Success for Mags at Pumas event

THERE WAS a strong local presence when Northowram Pumas staged a West Yorkshire Winter League meeting for the first time last weekend.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jan 2018, 15:37 BST
Updated 25th Jan 2018, 15:40 BST
Northowram Pumas host Winter League race, starting at Shelf Hall Park.Northowram Pumas host Winter League race, starting at Shelf Hall Park.
Northowram Pumas host Winter League race, starting at Shelf Hall Park.

The five and a half mile event started and finished at Shelf Park and after a week of wintry weather it only got the go-ahead after a morning inspection of the changed route.

A field of 347 runners took part and Stainland Lions’ consistently impressive Mags Beever won the women’s race. She was 33rd overall and it was her second win in three races this season.

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The men’s race was won by Crossgates’ Adrian Holliday from Baildon’s Michael Malyon with Queensbury’s Tom Collinge next. Stainland’s Gavin Mulholland came next and clubmates Mark Pottinger (12th) and Richard Hand (18th) were not far behind.

Northowram’s highest-placed finishers were Tim Brook in 11th and Luke Cransfield in 19th while Todmorden Harriers had Richard Butterwick in 43rd and Duncan Cannon in 49th.

Baildon took the team honours but a 44-strong team kept Stainland in the hunt for success. Lions’ Sean Thompson was third among the over 50s.

Pumas’ Simon Wilkinson said: “The event went really well and we have had plenty of positive feedback.”

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The rescheduled Mytholmroyd fell race attracted 67 brave souls, who battled through the snow on the six mile route over Midgley Moor and back.

Todmorden Harriers’ Annie Roberts was first lady and 13th overall. Clubmate Andrew Worster was second overall.

Calder Valley won both team prizes, led by Lee Shimwell in eighth. Anthony Costello was second v50. Joanna Stevens led the ladies home on her return to the fells after ‘maternity leave’.

Stainland Lions’ Derek Parrington completed in 1:03:01, finishing first M50.

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Chris Goddard proved again that he really does know what he’s writing about as he won the Todmorden Harriers Winter score event on Sunday.

More than 60 runners battled the weather on the moors above Hebden Bridge. Runners had three hours to visit checkpoints and gain points but points are lost for every minute late back.

Goddard, author of a couple of books about the West Yorkshire Moors, managed to visit 20 check points and gained an overall score of 430 points.

More athletics reports and pictures in Friday’s ‘Courier’