need to be there all day depending on your events. There are six league matches through the season, which take place either on a Saturday or a Sunday (usually Sunday). The team and your individual events are chosen by the WRR coaches based on availability.
We set up a team tent for these events and encourage you to bring a blanket/garden chairs & a picnic, plus drinks & snacks as these are all-day events. There is a great social atmosphere amongst the WRR families attending, and the children and adults have good fun cheering and supporting their team mates. Food and drink is also available at most events to purchase from a café.
Information on the leagues can be found on the links below:
http://www.hofe-league.org.uk/
Open Events (entered individually)
It is up to you as an individual to enter your child for these events, but the dates will be listed on Spond. The main two are Quadkids and the County Championships.
- Oxford City Quadkids
This is for U9s and U11s (minimum age 8), with each child taking part in the 4 events. Points are awarded for each event, and medals are awarded for the best overall scores, and individual events. Every participant receives a certificate with their performance scores encouraging them to improve on those next time. There are 3 or 4 quad kids events each year at Horspath Athletics Track in Oxford, which start at around 10am and are finished by 12.30 on Sunday mornings, and they are a great introduction to competition for the youngsters. Entries are made in advance online at the https://www.oxfordcityac.com/competitions/quadkids/
- Oxfordshire County Championships
The county championships take place over a weekend (Saturday and Sunday) each May, for age groups from U13 and above. This is your opportunity to enter your preferred events. Entries to this are made online at https://www.oxfordshireathletics.org.uk. This competition also doubles up as our club championships, giving you the opportunity to compete against your clubmates (and win medals) if that appeals to you. These are then awarded at the presentation evening in the autumn.
It is up to you as an individual to enter your child for these events. The events are split across both days & a timetable is publicised the week before the competition once all online entries have been received.
Although this event is entered by the individual, there is a still a great club spirit at the competition, with the tent up and coaches and helpers there to support the athletes.
Other open events (entered individually)
There are open athletics events taking place around the country most weekends, that you can enter if you choose. Some local events are listed here:
- Brewer Games, Cheltenham – this takes place on the first May bank holiday Monday. It is run as a Quadkids Competition for U11s (75m, 600m, Long Jump, Vortex Throw), and also as Quadkids for U13s (100m, 800m, Long Jump, Vortex Throw). Entries are made in advance at http://cheltenhamharriers.co.uk/fixtures/
- Radley Open – this event takes place at Tilsley Park in April, has quadkids for U9s and U11s. Entries to events for all other age groups (up to senior) are made individually. Entries are made in advance at https://radleyathletic.club/fixtures
- Sandra Luke 5 STAR – This event takes place at Horspath in Oxford and is open to u10, u11, u12, u13, u14 and u15 athletes. Athletes choose 1 track and 1 field and a third event which can be either, and are awarded points for each in a similar way to the quadkids competitions. Entries are made online at https://www.oxfordcityac.com/competitions/sandra-luke-memorial/
- Mid week open graded meetings – Oxford City Athletics Club hosts a number of Open Graded Meetings each summer for U13s and above at Horspath. Typically there will be 5 such meetings. Each meeting takes place on a Wednesday evening, and comprises of five or six events scheduled between 6.45 pm and 9.15 pm. There will normally be one field event, and four or five track events. Entries can be made online at https://www.oxfordcityac.com/competitions/open-graded-meeting/
Winter Season Competitions
During the winter we take part in the Oxfordshire Junior Sports Hall League, and the Oxford Mail Cross Country League.
Oxfordshire Junior Sports Hall League (entered as a club) – there are 5 events for U11/U13 &U15 through the winter season taking place between 1pm and 5pm on Sunday afternoons. Typically one is hosted by Witney at the Windrush Leisure Centre, and the other events take place at other sports halls around the county including Bicester, Kidlington, Wheatley and Wantage. The event consists of sprints, relays, obstacle courses and field events, exactly as we do each week at training, enabling year-round athletics for Juniors U11, U13 & U15 athletes.
The Oxfordshire Sports Hall League allows junior athletes to maintain a focus throughout the winter, whilst also building the fun and competitive spirit vital for a young sports person’s development. In Oxfordshire this league forms the basis of selection for the Regional finals and UK Championships, so taking part may give you the opportunity to represent your county. Further information about the sports hall league can be found here https://www.oxfordshireathletics.org.uk/sportshall
Oxford Mail Cross Country League (entered as a club) – there are 4 or 5 cross country events through the winter, for U9s upwards. If you are interested in taking part in Cross Country, please let Tony know as he will arrange to enter you and get a number for you to compete (you can’t compete without one). The races take place on Sunday mornings, with the juniors setting off at intervals between 9.45 and 11am.
The races are over the following approximate distances: U9 – 1200m; U11 – 1500m; U13G – 2500m; U13B & U15G – 3000m. The adult races follow on from the juniors so it’s a nice sociable event, and Witney always have the team tent set up as a base for the club. If you like getting muddy on a Sunday morning this could be the thing for you! Bring some warm clothes, wellies, spikes (or trainers), and some hot chocolate for after the run. Details of the Oxfordshire Cross Country League can be found here http://www.oxonxc.org.uk/
Results
Results for competitions are shared on Spond, and are posted on the website alongside the fixture list.
https://www.witneyroadrunners.co.uk/juniors/junior-results-20161718/