The 75 runners were met with another sunny day and a busy gala in the Jun 18 ‘heatwave’ for their short sharp dash to the top of Hope Hill and back. The race is open to age 12 upwards and a good range of juniors gave the seniors a run for their money including two juniors from Fife A/c, despite the race clashing with the Junior Eng Fell Champs at Up the Nab and CAU Intercounties Fell Champs.
Reuben Mantle (Bingley, U19, 18.27) and Helen Wood (Ilkley, U23, 21.52) were first man and lady home, with Tim Midgley and Neil Crompton, and Ruth Thackray (W40) and Rebecca Flaherty (U13), all Bingley, in hot pursuit.
Age categories (Bingley unless otherwise stated) were scooped up for 40 by Chris Loftus (Keighley & Craven, 5th overall) and Shona Stone (Ruth Thackray W40 – took 2nd Lady), 50 by Paul Mitchell and Alison Marks, 60 Rob Myers and 70 Peter Ellerton. Where were the 60 & 70 ladies – your prizes have gone un-used!
The Junior age categories were taken home for U15 by Struan Bennet (Fife A/c, 6th overall) and Grace Dawson, U17 by Jonathan Sutcliffe (10th overall) and Ailsa Bennet (Fife A/c) and U19 by Josh Spencer . Reuben Mantle (U19) was 1st man, Helen Wood (Ilkley, U23) was 1st lady and Rebecca Flaherty (U13) was 3rd lady.
With a strong Bingley contingent in one of our own local races the team prizes both went to Bingley – Ladies – Ruth Thackray, Rebecca Flaherty and Shona Stone and the Men – Reuben Mantle, Tim Midgley and Alex Flaherty (U15). Alex fought hard to catch Struan and was 7th overall despite sporting the results of a fair tumble down his leg.
There were 31 Bingley runners with a number of prize winning performances, and their results are below (full results on the FRA website http://fellrunner.org.uk/results.php?id=5020)
| ELDWICK GALA FELL RACE BS/4.8km/168m | ||||
| Sat 30 June 2018 -Bingley Harriers Results | ||||
| Position | Name | Category | Time | |
| 1 | Reuben | Mantle | U19B | 18.27 |
| 2 | Tim | Midgley | MSEN | 18.39 |
| 7 | Alex | Flaherty | U15B | 20.01 |
| 8 | Oliver | Cheyne | MSEN | 20.50 |
| 10 | Jonathan | Sutcliffe | U17B | 21.03 |
| 15 | Paul | Mitchell | M50 | 21.40 |
| 18 | Simon | Jones | M50 | 22.08 |
| 22 | Theo | Clay | U15B | 22.25 |
| 23 | Sam | Mantle | U15B | 22.33 |
| 24 | Ruth | Thackray | W40 | 22.37 |
| 25 | Ben | Rees | U15B | 22.39 |
| 27 | Rebecca | Flaherty | U13G | 22.50 |
| 29 | Shona | Stone | W40 | 23.19 |
| 30 | Richard | Thackray | M40 | 23.34 |
| 31 | Josh | Spencer | U19B | 23.36 |
| 33 | Carl | Hitchens | M50 | 23.37 |
| 34 | Max | Metcalfe | U17B | 23.50 |
| 36 | Grace | Dawson | U15G | 24.09 |
| 44 | Adrian | Netherwood | M50 | 25.50 |
| 46 | David | Jefferson | MSEN | 25.59 |
| 49 | Myles | Talbot | M50 | 26.40 |
| 55 | Peter | Ellerton | M70 | 27.41 |
| 57 | Alison | Marks | W50 | 28.14 |
| 58 | Emyr | Rees | M50 | 28.33 |
| 61 | Paul | Spencer | M50 | 29.30 |
| 62 | Sue | Fulton | W50 | 29.31 |
| 65 | Phil | Hawkswell | M60 | 30.05 |
| 67 | Joanne | Henry | W40 | 30.45 |
| 71 | Lisa | Pearson | W40 | 35.51 |
| 72 | Victoria | Cook | WSEN | 36.36 |
| 73 | Elinor | Gorrell | U13G | 37.21 |
| Men | Bingley | Reuben | Mantle | 1st |
| Team | Tim | Midgley | 2nd | |
| Alex | Flaherty | 7th | ||
| Women | Bingley | Ruth | Thackray | 24th |
| Team | Rebecca | Flaherty | 27th | |
| Shona | Stone | 29th | ||
| Individ winners in Bold. | ||||
| One (highest value) prize each except can get Ind & Team. |
As Race Organiser I took on this race as it was my club (Bingley Harriers), my village and my gala. Also it is a short race which can include juniors (minimum age 12), masters of all ages, and give a good taster for those new to fell running who want to give it a go. I know our Juniors love pitching themselves against the Seniors and showing them how it’s done, and I love to see the Juniors gaining experience and ‘mixing & matching’ with the seniors! This year we had from U13 to 70+ – an inspiring age range. For the younger runners (age 8 and upwards) there is also a challenging 1m race so plenty of opportunity to get the kids running.
From a Race Organisers point of view the day seemed to be one of sound & noise challenges. In the tent we were fighting to hear each other over the gala sound system as one of the speakers, blasting out loud music and announcements, was just behind the Harriers tent. Then at the start as I was shouting out the starting instructions and race warnings the Phoenix Jazz Band struck up behind me in the car park and the Dakota fly past arrived swooping low and loud over the gala field several times. And if that wasn’t enough, later as I started the presentations in the Memorial Hall the Jazz band struck up again just outside – we shut the doors but the music still came in loud and clear through the open windows. I think I will get a megaphone next year!
Immediate feedback from runners was that the race was very enjoyable and ran smoothly without any real hitches. That is, in a large part, due to the over 30 people who volunteered to help at the Fell and Junior races, organising, marshalling conspicuously in bright yellow bibs, timekeeping, registering runners, managing road closures & crossings, setting up the finish across the gala field, on radio communications, keeping runners and gala-goers separate for the end of the race, handing out drinks to hot runners, and sweeping the course. I think most of these had a good day too. Many thanks from me – Becky Weight.
There are a few of my photos from the gala field and Sally Spencer took a great set of action shots from the end of the Fell (Senior) and Junior races – posted on Facebook 30 Jun 2018 (5-6pm) https://www.facebook.com/groups/bingleyharriers/
Watching for the next finisher, taking race numbers and time keeping at the end of the Fell / Senior race on the gala field, Eldwick & Gilstead Gala 30 Jun 18
Junior race runners – Eldwick & Gilstead Gala 30 Jun 18
Fell /Senior race runners – Eldwick & Gilstead Gala 30 Jun 18