11:08am Friday 9th January 2009
By Gazette Sports
A NEW generation of fell runners is set to emerge from the ranks of juniors who are starting to take an interest in the sport.
And if evidence were needed that fell running is starting to rise in popularity then the opening fixture in the Kendal Winter League provided it.
There was an amazing field of 61 under-12 athletes competing in the first race of the day from the old racecourse off Brigsteer Road, Kendal, on Sunday.
And those youngsters could take encouragement from Helm Hill’s Tom Addison, who powered to victory in the senior men’s race.
The 19-year-old cut his teeth on Kendal Winter League races as an eight-year-old and 11 years later has blossomed into an outstanding junior international.
He finished well clear of his cousin Mark Addison and BOFRA champion Alastair Dunn to sprint home in 31-34 over a shortened course of five miles that took in the Scout Scar “mushroom”. Mark was second in 33-11 and Dunn third in 33-58.
First V40 was Hoad Hill’s Chris Howie who beat Dark Peak’s Mike Robinson by nine seconds to finish fifth overall. The first V50 was Helm Hill’s Billy Procter in tenth.
Helm Hill’s Jennifer Dunn (40-57) won the women’s race with eight seconds to spare over Ambleside’s Hazel Robinson (41-05). The first woman V40 was Helm Hill’s Kathleen Aubrey in sixth position.
The U17 boys race saw Rossendale’s Ashley Kaye miss the flags after negotiating the wall on the way out, allowing Wharfedale’s Jonathan Bradshaw, Helm Hill’s Jos Addison and Keighley and Craven’s Thomas Sessford through to battle it out for the first three places.
Bradshaw proved to be the strongest and crossed the line four seconds ahead of Addison in 19-11 with Sessford a further 16 seconds adrift.
Helm Hill’s Melanie Hyder was a comfortable winner of the U17 girls race in 21-46 with Emma Spencer (23-38) almost two minutes adrift.
The U14 boys race was won by Helm Hill’s James Know, who beat Rossendale’s Danny Walsh by 14 seconds, while Lancaster & Morecambe’s Sarah Hodgson triumphed in the U14 girls event ahead of Helm Hill’s Megan Stuart.
Kendal’s Tom Taylor led home the 61-strong field in the U12 race in 6-41 and Helm Hill’s Lorna Nunwick was the first girl in 7-25.
RESULTS: Senior Men: 1 T Addison, Helm Hill, 31-34; 2 M Addison, Helm Hill, 33-11; 3 A Dunn, Helm Hill, 33-58; 4 B Elsworth, Wharfedale, 35-13; 5 C Howie, Hoad Hill, 35-30; 6 M Robinson, Dark Peak, 35-39; 7 A Pilkington, Settle, 36-02; 8 A Mouncey, Settle, 36-12; 9 M Fretwell, Settle, 36-26; 10 B Procter, Helm Hill, 36-55. Senior Women: 1 J Dunn, Helm Hill, 40-57; 2 H Robinson, Ambleside, 41-05; 3 E Flanaghan, Rossendale, 41-29. U17 Boys: 1 J Bradshaw, Wharfedale, 19-11; 2 J Addison, Helm Hill, 19-15; 3 T Sessford, Keighley & Craven, 19-31. U17 Girls: 1 M Hyder, Helm Hill, 21-46; 2 E Spencer, 23-38; 3 R Goodfellow, Dallam, 24-59. U14 Boys: 1 J Knox, Helm Hill, 9-48; 2 D Walsh, Rossendale, 10-02; 3 W Smith, Wharfedale, 10-17. U14 Girls: 1 S Hodgson, Lancaster & Morecambe, 11-01; 2 M Stuart, Helm Hill, 11-43; 3 L Munro-Bennett, 12-01. U12 Boys: 1 T Taylor, Kendal, 6-41; 2 C Davidson, Rossendale, 6-53; 3 P Done, Keighley & Craven, 6-58. U12 Girls: 1 L Nunwick, Helm Hill, 7-25; 2 T Higgs, 8-02; 3 L Goodfellow, Dallam, 8-08.
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