Todmorden Harriers’ Fell Championship for 2009 got off to a muddy start on the moors above Haworth on Sunday. Twenty-five Harriers joined over 300 runners for the 7 mile Stanbury Splash. Featuring around 1200 feet of ascent, the course started with a mad muddy dash out of the quarry at Penistone Hill Country Park before a short road and track section led competitors to a steep grassy descent to the first of several icy stream crossings. After a sharp rise through soggy fields, further height was gained on another track before a turn off for an undulating loop of the moors around Ponden Kirk. Runners then retraced their steps back to the quarry on increasingly heavy ground.
It was no surprise when Bingley’s Ian Holmes quickly opened up an unassailable lead to win the race, by a clear 2 minutes, for an incredible 13th consecutive year.
After warming up with a winning performance in the junior under 16 race, Sean Carey barely had time to catch his breath before entering the senior race and finishing in an excellent 16th place. Dave Collins was 2nd Todmorden runner in, followed by Martin Roberts who took home an armful of prizes for being 2nd local runner.
The ladies race was a much closer affair with Sabine Hauswirth of Ilkley narrowly edging out Lisa Lacon of Holmfirth by 14 seconds. Despite finishing 2nd lady vet40, and 7th lady, current Todmorden ladies fell champion Kath Brierley received an early warning that she faces a tough battle to hold onto her crown this year from Lauren Jeska, who finished a couple of minutes ahead as 6th lady overall.
With several junior races also taking place, attracting a record 141 entrants, six other Todmorden youngsters were also in action including Jack Crummet who finished 3rd in the under 12s.
Todmorden results: 16 Sean Carey 51:38; 36 Dave Collins 54:31; 45 Martin Roberts 55:20; 57 Ben Crowther 57:30; 60 Mark Anderton 57:50; 79 Simon Galloway 59:13; 97 Lauren Jeska 1:00:45; 105 Andrew Bibby 1:01:40; 117 Kath Brierley 1:02:45; 118 Richard Butterwick 1:02:52; 133 Mick Craven 1:04:12; 141 Mick Howard 1:04:44; 174 Daniel Taylor 1:07:07; 177 Richard O'Sullivan 1:07:29; 188 Emma Osenton 1:08:33; 201 Kevin Coughlan 1:10:01; 212 Sue Roberts 1:10:58; 213 Peter Marshall 1:11:05; 225 Peter Ehrhardt 1:12:02; 231 Louise Abdy 1:12:58; 241 Helen Wilson 1:13:50; 248 John Medcalf 1:14:16; 249 John Preston 1:14:17; 271 Paula Haworth 1:17:39; 290 Julie Wyant 1:24:30
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