Calder Valley Fell Runners – 27 June 2022  

Kinder Trog

This is one of those races that you think you should enter because it’s one of the Club Championship counters but come the weekend – warm weather, lots of gentler gala fell races taking place elsewhere – and only the fit, brave or foolhardy take on Kinder Trog. Nine CVFR runners entered this 15.5 mile race with 2,952 ft of ascent (25km / 900m) and nine finished. The route circles the picturesque village of Hayfield in the High Peak and takes runners on a gruelling series of steep climbs – including Lantern Pike, Kinder Downfall and Kinder Low as it edges Kinder Scout – and tough, often rocky descents. The weather was favourable for a long, hard race after the heatwave of the previous week. In the race organiser’s words ‘good conditions for this long race today. Dry underfoot and not too hot though the strong wind was not always helpful’. And up on the higher ground, the wind was strong.

A bit of wind and a few peaks and troughs was not going to deter some of Calder Valley’s finest with Ed Hyland and Mark Burton coming in first and second overall and having a proper battle for the spoils with just 25 seconds separating them as they raced to the finish line at Hayfield’s Scout Hut in 2:04:10 and 2:04:35 respectively. Twenty-five seconds over a twenty-five km race is as close as it gets – the spoils went to Ed who notched up another perfect 100 in the club championships.

Further down the field, Louise Williamson (3:01:29) was 6^th woman overall, first Calder Valley woman home and 2^nd in the FV50 category. In the words of Charlotte Wetton (3:48:14), the only other Calder Valley woman who braved the race, ‘I am broken – it was hard!’. Mike Wardle took the MV60 honours in the club championships with a sterling run of 3:21:39 and 95^th place overall.

Eldwick & Gilstead Gala Fell Race – 4.8km/168m

A victorious Will

What better way to spend a warm summer’s afternoon than a traditional local gala – barbeques, ice-creams, stalls and games galore and to top it off, a lungbusting dash to Hope Hill trig point. In amongst the Eldwick and Gilstead Gala is the delight of the Gala Fell Race, a 4.8km run with 168m ascent. The route starts off fast on tarmac before taking a well-worn footpath to the summit of Baildon Moor before plunging back down the hillside and rounded off with an uphill finish.

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Some of the hoops at Eldwick Gala

This was a popular race this year for the Calder Valley with a contingent of ten turning up for a bit of gala fun and a race. And amongst a group of seasoned (and some fast) Calder Valley runners, the surprise of the pack was William Hall who, at just 16 won his first senior race beating the rest of the field of 85 runners convincingly in a time of 18:53:40. A great achievement for one of Calder Valley’s band of junior runners who are making the transition to the senior ranks.

1	Will Hall	MU23	18:53
8	Mark OConnor	M40	20:02
24	Ben Frechette	M40	21:39
29	Kieran O’Prey	MSEN	22:01
34	Iain Powell	M40	22:48
54	Jake Ackroyd	M40	25:06
59	Richard Ingram	M40	26:32
72	Nathan Kennaugh	M40	28:50
84	Mark Powell	M40	40:55.

And in other news

Charlie on his way to taking the U17s race win

Another CVFR Junior showing their mettle over the weekend was Charlie Pickens in the Kirkby Gala Fell Race Junior races. Despite competing against boys older than him  Charlie won the U17s race convincingly in a time of 17:53. In the Senior race, CVFR veteran Steve Smithies put in a good run finishing 29^th in a time of 28:19.

Helen on her way over Pendle Hill to take the top spot

Meanwhile, some of our members were out running ultras over the weekend – just the weather for it! In the summer equivalent of the Pendle Way Ultra short version (only 30 miles!), Charlie Parkinson completed Pendle Way On A Midsummers Night in first position in a time of 4hrs 53 minutes – a full 24 minutes ahead of the next competitor. Helen Buchan also took top spot in the ladies race in a time of 5hrs 34mins.

Oliver under the finish funnel at his first Ultra

CVFR newbie, Oliver Beaumont, is making big strides in the sport and has now got a KONG Lakes Ultra under his belt. Oliver finished the 38-mile course with 14,500ft of climbing in an incredible 12.5 hours finishing 18^th out of 42 on the ‘short’ course. KONG Running describe the race as a beautifully brutal journey taking in some of the Lake District’s giants including Great Gable, Esk Pike and Helvellyn.  Ollie was still smiling at the finish!

The Uphill only Snowdon Twilight race on Friday evening, which follow the Llanberis path, is tough 4.43 mile course that climbs a whopping 3,127′ to the summit of Snowdon. Gavin Roberts was pleased to take an excellent 2nd place.

And finally, a new record for Todmorden’s Centre Vale Parkrun this weekend. CVFR’s Chris Holdsworth, running under his ‘road’ club colours, smashed fellow Calder Valley’s Max Wharton’s course record in a time of 15 minutes 42 seconds for the 3 lap, 5km route.

CALDER VALLEY NEWS REPORTER: marc collett