Smith triumphant at Lostock AC’s annual memorial fell race

It was a busy week for Lostock AC as the club held it’s annual Leo Pollard Memorial Fell Race, this year organised in conjunction with the Horwich Festival of Racing.

The race is named after Lostock AC’s late president, Leo Pollard, who was also a prominent member of Achille Ratti Climbing Club and a very accomplished fell runner.

There was a fantastic atmosphere and Pollard’s family were out in force, including his children and grandchildren.

The race route is a tough course, covering 10k and 1,300 feet of elevation gain. The race starts at Rivington Top Barn and climbs up to the Pigeon Tower, then the Pike before dropping down to Georges Lane then up to Two Lads and the Trig Point via the Mast Road. Runners were then routed back the way they came to the Mast then across the moor to the Pike for the second time, then the Pigeon Tower and a finish at the barn.

There were plenty of runners who had found the mud on the Mast-to-Pike section, and all seemed happier for it.

The race itself was a tussle between Achille Ratti runners Rob Green Jr (Pollard’s grandson), Mark Smith (Lostock AC member Christine Smith’s son) and Holcombe runner, Matt Driver, with the lead changing several times around the course. At the finish, Smith out-sprinted Green to win the race in an impressive 43mins 13secs.

The first female to cross the finish line was Karen Moorfield, of Wigan Phoenix, in a fantastic time of 58:04, followed by Lostock AC’s Rachel Hancock (1:05:03) and Vicki Hamer, of Burnden Road Runners, in third in 1:06:07.

Also representing Lostock AC in the race were Colin Faulds (51:34 -eighth male and second in his age category), Andy Ginty (1:05:00 - third in his age category), Ian Johnson (1:07:40) and Gaz Foulkes (1:10:55).

Lostock AC thanked Bolton Mountain Rescue for providing safety cover for the race, with proceeds of £250 raised for the team.

Gratitude also went to Woodland Trust and United Utilities for allowing the race to be routed over their land and the Salmon Family, at Rivington Barn, for allowing the use of the grounds/car park on race night.

Fell Captain Mark Shuttleworth put in a lot of hard work organising the race and the all the volunteers/marshals helped make the evening a success.

Elsewhere, seven Lostockers headed to Coniston in the Lakes to compete in the Lakeland Trails 16k challenge - a run starting at Coniston Sports and Social Club.

The event has a festive feel with live bands and several events taking place over the weekend. As this was a challenge and not a race, runners are able to enjoy their surroundings and take lots of selfies on the race.

The race starts with a climb heading towards the top of Old Man Coniston, although runners do not reach the summit, the race covers an elevation gain of 1,400 feet. This is a tough route with tough scrambles, uneven surfaces and boggy fields. The route passes through the Coppermines Valley before heading along Walna Scar Road towards Lake Coniston. To the delight of everyone competing, the final 5k of the race is flat and follows along the bank of Lake Coniston.

The first Lostock member to finish the challenge was Sally McCoy, in 1:44:49, followed by Greg Kilshaw (1:48:50), Rachel Hancock (1:49:39), Heather Soden and Janet Rhodes, in 1:50:21, Beverly Atherton-McKenna, in 1:53:20, and Rachel Stevens (2:03:05).

Lostockers headed to Chorley for the second instalment of the Astley Park Race.

This is the third race in the road/trail midweek champs and there were some fantastic results.

Paul Edwards had an amazing run, covering the 3.7 miles in 24:15. He was closely followed by Dave Parry (26:52) and Greg Kilshaw was the third male, in 28:00. The first female to cross the finish was Hazel Hatfield in an awesome 28:14. Second female was Rachel Hancock, who finished third in her age category, in 30:30, and third was Heather Soden in 30:58.

Other results: Chris Baker 29:26, Andy Laycock 29:44, Brian Halton 30:12 (third in age category), Tony Maxwell 31:18, Gareth Pratt 33:42, Rachel Stevens 34:59, Lynda Hardman 35:43, Karen Taylor 36:53, Sheila Garewal 36:53, Ste Hancock 37:32 and Gillian Caldwell 39:57 (third in her age category).

The Horwich Festival took place at Rivington on Monday, June 3, with a 5k route through Rivington starting at the Top Barn. The race heads along Royton Lane with a steep climb at Royton Road, then the remainder of the race is downhill back to the barn.

Lostock AC was represented by Ian Johnson, who completed the race in 33:22, securing first in his age category, and Gaz Foulkes, in 33:55, who also won his age category.

Parkrun results: Guernsey - Mark Checkley 31:20; Haigh Woodlands - Andy Laycock 23:20, Chris Baker 23:37 (third in age category), Brian Halton 24:33 (second in age category), Mike Berry 25:11, Karen Taylor 29:44, Ian Burns 31:54; Peel - Lynda Hardman 28:37PB; Worsley Woods - Markus Shuttleworth 25:05.