Cumbria XC League Race #4: Keswick -Saturday 8th January

The 4th race in the 2010-11 Cumbria XC League took place yesterday over the excellent Fitz Park courses which only four weeks earlier had hosted the Cumbria AA County Championships.

In a close run U13 Boys race Keswick AC's Mark Donovan had a super run, negotiating the 2500m course in 8:46, to take victory from U13 Cumbria County Champion Chris Richards of Helm Hill. Keswick AC were also represented well by Joseph Horne who ran a strong race, clocking 10:02 for 7th.


The senior Women's race was dominated by Keswick AC, occupying five of the top six places, although it was Border's Claire McKeown who took the win in 37:30. Julie Carter (41:03) 2nd, Sam Ayers 42:22 (3rd), and Jo Gillyon 42:36 (4th) easily took the team prize that will be a good confidence boost going into the English Fell Running Championship which begins in a few weeks time.

A decent quality senior men's race saw Border's James Douglas triumph on on the Fitz Park course again, posting an almost identical winning time to his County Champs win last month -yesterday's winning time of 30:38 faster by one second!

Douglas set the tempo from the off with only Chris Steele (Borrowdale FR) and Keswick AC's Phil Winskill going with the early pace. Winskill who started 2011 with a win at the Nine Standards fell race last weekend, tracked the Borrowdale man who placed 4th in last years British Fell Running Championship closely but had to settle for 3rd in 31:37, some 16 seconds down.

Phil was followed by Steve Hebblethwaite (32:15) 4th, and Jamie Luxmoore (35:00) 6th, to win the men's team competition from Border Harriers and Cumberland Fell Runners. Yesterday's race also marked the welcome return of Duncan Overton (40:04) 24th, to competitive running who needless to say wrapped up the V60 competition with ease.

One fixture of the 2010-11 League remains -the cancelled Carlisle meeting which has now been rescheduled, for Sunday 13th February. Thanks to Noel, Ken, Steve, the course marshalls and other volunteers who helped put on yesterday's races.

Photographs of the junior races yesterday can be found at www.athletesinaction.co.uk.

Full results HERE.

Keswick AC results:

Sen Women
2. Julie Carter -41:03
3. Sam Ayers -42:22
4. Jo Gillyon -42:36
5. Hayley Hodgson -44:58
6. Rachel Mellor -48:43

Sen Men
3. Phil Winskill -31:37
4. Steve Hebblethwaite -32:15
6. Jamie Luxmoore -35:00
15. John Nicoll -37:27
19. Craig Smith -38:25
23. Richard Unwin -39:51
24. Duncan Overton -40:04

U13 Boys
1. Mark Donovan -8:46
7. Joseph Horne -10:02

Picture: Mark Donovan © www.athletesinaction.co.uk

JUNIOR RACE IN KESWICK NEXT MONDAY!

Monday will be the next in the Juniors races. Due to lack of light, we're off the fells and racing round the town square. This should make for some fast, exciting races!

Registration will be at the Up and Running shop from 5.30pm. Races start at 6.00pm.

So, if you're a junior come and run. Loads of prizes, and we're having a league over the 3 winter races for winter series cups in all categories.

If you're an adult and free on Monday, could you spare an hour to come and marshall please? Obviously, with the roads involved we'll need to be pretty careful, so as much help as possible please!

Thanks

Martin

slucem@Cockermouth.cumbria.sch.uk

XC season 2010-11

Fixtures for the Cumbria League, Mid-Lancs League, and County Champs are now confirmed. The article 'Cross Country' in the last edition of the Pacemaker, detailed how XC running is a great way to bring on your running over the winter. Below are listed the main fixtures for 2010-11. Time to dig out those spikes!

The Cumbria League caters well for runners of all abilities with a 'group system' whereby two groups of slower runners are set off at 6 and 3 minutes prior to the racing snakes, as well as junior races (Min age 9, Cats: U11, U13, U15, U17, ages as at Sept 1 2011) which start from 12 noon.

The Mid-Lancs League races are contested by stronger fields and will be of real benefit to the faster lads, women and juniors in the club.


Lastly, the dates for the Northern XC Champs, Nationals and Inter-Counties are confirmed -get them in your diaries now.

Cumbria League

Sat 16 Oct -Cockermouth
Sat 23 Oct -Penrith
Sat 27 Nov -Maryport
Sat 4 Dec -Carlisle
Sat 8 Jan -Keswick

Mid-Lancs League (link)

Sat 30 Oct -Barrow
Sat 13 Nov -Blackburn
Sat 27 Nov -Liverpool
Sat 22 Jan -Burnley
Sat 12 Feb -Blackpool
Sat 12 Mar -Skelmersdale

Cumbria County XC Champs
Sat 11 Dec -Keswick*

Northern XC Champs
Sat 29 Jan -Sunderland

National XC Champs
Sat 19 Feb -Alton Towers

Inter-Counties
Sat 5 Mar -Birmingham

*selection of Cumbria team for Inter-Counties

Coiners –Monday 4th May

One that missed our radar: Keswick AC junior Mark Donovan had an absolutely cracking race last month at the Coiners race in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire. Clocking 16:22 for the 1.9m/400ft course, Mark placed 2nd behind Seth Waterman of Holmfirth who currently leads the FRA 2010 junior championship in the U12 category. Well done Mark.

An new online list of junior races is now being maintained HERE.

Anniversary Waltz junior races

The junior races at this year's Anniversary Waltz next weekend, are strictly ONLINE PRE-ENTRY ONLY -The closing date for online entries is 22nd April.

All of the races can be entered on the Anniversary Waltz fell race website

SAT. APR 24. ANNIVERSARY WA! (R). 11.30 a.m. Venue: Stair Village Hall, Newlands, Cumbria. GR 238212. £2.50, pre-entry. On-line pre-entry only via website by April 22nd. Juniors: U8(over 6)/U10/U12/U14/U16/U18 races. U23 category in Anniversary Waltz. English Junior Championship counter. Includes hot food. Details on website from early Jan. Details: Wynn Cliff, 1 Paddock View, Frolesworth Road, Leire, LE17 5HJ. Tel: 01455 202365. Email: wynn@anniversarywaltz.co.uk. Website: anniversarywaltz.co.uk.

Also, Chris Knox still needs marshals/volunteers for the junior races. The races start as soon as the senior race has set off. If you can help, please email Chris at: chrisknox2@tiscali.co.uk

FRA Junior Fell Championships 2010

The races for the FRA Junior Championships this year are:

Junior Championships 2010

24-04-10 Anniversary Wa! (ONLINE PRE-ENTRY ONLY)
03-05-10 Coiners
31-05-10 Shutlingsloe
19-06-10 Clougha Pike
27-06-10 Arnison (uphill)
21-08-10 Darwen

More details in the FRA Fixtures Calendar and on this website

Junior results

Northern Intercounties –Wigan, 29th August

Well done Laura Vaillant on achieving selection to represent Cumbria in the 1500m at the Northern Intercounties, which was held at the Robin Park Stadium in Wigan on Saturday 29th August. Running in the under 17 race Laura ran 5.02.27 for 4th place, a result that will give her a lot of confidence, showing that she can compete at the higher level which the Intercounties represents.

Full results from Wigan here.

Cumbria Cross Country League –Race 1, Cockermouth, Saturday 3rd October

The junior races at the first meeting of the 2009 Cumbria Cross Country League series were well supported with a total of 10 clubs from Cumbria and the North West represented including good young athletes from Keswick, CFR, Helm Hill and Eden, as well as more track & field orientated clubs like Carlisle Aspatria AC, Seaton AC and Border Harriers.

The friendly, low key atmosphere characteristic of the Cumbria League meetings prevailed, 53 boys and girls across the age categories of U11, U13, U15 and U17 enjoyed the good courses provided by host club Derwent AC –the League courses range through distances of 1500m for U11 boys and girls to 4000m for U17s.
In the U13 girls race, Christina Tully was an excellent 3rd place in 10:54. Keswick had two boys running the U11 race Mark Donovan an excellent 2nd in 6:21, and Alexander Niccoll who clearly takes after his father (2nd in the senior race) who ran 9.58 for 16th. Well done to all. The next race is at Penrith on Saturday 17th October.

Commonwealth Championship: Festival of Running 10K race and Junior races –Saturday 19th September

On the same day that the elite of ultra distance athletes raced over 100km as part of the Commonwealth Championship, a race over the more modest distance of 10km was held as part of the ‘Festival of Running’ offering open races in conjunction with the championship. The race took advantage of the road closures which had been put in place for the 100km race to offer an undulating course which took runners out of town on Penrith Road and past Castlerigg Stone Circle, before turning back along the A66 to Crosthwaite and returning to finish in the park. The race was won by Ben Gamble (Stone Master Marathoners) in 33:19 with Lynn Manir Jolley (Wigan Phoenix) the first woman in 41:36. Full results here

Keswick AC:
17. James Walker -39:50
22. John Waite -40:47
35. John Horne -44:35



39. Mike Beechey -45:43
41. Paul Titley -46:52
45. Dianne Shaw -50:45 (1st LV40)

The day started with junior races which were based on the same 1km lap over which the elite Commonwealth 24 hour race athletes had tested themselves just the previous day. Keswick AC was done proud with juniors representing the club in every race.



Arran Horne was 3rd in the under 11, 2km race and brother Joseph Horne was 4th in the under 13, 3km race.



James Hodgson ran a super race in the under 15, 5km event with 19:14 for 3rd after following the pace in the early stages as part of a leading pack that included eventual race winner and English National Cross Country U13 Champion James Knox (Helm Hill).

Club Fell Championship -Grisedale Horseshoe

The 2009 Keswick AC club fell-championship continues THIS WEEKEND at the Derek Price Memorial Grisedale Horseshoe on Saturday 5th September.

This is the third in the four-race series. The full mens and ladies fell-championship tables after the first two races can be found HERE


-Lyn Thompson and Dave Owens racing at the mid season counter Latrigg. Picture: Dunc Overton

The final race and culmination of the 2009 fell-championship is on Sunday 20th at the 8m/2700' open race which is over a lapped course on Latrigg that is being run in conjunction with Commonwealth Championship races on same day.

There will also be Junior races on the 20th from 10am, with U12 (over 10) U14,U16, and U18 races. Further details at the website here: www.cumbriacommonwealthchampionships.org

SAT.SEP 5. DEREK PRICE MEMORIAL GRISEDALE HORSESHOE (R). AM. 11.30 a.m. 10m/5000' from Glenridding Village Hall, Patterdale. £5 Entry on the day. Over 18. Records: 1.41.36 P.Sheard 2000; f. 2.04.21 V.Peacock 1995.

Check Points:

Start: Glenridding Village Hall (GR384168)
1. Catstycam Summit
2. Hellvellyn Summit
3. Grisedale Tarn (eastern end)
4. St Sunday Crag Summit
5. Barn GR 370149
6. Wall stile GR 373160
7. Finish (Village Hall)

Grasmere Senior Guides Race and junior races -Sunday 30th August

Full marks to all of the junior and senior athletes at the Grasmere Show today -a damp afternoon made this years race a very different affair to the 2008 event. Fell runners are a hardy breed though and good numbers turned out to take on the 1.5m/900' of the Senior Guides race at ten past four in the afternoon.

The mens race was a hotly contested affair as three of the top four finishers from yesterday's English Champs race at the Dentdale Show toed the line, eager to claim a win at Grasmere such is the presteige attatched to the race. But it was Bingley's Rob Jebb, who has made this race his own in recent years, who once again claimed victory -his 8th at Grasmere.

Keswick AC's own Pippa Jackson had a storming run, well up ammongst some of the better male athletes to take her first victory at the race and £150 prize money into the bargain. Spirits not dampened by the rain and beaming from ear to ear, a delighted Pippa was heard to remark afterwards that she that she had a new favourite race...the win will give her confidence as she goes on to represent England on 10th Octobrer in Austria over the 42km Tour de Tyrol.



Keswick AC was well reprsented in the Junior races too: In the under 14 race Christina Tulley ran an excellent 9 minutes and 54 seconds to place 2nd girl. In a close under 12 race won by Jack Dalton (Felmersham) in 5.32 and Millie Holder (Eden) in 6.15, Tom Hodgson ran a great 6.31 to place 10th, just ahead of Lilly Hodgeson in 6.32 for 11th overall and 3rd girl -well done both.

Arnison Dash (2m/1000') -Sunday 28th June

The Ullswater Country Fair today incorporated the English Junior Uphill Championships...there were some excellent races by our juniors in a top quality English Championship field including two Keswick AC medal winners and victory in the under 12s, more on which later as results are available.

The fair also hosts the 2m/1000' Arnison Dash, in which this year Keswick AC placed two inside the top three. Chris Edis forced a hard pace out of the show field which Alastair Dunn (Helm Hill) took on to lead up to the summit and back down to finish in a time of 14.35. Steve Hebblethwaite managed to keep in touch with the pair on the climb to the summit by just enough in order to make closing the gap on Edis on the descent a possibility. However it was not until two thirds of the way down that he was able to edge him out to claim second in 15.13, with Chris third in 15.24.

Track & field County Championships Saturday –Saturday 9th May

Well done to Laura Vaillant who took 1st place in the 1500m at the Cumbria Athletics Association County Championships at the Sheepmount Stadium in Carlisle on Saturday in a time of 5m.14.4s. A special mention as this time places Laura top of the 2009 county rankings –well done.

More junior races, and junior race calendar

The following website is updated with the fixtures in the FRA calendar which also offer junior races. The site is updated with fixtures for the current and next two months.

Listed below are a few local junior races:

June 13th, Godsworth, Ennerdale Show Field, nr Kirkland, 11.00am (U10, 12, 14, 16, 18)

June 20th, Ambleside -FRA English Championship counter, 2.00pm (U8, U10, 12, 14, 16, 18)

June 28th, Arnison Dash -English Junior Uphill Championships,
Patterdale, 11.00am (U8, U10, 12, 14, 16, 18)

July 5th, Langdale Gala, Chapel Stile, Langale, 3.00pm (u10, 12, 14, 17)

July 18th, Cleator Moor Sports, Wath Brow Sports Field, 1.15pm (U10, 12, 14, 16, 18)


The BOFRA website is also of interest as most of these fixtures host junior races too, including this month alone...

Sat 16 May -Sedbergh Gala (U12, 14, 17)
Thurs 28 May -Killington Sports (U 12, 14, 17)
Sun 31 May -Coniston Gullies (U9, 12, 14, 17)

Coiners, FRA Junior Championship race -Monday 4th May

Well done to Rosie Stuart who ran a hard race at this season's second FRA English Junior Championship race against a top class field at Coiners in Yorkshire. In a close race for first place Hannah Bateson (Lancs & Morecambe) came out on top in the U18 race in a record time of 24.50 from Rosie in 25.18, and Rachel Jefferson (Warrington AC) in 25.23.

A second place to add to her first in season opener at the Anniversary Waltz puts Rosie in a fine position in the Championship. The next race in the Junior Championship is at Shutlingsloe on 25th May.


picture: Eileen Woodhead

Anniversary Wa, FRA Junior Championship race –Saturday 11th April

The junior races at the Anniversary Waltz this year again played host to the opening race of the FRA Junior Championships. Races are held for U8, U10, U12, U14, with U16 and U18 running together over the longest course, a challenging 3.4km route with a tough direct climb onto the ridge of Catbells, and good fast descent off the fell. All the categories except the U8’s had some very decent fell running on Skellgill Bank, on the slopes of Catbells, with over 200 runners across all the categories –a credit to the organisers.

There were 4 Keswick AC juniors in competition. Rosie Stuart had a superb run to comfortably win the U18 race in 17.16. In a competitive U16 race Matthew Atkinson ran a great race in a time of 15.38 for 11th. In the U14s Christiana Tully ran well for a time of 16.52 to finish 15th girl, with William Atkinson putting in a good run in the U10s, running 7.16 for 28th. Congratulations to all the juniors for excellent running against some top class junior athletes.

The next race in the Junior Championship is the Coiners race in Yorkshire on 4th May.