This is a point-to-point race and between checkpoints, runners use their navigation skills with a choice of routes along rights of way. Bill Johnson put his navigation experience to good use to pull ahead of his Calder Valley rivals during the middle section of the race. He led team-mate Jonny Croston for a good while having taken some good lines in the outward leg of the course. Bill, Johnny and club-mate Matt Kay, jockeyed for position to the very end with Croston claiming 8^th position and 2^nd for CVFR with Bill 9^th and 3^rd for CVFR and Matt 10^th overall and 4^th CVFR runner. The strong racing between these three guarantee that Gav, Jonny and Bill secured victory for Calder Valley in the men’s team competition.

Emily, Stella and Catherine on their way to the team prize. Photo courtesy of @Jackie Clowes Photography 2022

The men may have had a good showing but they didn’t outshine the Calder Valley women on a glorious day that started cold and overcast and became warmer and sunnier as the morning progressed. With four CVFR women in the competition, team gold was always going to be a tough call but Stella Chrisanthou, Catherine Holden and Emily Ledder set out together and established a good pace for the early part of the race. Stella pushed on during the second 9.5 miles with the intention of tracking down team mates Toby Sydes and Peter Wilcock, looking for those extra club championship points that can be crucial over the season. She homed in on them in the final mile but couldn’t quite close the gap. She did, however, secure third placed woman in the race and 1^st FV45. Along with 4^th placed Catherine Holden and 7^th placed Emily Ledder, the three secured the coveted women’s team competition win. Another great day for the club.

Tamsin picking good lines on 5 Trigs. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Moon

Meantime, those of us who set off in the cold, crisp frost on the early start – the organisers allow for an early start one hour ahead of the main field for those of us who might take a little longer – enjoyed the competition and camaraderie as much as the top runners. The navigation aspect provides some interesting elements to the race and CVFR’s 4^th placed woman, Tamsin Cooke, provided us with some brilliant lines in the first half of the race creating valuable short-cuts that saved our legs for later in the day. In the latter part of the race, as the late starters began to flood past, too much speed and too little map reading by some of the quicker runners provided some of us with the pleasure of popping up ahead of a fast group that had passed by 10 minutes ago.

The Five Trigs is one of the series of races organised by Midgley-based CraggRunner and was excellently organised by a friendly, efficient team with great hospitality provided by the staff of the White Lion in Delph.

CVFR Results

Men’s Team Winners: CVFR
Gav Mulholland, Jonny Croston, Bill Johnson
Women’s Team Winners: CVFR
Stella Chrisanthou, Catherine Holden, Emily Ledder

 Pendle Fell Race

In comparison, Pendle Fell Race is a short, sharp affair over 4.5 miles with 1,500ft of climbing for the senior race and a range of distances for the different age categories for the juniors.

Charlie obviously enjoying the race with a thumbs up. Photo courtesy of Woodentops

The junior races, a counter in the club’s junior championship, are run on a parallel course to the seniors on a mix of track, trail and fell. The route runs up to Buttock Farm, climbs towards the Trig point before turning back at a designated point depending upon age category.

Joseph running a strong race for 3rd place. Photo courtesy of Woodentops

Calder Valley had junior boys competing in the U13 and U17 categories. The younger boys put on a great show for the club with Joseph Stone taking overall 2^nd place in the U13s (14mins 23secs) and Thomas Burton (19mins 08secs) and Ted Parker (20mins 31secs) all securing top 20 places over the 2.38km course. The U17s was equally competitive and Charlie Pickens ran a good race covering the 4.4km and 245m of elevation in 22mins and o4secs to secure 5^th place overall in the age category.

Martin running strongly. Photo courtesy of Woodentops

In the senior race, Calder valley had two of our top short distance specialists racing – Martin Howard and the evergreen Karl Gray. An indication of the strength of the race field is in the placing of these two top runners with Martin in 7^th and Karl in 9^th overall. Karl secured an important age category result as the 1^st MV50 in the race. Gillian Wisbey was the sole representative of the club amongst the women runners with Stephen Smithies, George Kettlewell and Andy Smith all representing the club.

Gillian racing well at Pendle. Photo courtesy of Woodentops

In the words of Andy Smith, “Pendle is a tough race with a gentle climb on the road to the edge of the moor where you turn right and begin the climb up Pendle Hill. The climb is steep and gets your lungs working. About 2/3rds of the way up you take a right down a rocky trail before turning left and climbing up the steep embankment to the trig point at the top. After that it really is downhill all the way back to Barley Village Hall. A tough but very satisfying race”.

CVFR Results

Peter Hartley Memorial Race

Earlier in the week, Charlie Parkinson, Steve Smithies and Andy Smith ran in the Peter Hartley Memorial Race organised by Rossendale Harriers. This is a fast, 5 mile, out-and-back course with a short climb to the top of the moor and an undulating run to a marshal point at the top of Liver Hill where you turn about and race as fast as you can back down to the finish.

CVFR Results

– CALDER VALLEY NEWS REPORTER: MARC COLLETT