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Success for Victoria Wilkinson at Bradda Niarbyl – English Fell Championship Sat 10th Jul 2015

Success for Victoria Wilkinson at Bradda Niarbyl – 25km, +1789m – English Fell Championship series / Long.  Sat 10th July 2015

Four Bingley Harriers arrived at Port Erin on the Isle of Man for the fourth of the series and the second long race in the English Fell Championship.  The series is 6 races, 2 short, 2 medium and 2 long fell races.  Your 4 best races, including one at each length, count for the championship placings by age category.

Victoria Wilkinson,  the 2014 Eng Fell Champ winner and equal first in the British Championship, missed the first Long at Duddon Valley with a foot injury but was back for this one having just returned from a great 6th place at the European Mountain Running Championships.  Vic  was having some competition in the series this year so was hoping for a clear victory on this one.  Becky Weight and Peter Ellerton were targeting top 10 placings in their age categories and Tom Gomersal was measuring himself up in the competitive senior mens category.  Peter had managed a few days extra in the IOM allowing him to recce the route while the rest of us had to ‘make it up on the day’.

15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 024 (600x800)           Tom & Peter                         15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 028 (800x600)    Becky, Peter (again) and Victoria

 It was bright and sunny as we registered at the Bay Horse Hotel at the south side of Port Erin Bay overlooking a wide sandy beach and north along the coast towards  Milner’s Tower near the cliff edge and Bradda Hill (~210m), the first climb of the race.  The 15.5m (6000’ascent) route followed the cliff top coastal path north from Port Erin, up and down over 3 peaks upto 437m, mostly from sea level,  round a loop at Niarbyl Bay and returned over the 3 peaks to Port Erin.  The path was often narrow, sometimes close to the cliff edge, sometimes a little inland  running across broad heathery shoulders, or descending and climbing steep bracken  or mixed grass and gorse  hill sides.  It would have been lovely to have time to walk/run the route at leisure to enjoy the stunning views along the coastal cliffs with rocky bays below inviting exploration.

The start was a ‘showcase’ as part of the Port Erin Beach festival which included beach games, an open water swim and a cycle sportive on the Sunday.  The 216 runners were gathered at the bottom of a very steep 30yd grassy bank up from the beach to a higher promenade level.  Spectators lined the top cheering us on as the start gun went and we were off on all fours  scrambling up the bank.  Up Bradda Hill, touching Milner’s Tower on the way, down to Fleshwick Bay, up to Lhiattee ny Beinnee (290m), down and up again to Cronk ny Arrey Laa (437m) and the Fisherman’s Stone before the final outward descent to Niarbyl Bay via the Kerroodhoo plantation.  Here our route followed a soft pine needle path, plunging steeply down through the dark pine plantation, criss-crossing an interesting looking single track zig-zagging mountain bike route.  We emerged at the bottom at Niarbyl Bay starting our return along the coastal path along a steep bracken bank above the cliffs, to Check Point 5 at a stream crossing before the long steep climb back up Cronk ny Arrey Laa.  We retraced our steps, now with a facing wind and the clouds clinging to the tops, but the forecast rain largely held off.  The last descent was down a steep grass and gorse bank to the finish on the slopes of Bradda West close to Port Erin.

Victoria was first lady in 28th place, 17ms ahead of  the next lady Sophie Horrocks, and only 20 minutes behind the overall race winner Simon Bailey (2.09.54).   Tom was comfortable with 44th.  I was pleased with under 3.5 hours which gave me the 1FV55 prize for the race, although I was beaten by a couple of minutes by FV60 Pat Goodall!  Peter had a good run, enjoying the good underfoot conditions and tremendous variety, and was happy with his improved performance from Duddon.

28 02:29:59 160 Victoria Wilkinson Bingley Harriers & AC

44 02:38:56 140 Tom Gomersall Bingley Harriers & AC

153 03:23:36 194 Becky Weight Bingley Harriers & AC

156 03:25:19 50 Peter Ellerton Bingley Harriers & AC

Later in the afternoon a few brave souls also joined the beach mascots obstacle race.  Morgan Donnelly, second in the race by 30 seconds, in a large bumble bee costume made a good effort at all the challenges.

15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 029 (800x600)Mascots ready to go  15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 030 (800x600)Battle for hockey sticks    15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 031 (800x600)Spiderman makes a get away   15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 032 (800x600)Morgan Bee aiming carefully15 Jun&Jul 2015-06-21 033 (800x600)Trouble on the bouncy slide

Back in the pub we were surprised when Colin Moore introduced himself.  As a one time Bingley Harrier of running note he had spoken to Tom earlier in the day recognising the vest, and then had recognised Peter. We chatted for a good while and he regaled us on how he and Steve Binns had been recruited to Bingley as school boys from Keighley school events, by Dennis Quinlan.  At the time neither Colin or Steve knew much about running but obviously had natural talent. The rest is history with Colin’s records still standing for some races.   Colin, having been on the Isle of Man for 15 years or so and dropped away from running for a number of those, was now enjoying  coaching with one of the Manx clubs and was well know amongst  local runners.