Blackburn Harriers @ Mid Lancs – On the Fells with Nick, John, Gary & Jonathan

Jun 5, 2022

A cool and windy day interrupted by periods of sunshine was the setting for the third fixture in this years Mid Lancs Track & Field League at Wilson Playing Fields, the fixture being hosted by Hynburn AC. Once again a massive thankyou to all of the Officials from all Clubs and the League who gave their time freely so that the athletes of all ages and abilities had the opportunity to compete.

Particular thanks to Blackburn Harriers Officials who turned – Alison Heywood, Christine Smith, Helen Dawson-Smith, Christine Smith, Linzi Lancashire, Joanne Nelson, Lindsay Davies, Krista Camara as well as Chris Wood for Starting and Anne Davies to handles all the athletes numbers and queries.

 

SENIOR EVENTS

There weren’t going to many PB’s on the track on the day as the wind took care of the possibilities. The Sprints ran into a headwind, so a battle all the way which saw U23 Lewis Slack clock 11.8 in 2nd place in the 100m before going on to run 24.1 – again in 2nd place – in his 200m Heat. Good to see a return to racing from Dominic Bretherton – his first race since June 2021 – as he ran 12.5 to just edge the win in his Heat of the 100m. Chris Davies had 3000m of wind to negotiate as he ran 9.54 for 3rd spot with U20 Amy Davies running a new PB of 11.24.2 in the Senior Women’s 3000m in front of senior woman Heather Traves (Glaxo Hoad Hill Harriers). In the Throws, Anthony Kent had a good day finishing 2nd in the Shot Putt out of a field of 12 with a distance of 11.22m, won the Discus with a throw of 35.13m and also the Hammer – taking the win with a distance of 46.34m. Interesting to see that thirty five athletes took part in the Senior Men’s Throws events as opposed to just seventeen at the first fixture. Beatrice Toman took on the 400m and 200m double on her return from holiday – placing 2nd in the 400m with 61.5 amd 4th in the 200m with a time of 28.8. U20 Hollie Cubbon took on only her second 800m track race of the season after competing in the UKYDL Match at Wigan – battling into the wind, Hollie ran 2.40.20 in 5th place.

Lewis Slack (60)

Dominic Bretherton (9)

Chris Davies (17)

Amy Davies (18)

Anthony Kent

Beatrice Toman (63)

U17 & U15 GIRLS EVENTS

Isabelle Hartley was just outside her personal best in running 14.9 in 3rd place for the U17 Women’s 100m before going on to clock 30.9 (4th) in the 200m followed by a 3rd placed throw of 7.31m in the Shot Putt. Kady Thompson took 3rd in the U17 Women’s Javelin with a distance of 19.86m. Emma Gitau ran her first race since July 2021 placing 6th in the U15 Girls 100m (16.40) in Heat 1 whilst Leah Smith was making her debut for the Club running 16.6 in Heat 3. Later on in the afternoon, Emma jumped 2.58m (16th) in the Long Jump whilst Leah placed 15th with 3.31m.

Three Blackburn Harriers competed in the U15 Girls 200m with Zoe Green running 30.9 in 3rd place in Heat 1 along with Charlotte Robertshaw clocking 30.6 in 3rd and Freya Neild 33.4 (5th) in Heat 2. Before that Zoe had run the 300m and clocked a new PB of 48.00 – an improvement of over a second. Charlotte Robertshaw made all the running into the wind in the U15 Girls 800m and paid slightly for that as she placed 3rd overall in 2.32.8 which nevertheless, gave her what she set out to achieve – a new PB of 2.32.8 – whilst Freya Neild came home in 11th (3.02.9) which was also a new PB. There was another new PB, this time on the U15 Girls High Jump as Tamzin Osborne cleared 1.25m (7th) adding a 2nd place in the Discus (13.14m) and 3rd in the Javelin with 11.89m.

Isabelle Hartley (23)

Emma Gitau (21)

Leah Smith (56)

Zoe Green (22)

Charlotte Smith (45)

Freya Neild (34)

Tamzin Osborne

U17 & U15 BOYS EVENTS

U17 Charlie Unsworth was making his debut for Blackburn Harriers, winning very comfortably in his 100m in a time of 11.8. Daniel Smith made the running over the first 400m into the wind in the U17 Men’s 800m and was overtaken coming into the home straight by Kirby’s Derri Henderson – Daniel responding, to sprint back past, winning in a time of 2.09.7 and a new PB by over 6 seconds. Delighted to see a big new PB for Harry Sambrook too in the same race as he finished in 5th spot with a time of 2.20.50, knocking five seconds off his previous best.

Unfortunately Daniel Smith was the only competitor in the High Jump and cleared 1.65m. Henry Harwood clocked 13.0 in 3rd spot in the U15 Boys 100m along with Daniel Bretherton in 5th spot (14.20). Three lads took on the U15 Boys 400m for the very first time which saw Matthew Smith run 59.4 in 3rd in Heat 1 alongside team-mates Daniel Bretherton (2nd) in 68.1 and Loucas Lancashire (3rd) 78.7 in Heat 2, previously on the day having run 2.51.0 (6th) in the 800m. George Camara was the only athlete in the U15 Boys 80m Hurdles and finished with a time of 14.9 before which he had jumped a new PB of 3.80m (5th) in the Long Jump alongside Matthew Smith who came 2nd with a leap of 4.62m. The two of them combined as the only competitors in the Shot Putt with Matthew setting a new PB by 25cms of 8.41m with George throwing 5.38m. Loucas Lancashire was just outside his best in the U15 Boys Javelin (600g) with his 2nd placed throw of 23.32m with team mate Felix Thompson in 3rd (17.11m).

Charlie Unsworth (110)

Daniel Smith (61) – Harry Sambrook (57)

Daniel Smith

Henry Harwood (27) – Daniel Bretherton (8)

Loucas Lancashire

George Camara

Loucas Lancashire

Felix Thompson

U13 BOYS EVENTS

U13 George Fenton was making his debut over the 100m and 200m sprint distances and did really well winning both races in 13.2 and 27.3 respectively – putting him straight into the top 20 in both events in the National Rankings – as well as equaling the Club Record which has stood since 2001. Three Harriers in the 800m resulting in Liam Bennison coming 4th in 2.44.2 in his first evert attempt at the distance, George Holman in 7th with 2.47.9 and Tom Neild running 3.03.7 in 10th. George followed that up with a leap of 3.06m in the Long Jump (8th) whilst Liam set himself a new PB in the Shot Putt of 4.95m (3rd) and added a throw of 10.12m in the Discus, an event he hasn’t done previously.

George Fenton (22)

Liam Bennison (5)

George Holman (32)

Tom Neild

U13 GIRLS EVENTS

Imogen Boardman and Holly Moore ran in the 100m – Imogen coming 3rd in 15.5 and Holly setting a new PB by a full second in 4th in Heat 2 with 15.6 whilst Charlotte Smith (2nd) in 16.3 and Isabelle Pawson (4th) with a time of 16.8 contested Heat 3. Agatha Taylor ran another good race in the 1500m easing into the race over ther first 400m and then starting to pull back on the leaders, but she didn’t have it all her own way as Blackpool’s Pollyanna Kershaw hung on to Agatha once she had taken the lead and it wasn’t until the final 200m that Agatha moved away for a comfortable win in 5.12.5. Just two girls in the 70m Hurdles which saw Holly Moore run 16.4 in 2nd spot. Sixteen youngsters lined up in the Long Jump – five of them from the Harriers – Agatha Taylor placing 4th (3.56m) in her first outing in the event – Charlotte Smith in 6th (3.34m), Holly Moore (7th) with 3.16m – Isabelle Pawson (11th) jumping 2.96m and Emma Robertshaw in her first time in the event placing 16th with 2.36m. Charlotte went on to clear 1.10m in the High Jump in 4th place.

Imogen Boardman (Lane 2) – Holly Moore (Lane 5)

Charlotte Smith (55) – Isabelle Pawson (38)

Agatha Taylor (59)

Holly Moore

Agatha Taylor

Emma Robertshaw

Charlotte Smith

Holly Moore

Isabelle Pawson

L-R Charlotte Smith – Isabelle Pawson – Holly Moore

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The Wharfedale Trail Half Marathon is a 13.2 mile trail race flagged throughout the entire course. It affords participants and their families the opportunity to enjoy a great day out in some of Wharfedale’s finest scenery with over 2,000 feet of ascents the route follows well established footpaths, including the Dalesway and Mastiles Lane and for those with time to take in the fabulous scenery the views from Scott Gate, Mastiles and Boss Moor are quite breathtaking.

RESULTS

The race was won by Clayton’s Chris Houldsworth in a time of 1hr 23.09 some 15 minutes in front of the 2nd and 3rd placed runners. V50 Jonathan Bridge and V55 Gary Pearse teamed up for the Harriers – Jonathan coming in 55th overall in 1hr 59.51 with Gary placing 81st out of field of over 250 with a time of 2hr 05.34.

RESULTS

Jonathan Bridge (31) – Gary Pearse (228)

The Kelbrook Fell Race run on Saturday June 4th was the latest race in the 2022 Pendle & Burnley Grand Prix Series which has featured Blackburn Harriers Nick Gaskell who had finished in 5th at Hambledon and 6th at the Run Forrest Run leading into this race. At Kelbrook, Nick went one better taking 4th spot in 23.33 and first V50 again as he was at his previous two races.

Kelbrook Results

Nick’s Photo from Run Forrest Run

Still on the Fells It was a pretty good day for John Horrocks at the Leo Pollard Memorial Race on Friday June 3rd as he finished in the top 5 places in a time of 51.49 – the winner Horwich’s Luke Foley running 50.30. After the Race John told us “Leo Pollard memorial race formally know as Henderson’s End. One of my favourite local races. 7 mile route taking in the pike, two lads and winter hill starting and finishing at rivi barn. Had a solid run coming home 4th 👍🏻“

Who is Leo?
Lostock Athletic Club pays tribute to past Honorary Life President Leo Pollard who died after a short illness in January 2018.
Leo felt at home running in the hills and mountains. He was originally a keen walker and rock climber. Friends accompanied him on many epic walks. Leo soon began to up the pace and he enjoyed his fell running, competing in numerous mountain marathons, Fellsmans Hikes and Welsh 3000s. Leo loved to run all the classic Lakeland fell races including The Ennerdale, The Three Shires, The Grisedale Horseshoe, Langdale Horseshoe and the Wasdale Horseshoe. He also ran local races such as the Winter Hill and Horwich RMI Jubilee Races. He was proud to have run the Rivington Pike Race over 20 times.
Leo joined Lostcock AC club in the 1990s and immediately made his mark encouraging long distant events including The River Douglas Way in 2004 (from the source on Winter Hill to the sea at the Blue Dolphin on the Ribble Estuary) and supporting the Trans Pennine Way. He was an active runner then and every Wednesday you would find him running around 5 miles with his fellow club members and having a quick pint afterwards. Lostock AC started Leo running and enjoying Cross Country races again. He also initiated the annual club off road duathlon and remained an active runner until suffering a stroke. Then you could always rely on finding Leo marshalling and encouraging runners somewhere on route be it a BGR, Mince Pie Run or the Lostock 6. It has to be said that Lostock AC and the Achille Ratti Climbing Club gave Leo and his wife Freda, friendship, companionship and moral support throughout many years of his life.
Whilst newer Lostock AC members knew Leo for his unfailing support at multiple club events it was during the 1970’s and 1980’s with the Achille Ratti Climbing Club and Horwich RMI Harriers that Leo established his reputation as one of the finest fell runners of his generation. Always accompanied and supported by his wife Freda come rain or shine, day or night. He was one of the earliest members of the Bob Graham Round No 44 in 1976. In 1981 he was the first person to run to all the 26 Lakes, Meres and Waters, quite an achievement. 2 years later for charity he was also the first person to run the 126 miles of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. A training run for this event was to run the 54 mile Bolton Boundary. In the 1988 with ARCC members he inaugurated the classic Old County Tops Fell Race. Leo completed many long distance walks, relays and events. In 1999 at the age of 65 years he completed the Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge. Even the effects of a severe stroke did not stop Leo, his last mountain top in July 2017 at 82 years of age was Lattrig (1204 feet) celebrating 75 years of the ARCC.
To do all of the above Leo knew how to use the map and compass. A compass always points true. Leo’s compass was one that always pointed towards kindness and companionship on the hills. One that pointed out to others how they could achieve their goals and dreams. May your own compass guide you safely on your own journeys and adventures. Enjoy the hills, enjoy the race.

John Horrocks

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