Fell Championships 2025 Begin!

ON THE WEEKEND OF 1st/2nd March, 2025, attention switched from the roads to the fells, as members of the Harriers descended on the picturesque village of Barley, which sits under the slopes of Pendle Hill. The event was the Stan Bradshaw Pendle Round. The first of the Run The Moors Fell Grand Prix (FGP) race series of 11 fell races. The FGP comprises eight local clubs (Holcombe, Horwich RMI, Middleton, Ratcliffe AC, Rochdale, Rossendale, Royton and Saddleworth), each club nominating a race and then the final three decided jointly. The same 11 races are also used in Rochdale Harriers’ fell championships.

The Stan Bradshaw Pendle Round starts and finishes at Barley Village Hall, heads over the moors to Chum Clough Reservoir, before climbing up the spine of Pendle Hill to the summit via Pendleton Moor. After reaching the summit, it descends back to Ogden Clough and returns to the village hall. It’s classed as a category BM race (category B, should average not less than 25 metres of climb per kilometre and have no more than 30% of the distance on road, M medium between 10 to 20 kilometres in length), 15.2km (9 miles) in length and an ascent of 543 metres (1,788ft). A total of 10 Harriers ran the race.

First home in 24^th position was Dave Parton (MS,) in a time of 1hr, 16m, 19s, a very good finishing position in a popular fell race. Second and not far behind was Jake Warwick (MS), 1hr, 20m 42s. Lee Meadowcroft (M40) got a little stuck in the mud and lost about ten places to post 1hr, 33m, 24s. This delay proved to be quite fortunate, as Lee ultimately finished in100^th place and as a result won a £100 spot prize.

Rochdale’s first lady home was Stephanie Harrison (FS), 9^th lady, in 1hr, 34m, 35s. Second lady for Rochdale was Julie Smith who clocked 2hr, 52m, 20s. After joining the Harriers only a few days before and borrowing a vest for the occasion, Jack Liddle represented the Harriers for the first time and completed the race in 2hr, 11m, 24s.

The full results for members of Rochdale Harriers at Pendle were as follows:

While most of Rochdale’s fell runners raced at Pendle, Kay Welsby and John Bramwell went in the opposite direction to compete in the Saddleworth 10 Ressies Race. This race is a real toughie, spanning some 26.7 miles over rough moorland with nearly 4,000ft of ascent. Kay and John had an excellent race, clocking 5hr, 30m, 45s and 44s respectively, knocking-off over 26 minutes from their 2024 time. Kay was first in the FV40 category.

Onto the road, well track race actually, Oulton Park race track to be precise. Ben Hadfield showed his class and talent by finishing 2^nd in the Oulton Park 5K. Fourteen-year-old Ben was competing against all age groups and it can be said it illustrates his talent in only being beaten by a senior (Jack Campbell, Windsor & Slough, 15m 58s). Ben’s superb time was 18m, 1s (age grade score 82.11%), with Ben winning in the U15’s age category.