Calder Valley Fell Runner – 9 May 2022
Buttermere Sailbeck
The latest counter in the Calder Valley Fell Runners club championship races was held last Saturday in the Lake District. Buttermere Sailbeck is a great race that includes steep climbs and fast ridge running. Starting at Buttermere Village the route heads across Sail Beck and climbs steeply to Knott Rigg where a mile or so of ridge running leads to Ard Crags and a flowing decent to Rigg Beck. A canny runner takes a good drink here as there is no water further on the course. A steep climb to Causey Pike follows with hands and feet on rock towards the top. A gently rising ridge greets runners, going past Scar Crags and Sail to Crag Hill, the highest point on the route at 839 metres. It is then generally downhill, easy running across Wandope Moss to Whiteless Pike before a steep decent back to Buttermere. Only 9 and a half miles but over 4000 feet of climbing makes this a challenging medium race.
A well earned sit down after a tough race
Darren Kay was first CVFR back in 4th place and 1st V50, a great result in a strong field. Kieran O’Prey was second followed shortly by Mark Wharton. Cath Holden was first Calder woman back in 2:32:23 and also scooped the 3rd V40 woman prize. Tamsin Cooke was second, and Charlotte Wetton third, these two having run together. The next race in the Club Championship is the ever popular local Hebden Bridge Fell Race on the 26th May.
George Foster (holder of the second fastest Bob Graham Round time) of Matlock won in 1:31:14 seconds ahead of Rob Jebb (general fell running legend and holder of the Sailbeck course record) in 1:31:33. Under 23 Catrin Smith was first woman home in 1:56:00.
Many racers also had the pleasure of seeing John Kelly on his record breaking run of the Wainwrights. Kelly was climbing Whiteless Pike as runners were descending. He took almost 12 hours off the previous record setting a new best of 5 days 12 hours 14 minutes for the 214 Wainwright tops.
Full CVFR results
| 4th |
Darren Kay |
1:35:16 |
| 70th |
Kieran O’Prey |
2:19:41 |
| 76th |
Mark Wharton |
2:27:56 |
| 80th |
Tim Brooks |
2:32:17 |
| 81st |
Catherine Holden |
2:32:23 |
| 84th |
Toby Sydes |
2:33:02 |
| 90th |
James Cooke |
2:40:56 |
| 92nd |
Stephen Grimley |
2:43:24 |
| 96th |
Oliver Beaumont |
2:49:02 |
| 107th |
Tamsin Cooke |
3:36:00 |
| 108th |
Charlotte Wetton |
3:36:02 |
Dales High Way
The Dales High Way is a long distance route of 90 miles that starts under the Lion at Victoria Hall in Saltaire and finishes at the Moot Hall in Appleby-in-Westmorland. Punk Panther Endurance Events hold an ultramarathon along the route. The scenery it passes through is stunning and includes Ilkley Moor, the summit of Ingleborough and going through the panoramic Howgills (for most this is during the night).
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A very happy, but tired Paul at the end of the Dales Highway
There is a staggered start to cater for the varying abilities of runners, which made for fascinating dot watching. First home at half two in the morning at the Moot Hall was Calder Valley Fell Runner, Paul Haigh, smashing the Course Record and also the FKT (Fastest Known Time) in 19 hours and 39 minutes and looking through the tracker screen he was well up on Matthew Kennedy. However a combination of a navigational error by Paul and a strong finish by Matthew left spectators on the edge of their seats waiting for Matthew to arrive at the top of Boroughgate to make the final short descent to the finish. He appeared just before dawn with minutes to spare and beat Paul by less than two minutes to take first place and the new FKT that had only stood for a couple of hours. Paul and Matthew are two super guys and spent the next few hours discussing the course. Third placed Tom Stoddart came in next just after 6am in a very credible time of 22 hours 22 minutes.
The Dales High Way is a very tough route, there is 14,400 feet of climb and is a high level alternative to the Dalesway. The terrain can get quite technical and this all adds to the challenge.
Paul is raising money for children’s brain cancer charity, Abbies Army, in memory of Pheobe Rawcliffe, a friend’s daughter. Paul Haigh is fundraising for Abbie’s Army on his just giving page..His fundraising page is here.
A big thank you to the marshals and medics for all their hard effort in making sure the event went smoothly. Due to the hot weather some runners need way more water than normal, but the checkpoint teams made sure one way or another that everyone got what they needed.
Todd Crag
Another great days racing in the lakes at the second FRA English junior championships (Todd Crag) on Saturday. Starting from Rothay Park in Ambleside and heading straight up on to Todd Crag Fell it was a very testing, brutal start. With it being a straight up and straight back down route there was no flat running in between for the juniors to catch their breaths. Lovely weather made for great racing but recent rain meant a few muddy and boggy sections which is just how our juniors like it.
Relaxing in the sunshine after the race
In the Under 13s (2.85km/167m) Clara McKee showed her class in her age category. She led from the outset and won 40 seconds clear over the second runner Adrian Wood from Macclesfield AC. Great running again from Joe Stone (14mins 59secs) saw him finish in 5th place with Harry Cliff (15mins 29secs) racing hard to claim 7th and good team mate Ted Parker (18mins 43secs) placing 26th.
In Under 15s (4.8km/250m) Thomas McKee had another strong performance coming 5th in a time of 27mins 51seconds behind the winner Jack Sanderson of Settle Harriers. Charlie Pickens had one of his best results in the Under 17s (6.km/360m) gaining a podium place and well-earned voucher for 3rd place. He completed the race in 31mins 22secs with race winner being Joseph Ormrod of Rossendale Harriers. Ever improving Euan Logue placed 21st in a time of 35mins 21secs. Under 19s, on the same course as the U17s, Will Hall who’s earned a Yorkshire Vest for the British Fell Running Inter County Championships on Sunday 15th May at Great Whernside, ran hard to take 5th place in a time of 30mins 10secs behind the winner Charlie Allmond of Ambleside. Elijah Peers Webb dug deep to get 15th place in a time of 34mins 5secs.
Great efforts all round and it was notable to see the uphill running technique of all our team was fantastic on the day.
– CALDER VALLEY NEWS REPORTER: tim brooks
