The 5 Star Junior Pentathlon competition which was started by the Newquay & Par Athletic Club for their young athletes 32 years ago, is still going strong and now attracts athletes from other South West teams as well as still being the first competition some of the club’s younger members can get involved in. This year was notable for being the first club ‘open’ event to take place on the newly refurbished track, which now looks and feels like it did seventeen years ago when it was first laid.
The previous day’s torrential rain and forecast for heavy showers all day, put off some of those travelling from longer distance but there was still a good spattering of athletes from Exeter, Erme Valley, Torbay & Bideford, with the furthest travelled went to Chloe Pettitt, an ex club member down on holiday from Birmingham. Over the last four years, a Senior competition has been included which adds a competitive club Championship to the event which the younger athletes can admire and aspire to.
Although the Senior competition uses a standard Pentathlon format and scoring consisting of Long Jump, Shot Put, 200m, Javelin and 800m for Women and 1500m for Men, the younger 5 Star event is designed to allow more flexibility where the athletes can select Hurdles or sprint races followed by a combination of either two jumps and a throw or two throws and a jump, finishing with 600m for under ten’s and eleven’s and 800m for the under thirteen's and fifteen’s. Each athlete received a medal and certificate with the top three winning a trophy. The original competition included under 17 athletes but as the numbers fell they are now allowed to compete alongside the Under 20 and Senior athletes, throwing their own weight implements. The highest placed under 17 being awarded a trophy.
Results ( Newquay & Par unless stated):
Under 10 Girls – 1 Emily Child 231pts; 2 Erin Buzza (CAC) 178pts; 3 Ellie Martin 162pts
Under 10 Boys – 1 Fraser Abbiss 228pts; 2 Dylan Williams (StColM) 219pts; 3 Edward Eyre (StColM) 198pts
Under 11 Girls – 1 Zoe Williams 298pts; 2 Poppy Northcott (CoPly) 278pts; 3 Nell Smith (ExH) 202pts
Under 11 Boys – 1 Joshua Taylor (Tor) 338pts; 2 Joshua Eyre 276pts; 3 Carter Smith 238pts
Under 13 Girls – 1 Caitlin Keaney (CAC) 365pts; 2 Kerrie Shanley 330pts; 3 Kimberley Knight 314pts
Under 13 Boys – 1 Isaac Ketterer 361pts; 2 Tyler Gregory (CAC) 288pts; 3 Jack Harvey 270pts
Under 15 Girls – 1 Estelle Hodges (EVH) 365pts; 2 Kerensa Riley (CAC) 361pts; 3 Olivia Travers (EVH) 344pts
Under 15 Boys – 1 Jacob Lamboll 329pts
Senior Women – 1 Hannah Smith (CAC) 2606pts; 2 Lowenna Riley (CAC) 2107pts (1st U17); 3 Lily England 1932pts (Club Champion)
Senior Men – 1 Kaya Cairney 2838pts (1st U17 and Club Champion); 2 Chris Harris 2821pts; 3 Jack Nancarrow 2648pts
Abbreviations: CAC = Cornwall AC; CoPly = City of Plymouth AC; EVH = Erme Valley Harriers; ExH = Exeter Harriers; StColM = St Columb Minor School
Dave Varney