Race 2 was hosted by Pudsey & Bramley in Bramley Park on a day of heavy showers and blustery winds. The grassland had been relatively firm earlier in the week, but the heavy rain and multiple races churned up the surface and a couple of tight corners tested running skill as the laps passed by. Every race had a challenging uphill start with a steep camber on the first corner, and both medium and long laps included easy downhill stretches, but also two long uphill sections, with the last catching a gusty headwind.
I watched the under 17 men’s race before changing and warming-up and was rewarded by the sight of Emile Cairess running a superb race of 2 large laps, winning convincingly in 17m-07 from Lewis Byram (Holmfirth) who clocked 17-37. Daniel Smithurst also ran strongly, moving up to finish 15th out of 22 in 20-12.
The senior ladies also ran 2 large laps, 90 finished, led by Katie Walshaw (Holmfirth) in 18m-11s. Sue Beconsall maintained her impressive form to finish 16th in 20-32 and backed up by:
Ellie Kitchen 36th 22-22
Becky Weight 51st 23-50
Michelle Woodrow 53rd 24-05 to achieve 9th team placing.
146 Senior men had to thrash round 1 medium and 3 large laps and unusually, Leeds City did not provide the winner. Victory went to junior man Joshua Woodcock-Shaw of Spenborough in
33m-17s. Bingley was well represented by:
Andy Brown 7th 34-36 great run.
Lee Athersmith 17th 35-52
John Convery 20th 36-07
Graham Watson 27th 37-02
Tom Potter 52nd 38-38
David Potter 76th 40-11
John Parkin 88th 40-56
Oliver Brewer 89th 40-56
Peter Ellerton 130th 45-45
The first 6 counters gave Bingley 3rd team place, 199pts, headed by Spenborough 2nd 144pts and Wharfedale 1st 131 pts. The top Leeds men must have stayed away.
My hopes of making 1st or 2nd M65 for the series were diminished by Ben Grant of Harrogate turning up and clocking 40m-30 and Ray Hall of Halifax finishing ahead in 44-36.
Next race in the series is at West Park, Leeds on Sun 17 November. I don’t plan to run that one so I can focus on Harriers v Cyclists on the Saturday.
Report by Peter Ellerton.