AGM & Prize Presentation 2019

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The 2019 Annual General Meeting and Prize Presentation takes place on Saturday 30th November at the Embassy Room at 7pm. This is the same venue as last year - above the British Hotel on North Quay, Douglas.

The evening will start with the Junior Fell League presentation followed by the AGM formalities and finally the senior league presentation. Everyone is welcome to stay on for a few social drinks afterwards.

No food will be provided but a group will be meeting at Just Pizza & Pasta at 5pm for a pre-AGM feed. All welcome but if interested let us know via Facebook or the contact form so we can confirm table numbers in advance. Menu online here

MFR at the Syd Quirk Half Marathon

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The annual Syd Quirk Half Marathon has always attracted a big contingent of MFR and Sunday was no exception with the club producing 22 finishers, significantly more than any other local club - quite an achievement for a fell running club!

Highest placed finisher was Chris Reynolds who capitalised on his excellent recent form to smash his PB in 77:50 and take 7th overall. Eleanor Miklos was another to record another significant PB (and an Island Games consideration time) in finishing women’s runner up in 86:53, a brilliant run for someone who rarely runs on the roads!

In between Eleanor and Chris there were several other MFR in top 20 with Neil Brogan, Ali Morris, Adam Huxham and Sam Looker all having fine runs in near perfect conditions.

There was also a good medal haul among the category prizes with Graeme Hatcher (M45), Maggie Watkins (W55) and Jane Rose (W60) all taking top spot in their respective categories.

Full results can be found HERE with photos taken by Rob Quine HERE and Chris Caley HERE (both Facebook albums)

Chris Reynolds looking focused on his way to a PB and 7th overall (photo credit: chris caley)

Chris Reynolds looking focused on his way to a PB and 7th overall (photo credit: chris caley)

Aston International Winter Hill League Round 2 - Cringle

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The 2019 Winter Hill League, sponsored by Aston International, continues on Saturday 9th November at Cringle plantation. Open to all runners aged 12 or above.

Registration will be from 12:15 until 13:15 from start/finish area near the reservoir wall and main car park. Race entry fee is £5 for seniors, juniors free. We will again be taking contactless card payments (inc. Apple Pay & Google Pay) so don’t worry about dashing off to find a cash machine before the race!.

PLEASE CAR SHARE WHEREVER POSSIBLE. PARKING IS AN ISSUE FOR THIS RACE SO PLEASE COORDINATE LIFT SHARING AND USE ALL AVAILABLE CAR PARKS. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF MARSHALS AND ARRIVE IN PLENTY OF TIME

Entries will be carried over from round one so only use the pre entry if you didn’t run, or pre-enter round 1 at St Johns. Few more reminders:

  • A new race number will be issued for each race. Please do not recycle your old number - this does not go down well with the timekeepers or results compiler!

  • Routes are fully marked but we recommend arriving early in order to have a look around the course.

Aston International Winter Hill League 2019

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The 2019 Winter Hill League, sponsored by Aston International, kicks off on Saturday 19th October at St John’s with a 5km route within the confines of Witches Hill. The route will be challenging but fun with nothing too steep or technical - ideal for newcomers to the discipline. The race forms part of 3 in the series with runners having to complete each race to qualify. Open to all runners aged 12 or above. Subsequent rounds will be held on 9th November and 7th December. Details of those will be announced in due course.

Registration will be from 12:15 until 13:15 at the St Johns Football Club clubhouse (as used for the New Years Day fell race) with racing underway at 13:30 from the clearing off Patrick Road (here). Race entry fee is £5 for seniors, juniors free. We will again be taking contactless card payments (inc. Apple Pay & Google Pay) so don’t worry about dashing off to find a cash machine before the race!

Hops-based sports drinks will be will be available for purchase afterwards in the nearby Tynwald Inn, which also serves food all day.

Please use the pre entry option below to register. It is easier for us if you pre-enter even if you may not race. Any junior runners must complete a consent form signed by a parent or guardian if they have not already competed in an MFR organised event this year (in which case they will be already covered until the end of the year). A list will be available at registration detailing runners who already have a valid consent form.

A few reminders before the race:

  • Entry details will be carried over for each race so if you pre-enter for round 1, or enter on the day, your details will be carried forward to the subsequent two rounds.

  • A new race number will be issued for each race. Please do not recycle your old number - this does not go down well with the timekeepers or results compiler!

  • No safety kit is required for these races but if the weather is particularly poor please dress to the conditions.

  • Routes are fully marked but we recommend arriving early in order to have a look around the course.

ENTRY ON DAY - PRE ENTRY CLOSED

English Schools Fell Running Champs 2019 Report

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16 junior athletes returned from a successful trip to Giggleswick in North Yorkshire last weekend, representing Isle of Man Schools in the English Schools Fell Running Championships. This event has seen rapid growth since it’s inception in 2008 with many previous winners going onto to claim national vests, such is the standard of competition.

Thankfully the heavy rain had passed in the early hours and conditions for racing were good, albeit very muddy in places! Racing commenced with the year 7’s and Nathan Hubbard and Lucy Ormsby (both of St Ninian’s High School) made very promising debuts to take 25th and 17th positions respectively.

The year 7 race is the only to be held as a single year group so the remaining races saw athletes compete against older (or younger) opposition. The year 8/9 was our biggest squad with a strong looking contingent of 5 in the boys race, making them eligible for the team competition also. Multiple local championship victor Gethin Owen was best placed in a fine 17th position but he was very well supported with newcomer Cian Howard having a brilliant debut run to finish 28th, ahead of Samuel Perry who took the final team counter position in 36th. Lucas Stennett and Charlie Teare were also making their first appearances at these championships and both put in sterling performances to finish 39th and 47th. After a corrected result the boys team were promoted to a brilliant 4th in the team standings, just 1 point off the podium! With most of the lads running at the bottom end of their age group, they have great potential to reach the podium next year.

The girls year 8/9 squad comprised Macy Hillier and Madison McMullan so were unable to qualify for the team competition but both put in great runs with Macy recording our highest individual finish in 7th and Madison finishing an excellent 34th.

The year 8/9 boys team claimed 4th overall team with the girls recording some excellent individual results

In the year 10/11 race, the Northern AC pair of Ella Crowe and Catherine Perry both had outstanding runs to finish well up the field in 13th and 14th respectively. The boys managed to field a team in the race with versatile Manx Harrier Ryan Corrin recording a very impressive run to finish 29th overall. He was supported by Jake Richmond not far behind in 32nd with Nathan Cannell 48th. Nathan suffered an ankle injury early on in the race but stuck to the task commendably to ensure his team qualified and take a very respectable 5th team position.

The final race was the year 12/13 which saw Lorna Spiers take her bow after representing the Isle of Man with some superb performances over the years. Lorna had never finished outside the top 10 going into her final race and was able to maintain this excellent record in finishing 9th.

Ieuan Owen has progressed markedly during the last couple of seasons and he was another who recorded a stand out individual performance in taking 13th place.

After 3 years at Giggleswick School the event will relocate to different venue next year and there is every chance the squad will better their individual and team placings. Thanks to Mark Spiers for organising and Tonya Corrin for her support over the weekend. The athletes were a real credit to the Isle of Man, parents and their respective clubs - here’s hoping to an even more successful 2020!

Full results can be found at https://esfrc.org/index.php/results/4-results

Photos (credit to Dave & Eileen Woodhead for the above) can be found via the woodentops.org.uk Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/WoodentopsFR