Following the hottest day for ten years, last Wednesday evening saw the Cragg Vale Fell Race take place. The 81 runners gathered in the church to escape the usual swarms of midges that gather at the meeting of Cragg Brook and Withens Clough.
The fast and furious route starts along the cool riverside woodland before soon ascending to Bell House Moor. A sweaty scamper along Dick’s Lane and Sunderland Pasture is then followed by a speedy descent down Swan Bank to the Finish. About 4 miles long and 800ft of climbing in all.
Rachael Crossland at Cragg Vale (Photo by Nicholas Dawson)
However the heat meant that no records were broken. The men’s winner was the unattached Owen Belby in 29.08 followed by Mike Fanning from Borrowdale 24 seconds later.
The women’s winner was Calder Valley’s Lindsey Oldfield in 35.31. Great runs from Jack Denton 3rd (CVFR), Martin Howard 4th (CVFR) and Alistair Pedley 6th (unattached) saw the three under 18s in the top 6.
The race is a good community event; post race cakes and bacon butties were provided by church members and the beer, donated by Little Valley Brewery, was thirstily consumed.
Jack Denton 3rd 30.09 |
Rob Rawlinson 35th 37.40 |
Martin Howard 4th 30.41 |
Mike Dean 36th 37.44 |
Ian Symington 8th 31.38 |
Toby Sydes 44th 39.31 |
Tristan Sheard 9th 32.21 |
Rachael Crossland 45th 39.53 |
John Killerby 15th 34.32 |
Rachel Johnson 46th 40.31 |
Jonathan Emberton 22nd 35.07 |
Matthew Murray 52nd 41.50 |
Phil Wells 23rd 35.16 |
Dave Culpan 53rd 42.17 |
Lindsey Oldfield 25th 35.31 |
James Kershaw 56th 43.30 |
Jake Ackroyd 27th 35.47 |
Gloria Ayuso 63rd 45.48 |
Richard Ingram 28th 35.57 |
Carolyn Shimwell 65th 46.35 |
Chris Standish 31st 36.45 |
Eileen McDonagh 68th 49.30 |
Darren Sargent 33rd 37.22 |
Kate Pope 69th 49.44 |
Heptonstall Festival Fell Race was the hottest ticket in town as 101 runners
Heptonstal Fell Race Start 2015
joined hundreds of festival goers heading to the hill-top village’s annual music festival. The race, now in its 5th year, follows an unusual double-descent format, featuring a 500 foot descent to the Blue Pig, followed by a 1000 foot ascent to High Brown Knoll, where runners turn tail and head back to the Heptonstall the way they came, enjoying the exhilarating 1000 foot descent back to the Blue Pig, before the torturous 500 feet of ascent to the finish line. The punishing ratio of ascent to distance ensures that Heptonstall Festival Fell Race is designated as one of the sport’s toughest “Category A” status events.
After a deceptively misty start it was red hot racing as large contingents from Tod Harriers and Calder Valley Fell Runners competed for local honour in baking summer sunshine. Blazing home to victory was Calder Valley’s Joe Crossfield in a sizzling 50.57, streets ahead of 2nd placed Richard Hand (53.39) of Stainland Lions. However even this amazing performance was overshadowed by the new Heptonstall Festival lady’s champion Katie Walshaw. Holmfirth’s Great Britain International covered the 6 miles and 1500 feet of ascent in a scorching 53.58, finishing 3rd overall, and setting a new course record to the delight of the festival goers who cheered her through the finish funnel.
Calder Valley’s up and coming star of the future, Jack Denton (55.36), took 6th place, holding off club mate Ian Symington (55.42) whose 7th place earned Calder Valley the men’s team prize by the narrowest of margins, in the face of a strong bid from Stainland Lion’s Hand (2nd)) John Colins (4th), and Ed Hyland (10th). Tod Harriers Ben Crowther had a cracking run to finish 5th in 54.21.
In the women’s race Rachel Crossland (1.09.13), Rachel Johnstone (1.11.16), and Charlotte Wetton (1.17.46) helped Calder Valley’s ladies to the team prizes.
Heptonstall Fell Race 2015
The winning runners received limited edition Heptonstall Festival beers and vouchers from race sponsors Slightly Foxed Brewing Company, and Sportsshoes.com. back at The Cross Inn, whose landlord kindly opened up at 8am to provide a registration desk for the event. The race kicked off a memorable day in the village as 14 bands played on 2 stages in Weaver’s Square and the ruined church, to a back drop of food stalls, bunting, beer tents, and unbroken sunshine.
The race has gone from strength to strength since it was first run in 2011. Runners arrived from far and wide including Ambleside, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, and North Wales. The event was organised by runners from Calder Valley and Todmorden Harriers, based in and around Heptonstall, with tremendous support from village residents. Heptonstall Hurriers, as they are otherwise known, came up with the idea of the race as means to showcase the village, support local businesses, and raise funds for the village festival.
Jack Denton 3rd 30.09Rob Rawlinson 35th 37.40Martin Howard 4th 30.41Mike Dean 36th 37.44Ian Symington 8th 31.38Toby Sydes 44th 39.31Tristan Sheard 9th 32.21Rachael Crossland 45th 39.53John Killerby 15th 34.32Rachel Johnson 46th 40.31Jonathan Emberton 22nd 35.07Matthew Murray 52nd 41.50Phil Wells 23rd 35.16Dave Culpan 53rd 42.17Lindsey Oldfield 25th 35.31James Kershaw 56th 43.30Jake Ackroyd 27th 35.47Gloria Ayuso 63rd 45.48Richard Ingram 28th 35.57Carolyn Shimwell 65th 46.35Chris Standish 31st 36.45Eileen McDonagh 68th 49.30Darren Sargent 33rd 37.22 Kate Pope 69th 49.44
Heptonstall Festival Fell Race was the hottest ticket in town as 101 runners
Heptonstal Fell Race Start 2015
joined hundreds of festival goers heading to the hill-top village’s annual music festival. The race, now in its 5th year, follows an unusual double-descent format, featuring a 500 foot descent to the Blue Pig, followed by a 1000 foot ascent to High Brown Knoll, where runners turn tail and head back to the Heptonstall the way they came, enjoying the exhilarating 1000 foot descent back to the Blue Pig, before the torturous 500 feet of ascent to the finish line. The punishing ratio of ascent to distance ensures that Heptonstall Festival Fell Race is designated as one of the sport’s toughest “Category A” status events.
After a deceptively misty start it was red hot racing as large contingents from Tod Harriers and Calder Valley Fell Runners competed for local honour in baking summer sunshine. Blazing home to victory was Calder Valley’s Joe Crossfield in a sizzling 50.57, streets ahead of 2nd placed Richard Hand (53.39) of Stainland Lions. However even this amazing performance was overshadowed by the new Heptonstall Festival lady’s champion Katie Walshaw. Holmfirth’s Great Britain International covered the 6 miles and 1500 feet of ascent in a scorching 53.58, finishing 3rd overall, and setting a new course record to the delight of the festival goers who cheered her through the finish funnel.
Calder Valley’s up and coming star of the future, Jack Denton (55.36), took 6th place, holding off club mate Ian Symington (55.42) whose 7th place earned Calder Valley the men’s team prize by the narrowest of margins, in the face of a strong bid from Stainland Lion’s Hand (2nd)) John Colins (4th), and Ed Hyland (10th). Tod Harriers Ben Crowther had a cracking run to finish 5th in 54.21.
In the women’s race Rachel Crossland (1.09.13), Rachel Johnstone (1.11.16), and Charlotte Wetton (1.17.46) helped Calder Valley’s ladies to the team prizes.
Heptonstall Fell Race 2015
The winning runners received limited edition Heptonstall Festival beers and vouchers from race sponsors Slightly Foxed Brewing Company, and Sportsshoes.com. back at The Cross Inn, whose landlord kindly opened up at 8am to provide a registration desk for the event. The race kicked off a memorable day in the village as 14 bands played on 2 stages in Weaver’s Square and the ruined church, to a back drop of food stalls, bunting, beer tents, and unbroken sunshine.
The race has gone from strength to strength since it was first run in 2011. Runners arrived from far and wide including Ambleside, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, and North Wales. The event was organised by runners from Calder Valley and Todmorden Harriers, based in and around Heptonstall, with tremendous support from village residents. Heptonstall Hurriers, as they are otherwise known, came up with the idea of the race as means to showcase the village, support local businesses, and raise funds for the village festival.