Otley Athletic Club

Report from Tom Lynch:

We managed to field 2 open teams for the Bradford Millennium Way Relay this year, a paired team relay around much of the countryside of the District of Bradford, taking in Bingley, Haworth Moors, Laycock, Silsden, Ilkley and back to Bingley. The legs vary between 8-11 miles following mostly fell and trail routes.

Perfectly coordinated Black & Whites and White & Blacks ready for the off

I started off on leg 1 running with Gary (team Black & Whites), with Tamara and Neil running for the second team (White & Blacks), at 8 am on a drizzle soaked morning from Bingley sports club, all slightly dazed at the time we had to get up, but thankful for Gary’s father-in-law for offering to collect us at the end of our leg, saving us an even earlier wake up!

Team 2 Leg 1 changeover

Tamara and Neil had done a proper recce for their leg, whereas I’d only managed to check out the 2nd half of our leg, thankfully we were battling with a few teams up to the halfway mark, so we had no major navigation mishaps, and we could crack on once we got to somewhere I recognised. We handed over to Steve Robinson and Stephen Boddy at Penistone country park at the end of our leg, and Tamara and Neil passed the baton to Sara Richard and Laura Hind. Running the remaining legs for the teams were: Leg 3 Tom Pomfrett/Shane Ewen & Hannah Lupton/Carmen Dojahn-Wood, Leg 4 Christian Hosker/Andy Webster & Caron Ralph/Jackie Ackroyd, Leg 5 Andrew Robertshaw/Tom Paget & Hugh Pearson/Sara Elliot.

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Report from Mark Hall

A trip over to south Yorkshire. I won this event back in 2003 ( Has it really been so long ago!) this is the first time I have returned and although the last half of the event has changed the first 5k is still a constant climb with some very steep sections. After 5 and a half Kms there is a steep descent on to the trans Penine trail (off road) which is 3 kms of flat trail before the final 400 metres of incline. I was 1st vet overall. The 10k incorporated the South Yorks 10k championship as a result attracted a good local field. If any OAC runners fancy a trip over the ‘border’ this is a well organised. reasonably priced event but don’t expect a PB!

Winner: D Hinchcliffe, Penistone FR. 34.31
Mark Hall. 4th. 37.07. 1st vet

Report from Graham

I was running late, so put the VW in hyperdrive and legged it over to Eldwick for the gala Fell Race on Saturday. Abandoning my campervan in a cul-de-sac I ran to the start to be told it had been put back 15mins due to the sheepdog show running late (phew).

This is a very short race (2.8m 550ft) from the main street, up to the Baildon Moor trig point and back the same way (but with a finish in the show field).

I was hoping to bag a top 10 finish, but was perturbed to see Tom Adams and Joe Baxter line up at such a low-key event. Luckily there were some children in the race; this would be easy!

After a very fast start down the road you’re soon climbing the 500 ft or so of ascent up to the trig point and through the pain in my lungs came the thought “why are these kids ahead of me?!” As it’s an out and back I could count 10 people ahead of me at the top, and my ego needed that name in the Fellrunner magazine! So with this desperate and deeply sad thought in my head I managed to pass 5 folk on the way down including one of those pesky kids only for him to re-pass me on the final hill to the finish.

Anyways I got a top 10 finish in 7^th place but missed out on 1^st old man prize, although I looked FAR older than the category winner! ;o)

The race was won by Tom Adams in 16.40, (3^rd place Alex Flaherty 13 y/o!) Graham Lake in 7^th 20.12, the women’s race was won by Caroline Lambert in 20.47 (10^th overall). Don Buffham was 83^rd in 30.55 shortly ahead of Nicky Gifford who did her first ever fell race (well done Nicky!) in 84^th 31.11 with Antonio 88^th in 39mins.

Now, where did I park that campervan…?

Report from Mr Podd

A large team of elite Otley AC  fell runners descended on Addingham and joined the loitering crowd outside the pub on a nice evening. Off we went through the village, over the bridge and charged up the mighty Beamsley Beacon. Lovely and dry underfoot – I wore trail shoes. There was probably a lovely view off the top, but no time to linger as we raced carefully down the tricky descent. The ‘trench’ was dry, but very overgrown and claimed a few victims. So on to the very fast bit down the fields and try and maintain the speed back into the finish in the village. I would have been two places up if I hadn’t had to do a Gilly.

Many of us were still feeling the Knaresborough effect, but a lovely evening for a nice local race, and chips on the way home.

Approximate finishing order. Liam, Colin, John, Me, Don, Liz, Bob, Bob and Antonio. Results to follow on BOFRA website.

Report from Joanna Hobson

Last night on a hot and balmy (or was that barmy) mid-summer evening, Hannah Lupton, Laura Hind, Nicky Gifford, Ann Yeadon, Pam (a friend of Nicky’s) and I all did the Solstice Saunter, a beautiful, sociable summer’s evening 5 mile race,  following the trails of Bolton Abbey. The race starts at Cavendish Pavilions and follows a clockwise loop up through the Strid Wood to Barden Bridge, then over the bridge and back through the grounds to the pavilion.

This run is organised by the Airedale Dodgers in conjunction with Sue

 Ryder as a fundraising event for Manorlands Hospice. The route was stunning and the marshalling so friendly and organised. We were rewarded with a bottle of beer and a high quality bespoke Solstice Saunter medal.

The best part of the evening was a riverside picnic, watching the sun go down with fabulous food, G&Ts and Bucks Fizz! A really lovely way to spend the longest day.

1st place went to Will Kerr in 31:12, 1st female Ann-Marie Bulcock 37:34

For Otley AC Ann Yeadon 47:35, Laura Hind 47:49, Joanna Hobson 48:56, Hannah Lupton 50:11, Nicky Gifford 52:03

Full results here

Gilly & Eriks

Report from the Hon. Handicapper:

A big thanks to Knaresborough Striders for hosting thier 1st Harrogate League race & excellent bufffet at the Working Men’s Club, particularly the fabulous cakes!.  Ripon’s Ben Pease, 31:34,  7 seconds ahead of his team mate Reece Dalton & I think taking the Harrogate League title for this year.  I had a battle with Harrogate’s Crystal Goecker, 37:20 for much of the race who finished

Rob celebrating his handicap win?

as first woman.  An excellent season for the Black and Whites maybe not in team positions but fantastic turnouts in all of the races.   Jackie Ackroyd is in a close run thing with Margaret Britton of Dragons/Airecentre Pacers for the LV60 prize, Jackie beat Margaret on the day but by enough to win?, and the answer is yes by just less than one point, 96.08 to 95.09.

This is Jackie’s 4th Individual Harrogate League title after V35 win 1999, V40, 2001, V55 in 2013.  Congratulations to Jackie.

Just our handicap race now, so all hands on deck to help out, with setting out the course, marshaling and catering in 2 weeks Thurs. 6th July.  Results of race 6 of the Eric Smith Handicap are shown below, see the latest handicap table here.  Antonio jumps to the top of the table on 109 points, followed by Rob Fearnley, 105 and John Armitstead and Gary Johnson 92.  Photo’s courtesy of Jack, more on the Flickr site here.