Running: Decent start to ladies’ defence of fell crown (From Gazette & Herald)

Running: Decent start to ladies’ defence of fell crown

12:41pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in Sport

Pickering ladies began the defence of their Winter Fell Series title by taking second place in the team event in the Viking Chase.

This excellent season opener at Carlton Bank, which is organised by Cleveland Mountain Rescue and takes in 1,500 feet of ascent in eight tough miles, took place in pleasant but breezy weather at Carlton Bank. Pickering ladies packed their team into the first 12 places. Kim England set the standard achieving an excellent sixth place, and third in category, in a time of 81 minutes 30 seconds.

Lorraine Laycock knocked nine minutes off her time for this race last year to claim fifth in category in 84-01. Lynn Humpleby completed the team placings with a good 88-50 and sixth in category.

Shirley Tyrrell, running her first fell race in Pickering colours, scored an impressive third place in her category in 101-08. Tyrrell and her sibling, Chris Raw, had a telling effect on overall team placings. Tyrrell helped to knock points off the dangerous New Marske Harriers team, who finished behind Pickering in third, while Raw ran superbly to lead the Thirsk & Sowerby ladies to first place.

Andy Mitchell led the Pickering men’s team home with aplomb. Starting steadily, Mitchell soon moved through the field and ended up in a fantastic 34th place overall and 11th in the tough men’s open category in a time of 75-51. Nick Cousins and Andy Harvey ran different races to earn good team points. Cousins got a good start and hung on in the latter stages to earn ninth in category in 79-30.

Harvey came through strongly for 10th in category and an improvement of four minutes on last year’s time with 80-23.

Mike Hetherton was off colour, allowing fellow pensioner Barry Warrington to claim a rare category win.

Hetherton’s excellent downhill technique still carried him to a respectable time of 83-43 and a hatful of points for the overall series. Richard Todd (89-39) found the going challenging in his first fell race but completed an excellent overall team performance from the Pickering men who claimed fifth place.