Harriers Field Three Teams at Calderdale Way Relay, 2024

Rochdale Harriers were represented by three teams at last weekend’s Calderdale Way Relay race, Britain’s biggest off road club relay event.

Divided into six legs, the race starts at Clay House, West Vale and follows the woodland, open moorland, canal towpaths and road of the 50 mile Calderdale Way to finish at Spring Hall, Halifax.

Credit and thanks to the Rochdale team organisers John Mayall and Mark Walker who put a lot of work into co-ordinating the teams, route reccys and dealt with last minute headaches of late injury substitutions.

Once again the sun shone and temperatures were high for the 99 teams who entered the event and the Rochdale results were as follows;

Rochdale Harriers Mixed (Min. 6 women) – 5th Mixed Team / 41st overall
Leg 1 – Richard Stirkzaker & Dave Parton (1:36:48, 48th)
Leg 2 – Kay Welsby & John Bramwell (1:11:48, 20th)
Leg 3 – Emma Ball & Jill Barton (59:16, 62nd)
Leg 4 – Gra Grindrod & Juliet Smith (1:40:20, 47th)
Leg 5 – Jenny Ransome & Chris Gee (1:19:42, 50th)
Leg 6 – Izzie Brandon & Kevin Holland (1:36:14, 42nd)

Rochdale Harriers Men – 32nd Men’s Team / 61st overall
Leg 1 – Gaz Chambers & Leon Aston (1:42:38, 56th)
Leg 2 – Jeff McCarthy & Bruno Rolinha  (1:28:48, 62nd)
Leg 3 – Andy Whitehouse & Michael Jackson (53:39, 39th)
Leg 4 – Pete Butterworth & Dec Harrison (1:43:12, 55th)
Leg 5 – Kurtis Vincent & Tom Wilson  (1:14:04, 35th)
Leg 6 – Lee Meadowcroft & Johnny Lawler (1:38:28, 45th)

Rochdale Harriers Open – 44th Open Team / 73rd overall
Leg 1 – Mark Walker & Jonathan Lupton (1:55:07, 74th)
Leg 2 – David Bull & Corina Hayes  (1:35:06, 71st)
Leg 3 – Chris Ransome & Nick Barton (1:01:36, 69th)
Leg 4 – John Mayall & Steve Leak (1:46:28, 61st)
Leg 5 – Bryony Sherry & Meg Hooson (1:34:25, 71st)
Leg 6 – Neil Eaton & Dan Fenwick (1:58:22, 79th)

It was a double race weekend for Dave Parton who, on Saturday 18th May, crossed the Welsh border to Dolgellau for Ras Y Gader (Cader Idris Mountain Race). The approximate 10.5 mile (17.5km) race started and finished in the town centre and packed in roughly 2,900ft (885m) of elevation to the top of Cader Idris and back. 298 runners lined up at the start and Dave was 69th after 2:01:29.

On Sunday 19th May, Phil Locket and Ian Stainthorpe joined 5166 others for the Chester half marathon. Phil completed the 13.1 mile route in 1:36:56 for 388th place and Ian stopped the clock after 2:18:04 for 3232nd place.