Burnsall Fell Race Results
Sunday 11 September 2016
Race Report
The September sunshine blessed Burnsall this weekend and brought out 74 eager senior and 128 enthusiastic junior runners for the fell race. Taking a similar route to the Burnsall Classic earlier in the season, this race is usually marked by local knowledge and an ability to abandon fear of where your feet might go! It commences innocently enough, in a grazed field, but soon changes character to that of a more gnarly fell race. The outward route to the summit is flagged but characterised by sneaker snatching bogs and heather lined, rocky, narrow paths. Meanwhile, the return is “any way back” but requires an element of fearlessness as the descent from the fell is through heather and the well-worn path is more treacherous than the “off piste” option. However, the best route of legend is where those with local knowledge will benefit, and appears to vary by season. Whichever way you descend, once through the heather and over the wall marking the fell base, the course gradually becomes more welcoming, finishing where it started in green pasture and a speedy downhill finish!This year’s senior winner was Mercia’s Simon Bailey (13.38), followed by first time Burnsall contender, unattached runner Joshua Jardine in 2nd place (14.21). Local fell running legend, Wharfedale Harriers’ Ted Mason (14.38) was knocked back into 3rd place. The ladies race was won by Pudsey and Bramley’s Rachel Pilling (19.43) followed by Mercia’s Kirstin Bailey (20.20) and Wharfedale’s Jean Powell (20.25).
The U17 race turns at the first cairn and was won this year by Ambleside’s Joe Edmondson (11.22). 2nd and 3rd boys were Wharfedale’s Logan Hargreaves-Madhas (11.34) and Helm Hill’s Jacob Aubrey (12.06). The girls’ race was won by Wharfedale’s Emily Jones (14.52) with Bingley Harriers’ Eliza Findlay 2nd (15.05) and Ambleside’s Hannah Durkin 3rd (16.17).
Keighley and Craven’s Louis Hudson won the U14 race (7.15), followed by Ambleside’s Ben Edmondson (7.29) and Wharfedale’s Alexander Thompson 3rd (7.52). The girls’ podium belonged to Wharfedale Harriers as Alice Jones was 1st (8.20), Freya Mitchell 2nd (9.03) and Charlotte Barrett 3rd (9.27).
The U12 race was won by Clayton le Moors Dexta Thompson(6.09), with Ilkley Harriers’ Lewis Carr 2nd (6.15) and Settle Harriers’ Ben Greenep 3rd (6.19). Leven Valley’s Olesia Winder won the girls’ race (6.50) followed by fellow Cumbrian Emily Swarbrick of Broughton Runners 2nd(6.53), and Keighley’s Beth Roberts 3rd(6.58).
The now familiar Jacob Reeday of Barlick FR won the U9 race (3.42). 2nd and 3rd boys were Wharfedale’s Tom Hooper (3.47) and Keighley’s James Sadler-Townsend (3.52). The first 2 girls were Keighley’s Maisey Bellwood (3.53) and Phoebe Midgley (3.54), followed by Wharfedale’s Emily Anderson 3rd (4.15).