Auld Lang Syne, 31 December 2018
As 2018 closed, ten CVFRs joined a packed field of 327 for the traditional Auld Lang Syne fell race starting at Penistone Hill Country Park. With bagpipes ringing in their ears, fancy dress, and the promise of a bottle of Daleside Beer, runners set off on this 6.7 mile/1000ft course which takes in Top Withens, Ponden Clough and Stanbury Moor.

Mark Wharton (43rd) was first back for CV with Stephen Smithies (46th) and Lucy Collins (51st) finishing within a minute of each other.

Stephen Smithies and Jo Buckley at the start of Auld Lang Syne (credit Dave Woodhead)

Jo Buckley was not far behind (61st) and joined Lucy in top 10 women finishers.

Lucy and Jo among top ten women at Auld Lang Syne (credit Mick Fryer)

Gill Dickson also made a triumphant return to Auld Lang Syne, 18 years after her very first fell race! All that running has paid off as she finished well up the field (a massive improvement on joint last in her first outing in 2000).

Gill Dickson enjoying her historic return to Auld Lang Syne (credit Dave Woodhead)

Calder Valley runners appeared to forgo the fancy dress option, but it was, at times, hard to spot the familiar red and white hoops among the rival ‘Where’s Wally’ costumes.

Linda Hayles in Auld Lang Syne with rival red and white hoops (credit Dave Woodhead)

Ribble Valley completed the double with first man (Chris Holdsworth) and first woman(Nicola Jackson).

Giants Tooth 1st January 2019
It was a tense start to 2019. Calder Valley’s Martin Howard did well to regain time after getting lost in the 3 mile Giants Tooth Fell Race to finish fourth (in 17.31 minutes, just 20 seconds behind the winner). Martin was leading by a good margin before taking a wrong turn. However, he quickly made up for lost ground, to get back from 7th to 4th. He wasn’t the only one to go wrong as several other runners suffered the same fate.

It was, however, a good start to the racing year with four CVFR top 20 finishers at Giants Tooth (Howard (4th), Elliot Copper (13th), Jonny Croston (15th), and Paul Haigh (19th).

Showing tremendous resolve, having run the Auld Lang Syne the previous day, Stephen Smithies and Lucy Collins, finished 26th and 27th respectively, with Lucy taking first woman prize. CVFR’s Holly Page was 3rd woman, finishing 62nd.

– Calder Valley News Reporter:Eileen McDonach