Bunny Run 1
The Bunny Runs are a series of four fell races held on
consecutive Tuesday evenings after the clocks change in the spring. The course is a sinuous but fast 3 mile route
around Penistone Hill outside Haworth.
The first one this year was on the second of April and, as a counter in
the Calder Valley Fell Runners Senior Championship, several runners headed over
the moors to take part.
However the Juniors stole the show with Under 15s Elijah
Peers Webb first back for CVFR in 22nd place in 19 minutes precisely
shortly followed two places later by James Duffy in 19:14. First Calder female back was U15 Emilia
Wright in 23:01. First Senior was Elina
Eday in 24:31 shortly followed by first Calder man, Colin Duffield, in 25:31.
Michael Malyon of Baildon
Runners won in 16:16, with U15 Amelie Lane of Wharfedale Harriers first female
in 17:48 and a superb 9th place.
English Champs –
Howgill Fell Race
What a monster! With nearly 7000ft of climb in just over 14
miles this was never going to be an easy race as the first long counter in the
2019 English Fell Running Championships.
The finishing times give away the severity of the climbing, the winner
Carl Bell completed the 14.3 miles a couple of minutes under 2 and a half
hours.
The route takes in all the major hills in the southern half
of the Howgill Fells. Starting in
Sedburgh runners ascend Crook followed by the flanks of Arant Haw, the col
between the Calf and Calders, skirting the top of Cautley Spout, the highest
waterfall in England at 650ft before ascending Yarlside. A super steep 1300ft descent was taken by
most runners sliding on their backsides before climbing Great Dummacks followed
by Sickers Fell, a second visit to Arant Haw before the final climb of
Winder. Bear in mind that between each
hill top the course dropped to a valley bottom.
Karl Grey was first back for CVFR in 8th place
and 1st V45 in 2 hours 34 mins and 38 seconds. Another top notch performance from Grey. Darren Key was 29th and Adam
Osbourne 40th. New recruit
Charlie Ing was 96th in 3 hours 16.
Calder’s only woman to complete the course was Helen Buchan
in 3 hours 50 minutes. The womens race
was won by 2017 English Champion, Victoria Wilkinson of Bingley, 21st
place overall in 2 hours and 44 minutes
The relentless course took it toll with Jonny Croston
swearing he would never do the race again.
Over 10% of the field did not finish.
Full CVRF Results
8th Karl Gray M45 02:34:38
29th Darren Kay M45 02:47:54
40th Adam Osborne M40 02:51:27
78th Mark Taylor M45 03:07:02
81st Mark Burton M45 03:08:02
96th Charlie Ing MSEN 03:16:34
129th Paul Haigh M40 03:28:00
155th Jonny Croston M40 03:35:54
196th Helen Buchan W40 03:50:05
213th Mark Wharton M50 03:54:39
278th Toby Sydes M50 04:28:16
304 finishers, 37 rtd
Harry
wasn’t pottering around at Pendle!!!
On the lovely slopes of Pendle Hill and with great fell running
routes CVFR juniors did battle for points in their next club championship race.
There was some spell binding results for our racing snakes. First up was the
under 9s and Harry Cliff yet again impressed with another win in a time of 3
minutes and 14 seconds. In the same age category his younger sister Lottie,
who’s only recently started fell running, ran well to place 18th and 5th
girls overall.
Hotly contested was the under 11s with Clara McKee taking 2nd
overall and first girl in a time of 4 minutes and 29 seconds with Joseph Stone
chasing hard only 5 seconds behind her to take 3rd overall and 2nd
boy. Sam Annison is running well taking 11th in 4 minutes 55
seconds, 17th place and fine run from Leo Hackett in 5 minutes and
10 seconds with Ted Parker in 25th place a further 20 seconds
behind.
In the U13s George McFie had an excellent run in 7th
place in a time of 14 minutes 46 seconds to take full club championship points.
10th place for Charlie Pickens in a time of 14 minutes 54 seconds
with Thomas McKee putting in a good time of 15 minutes 19 seconds to take 12th.
Younger Pickens called Ollie was 23rd in 16 minutes 15 seconds and
40th place for Wynn Standish in 17 minutes 22 seconds. In 66th
place and 24th girl but showing true fell running grit was Olivia
Falkingbridge who struggled the end of the race in 24 minutes 26 seconds after
twisting her ankle. This was all to get her club championship points.
The U15s saw Tom Owen having one of his best races to date placing
6th overall in a time of 19 minutes and 41 seconds. An ever
improving Elijah Peer-Webb was 9th in 20 minutes and 6 seconds with
Emilia Wright in 27th and 10th girl in 23minutes and 35 seconds.
In the senior’s race Trudi Entwhistle was first back for Calder in 88th place and 2nd v40. Chris Holdsworth and Catlin Rice, both of Ribble Valley Harriers took the honours overall.
Full Calder Senior Results
88 Trudi Entwistle F40 00:43:35
129 Stuart Russell M40 00:47:41
172 Gillian Wisbey F40 00:52:36
186 Vanora McCullagh 00:54:59
210 Steven Binks 00:59:57
232
finishers
– Calder Valley News Reporter: Tim Brooks