British Fell Relay Championships

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Report from John Tollitt:

British Fell Relay Championships 2018.

This year’s Relay Championship took place on Saturday 20th October at Grasmere and was hosted by Ambleside A.C. The event consists of 4 legs; a solo leg, a paired leg, a paired navigation leg and then a final solo leg. NFR fielded 2 teams. The A team consisting of John Butters (leg 1), Matt Hetherington and Roger Sillitoe (leg 2), Lee Bennett and Paul Appleby (leg 3) and Matthew Briggs (leg 4) and the B team made up by Phil Green (leg 1), Gary Mason and George Nicholson (leg 2), David Armstrong and Frank Shillitoe (leg 3) and John Tollitt (leg 4).

The event was a sell out with nearly 250 teams from throughout the UK taking part and was contested in dreich conditions with stubborn low cloud persisting throughout the day. The NFR A team finished in 62nd place whilst the B team finished in 132nd.
The winning men’s open team was Pudsey and Bradley and the women’s open team winners were Helm Hill.

Results: http://www.sportident.co.uk/results/2018/BritishFellRelay/

The teams (minus Matt H and George) - John T

The teams (minus Matt H and George) – John T

Simonside navigation event

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From Frank: Simonside navigation event, Sun 4th November

If you are interested in a run and getting some navigation practice in, Newcastle and Tyneside Orienteers are hosting an event at Simonside on Sunday 4th November. We are offering a special course for fell runners/adult beginners. The navigation is relatively straightforward and similar to what might be expected during the navigation leg of the British Fell Relay Championships. The course to enter is the “Long Orange” with a straight line distance between controls of 5.6km (more like an actual running distance of 8 – 9km) and 200m of climb. Much of the terrain will be familiar to those who have competed in the Simonside Cairns Fell Race, Thropton Show Fell Race and Beacon Hill Fell Race. In terms of kit, be prepared to carry your normal fell running kit. Full leg cover is also mandatory, the course will go through the forest and up onto the fell. A map is supplied with the course pre-marked. It is advisable to reserve a map in advance. Further details are here:

http://www.newcastleorienteering.org.uk/flyer/Simonside/Simonside181104.html

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Frank Shillitoe (course planner) fshillit@hotmail.com

A Winter’s Trail Race

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race_tape-e1371633698511A Winter’s Trail Race, 16th December

Hethpool to Wooler.  8 miles
The race follows part of the St Cuthbert’s Way.
Start: Wooler Bus Station 10.15. Runners will then be transported by coach to the start, Hethpool, College Valley. From there they will return to Wooler.
Pre entries only via SI ENTRIES £12.
Further details on Facebook.
Or contact Glen McWilliams on 07748864424
glen.cheviot@hotmail.co.uk

Simonside Fell Race (Thropton Show)

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An excellent turn out for this multi championship race, 117 is a record under my stewardship. Ian and Ann Webb were about on the day to give support. Nick Swinburn still has the Mark Webb trophy and would be good to get it back for next year. The Ladies trophy is AWOL and it would be good to have it back. Any one ask at Tynedale if its knocking about?

The race had a flurry of late entries due to a serious crash on the A1 at Morpeth but we got underway on time.

I will need a bit more support to organise this race in future is folk don’t mind. The loss of marshals in the immediate run up to the race made it more stressful than usual.

So Alan and myself marked the course in the morning after last year’s problem with disappearing tape.

Thomas organised registration with various Greens, Mrs Langford and Mrs Cameron.

Harry Ransome kindly ran up and marshalled the top. Richard Garland kindly sorted the Bridge marshalling on the way out. Rothbury Pipe band played out the race with Barren rocks of Aden/ Highland laddie. Next year may see a lap of the field on the way out….

Matthew manned the gate for those that came back the race route via the burn.

The finish team of Sharon G and Jules L on finish number and place recording, Alan L and Lesley Ransome on timing.

Nina and myself on results compiling seemed to work very well. However the pressure to sort results resulted in a couple of errors with Clare Bagness of Wooler being overlooked for the FV50 prize and Garry Owen being missed as well. I corrected these before the finish of prize giving.

The race will start at 1400 next year to give more backend time to sort results.

I tried marking the route with biodegradable flour this year and would be keen for direct feedback. I ran the route Monday night and the arrows were still clear to follow….

Thanks for all those who came and ran or supported

Phil

results