Hawkswick Dash Fell Race Results
Sunday 22 July 2007
Race Report
Hawkswick is a nice little venue for this championship race which is aptly named the Hawkswick Dash as it's short, steep and fast. A quick start on the road takes you to a rocky farm track before climbing the fell up through the bracken, where you meet a diagonal track which takes you up the fell. Here the u9's, u12's and u14's have different turning points. The u17's turn up a short steep climb up the fell and return the same way whereas the seniors climb to the pinnacle on the summit and run across the fell top before launching themselves down a steep climb. All of the races finish in a friendly farmers field where we have free parking; which is quite a bonus in this bit of paradise in the Yorkshire Dales.
In the senior race Skiptons Lee Athersmith won his first senior BOFRA event with a very respectable time of 11.08, well clear of Ilkley's Graham Pearce, with Andrew Grenfell in third. Iain Gibbons and Sam Watson had the same time to get fourth and fifth. Jack Holt came home in sixth and was first vet, overall not bad for an over fifty. Past BOFRA member, Mark Salkeld on his seasonal debut ran eighth and first o'45 with another o'45 Adrian Pickles in ninth and the first o'40 Dean Thompson in tenth spot. In the senior Ladies Jean Powell took first place closely followed by Dawn Richards and Lynn Whittaker, Sam Morphet who is recovering from an appendix operation ran in in fourth place.
The u17's once again proved to be a well supported event with 17 runners lining up. All the big players in the championship were here. It was an exciting race to watch, 3 seconds parted the first three with James Mountain just holding off the fast finishing Tom Sessford, and Alex Till. They put a reasonable gap between the next runners led by Jack Thompson with Johnny Bradshaw and Jos Addison in tow. In the u17's girls it was a Rossendale one-two led by Emma Flanagan and Francesca Gregory.
In the u14's Sam Till once again put in a classy run holding off Marc Scott and Rory Addison. Melanie Hyder ran a brilliant fourth overall and first girl. Fifth and sixth place were filled by Dale Sutton and Keiran Thompson, closely followed by second girl Emma Spencer. Third and fourth girls places were taken by Rebecca Swindells and Mel Morphet.
James Knox seems to be running away with the under 12 title but the chasing pack are getting closer. With all credit to him, he keeps winning and four seconds put him in first spot followed by James Hall in second and Ben Till third. The fourth and fifth spots were filled by Ben Johnstone and Phil Done. Helm Hill runner Lorna Jo Nunwick once again ran into first place in the girls with Rebecca Flanagan in second. Nineteen under 12 runners competed.
The u'9 races are not in a championship category but putting on races encourages them to compete and hopefully enjoy their racing in preparation for the u12's. I am sure some of them will feature in some very exciting races when they move up. All of them will make competitive athletes if they stick with it. Oliver Spencer led the u9's home by a wide margin with Tom Murfin in second. Ellamae Gibson once again put in a sparkling performance to finish third and first girl. Daniel Cardus and Robbie Johnstone took the next two placings. Second and third girls were Katie Mosedale and Emma Thompson.
Once again I would like to thank everyone who helped in any form and a big thank you to the landowners for the use of the field. I had a good day – hope all our runners and supporters enjoyed it - unless you fell in the river you should have stayed dry.
Barry Scholes