Grasmere Sports Crowns World Champion and Creates Sporting Magic, Misery and Memories

The 171st Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show culminated in the crowning of a new World Champion in the All Weights Men’s Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling division, a fitting end to a day full of sporting achievement and enormous family fun.

Whilst returning Breton wrestlers triumphed in a couple of contests within the wrestling programme, and the Icelandic contingent also took a few trophies home, the premier contest in the entire programme, and the one they all want to win, was won by Thomas Gibson.

Thomas did it the hard way, by defeating former world champion, Thomas Brocklebank, in a dramatic semi-final, which seemed to cause him an injury ahead of his clash with Jack Ewart in the final.  Despite this, Thomas retained his Grasmere title and also secured the magnificent World Championship trophy.  Thomas Brocklebank took third, after beating Stuart Fleming.

Rosie Hodgson took both the Under 18s Girls Wrestling title and the All Weights Ladies, beating French wrestler Anäelle Le Piolet in the final. Anäelle took the Under 10-stone Ladies title.  Jack Brown, from Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland, won both the 11 and 12 stone categories and came fourth in the 14 stone competition.

Stunning performances were also evidenced in the fell running races, known as Guides races at Grasmere, as the original competitors, back in the 1860s and 1870s, were shepherds who guided Victorian tourists on the fells.  

Although the longstanding 1978 record of Fred Reeves was never under threat in the Senior Guides’ race, the achievement of Charlotte Rawstron, last year’s under 17s women’s guides’ race winner, was remarkable.  Charlotte, from Otley, led the women’s competitors home, in her first-ever attempt at the longer distance run.

The race itself, which attracted 157 runners, was won by Billy Cartwright from Derbyshire, who achieved a time of 13 minutes and 18 seconds, short of Fred Reeves’ record of 12 minutes and 21.6 seconds, but an outstanding effort nonetheless.

In the under 12s event, the title went to a talented young runner who had never competed at Grasmere before.  Noah Cook, from Ulverston, who runs for Furness Fell Runners, set a cracking pace and hit the tape just two seconds short of the record time.

He said, “I’ve never raced at Grasmere before but have won at Alva and Ambleside and am top of the BOFRA (British Open Fell Running Association) Under 12s table.  It was hard going up the fell, but I just kept running hard all the way.  I’m disappointed to have just missed the record but happy with my medal and my £25 prize, which I will add to my savings.”

This was not the only achievement for the family.  His mum, Rebecca Cook, also took a silver medal in the Ladies 800m track race.

Another amazing achievement was that of Millie Jebb, of Helm Hill Runners in Kendal.  Millie, at the age of just 14, had to compete in the Under 17s race, but was the first young woman over the finish line.  Meanwhile, her sister, Isla, won the Under 14s women’s race, equalling the record and marking another great day for the Jebb family, whose name is synonymous with fell running.

Drama beset the Under 17s race, when last year’s winner, Finlay Goodman, of Brighton and Hove, was leading at the top, having reached the flag by running virtually the entire way up the fell, no matter how steep the terrain.  On the way back down, he suddenly disappeared from view, having taken the wrong path, and ended up in the bracken.  He finished only in the lower half of the top ten, with the race won by Oliver Bailey from Staffordshire.

Some consolation for the Goodman family came with the triumph of Finlay’s brother, Oliver, in the Under 14 Guides race, who put in a sprint finish to pip Joe Green, in a thrilling conclusion to the race.

A pre-show ‘Poodling Around’ podcast was recorded with fell running legend Tommy Sedgwick and with current junior fell runners, the McGoldricks, of Settle Harriers.  It talked of the huge rivalry between record-holder, Fred Reeves, and Tommy Sedgwick, and their 11-year battle on the fells between 1969 and 1979.  

Tommy Sedgwick, now the Bellman at Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show, must have been delighted to see his grandson, Ben, take third place in the Under-9s Guides Race and his daughter, Helen, win the Veteran Ladies race.  Meanwhile, Mia McGoldrick was the second-placed female runner in the Under-12s Guides race.

The whole Grasmere Sports event was enlivened by brilliant commentary for the wrestling, fell racing, and hound trail races too this year.  This greatly added to the crowd’s appreciation of the dogs’ races, with all eyes glued on the fell as the dogs started to descend.  A hush of the crowd also made the cries, shouts, whistles and dog bowl clanking of the owners all the more audible. Dogs were cheered home by all, with the premier event title in the Senior Hound Trail race going to Huntsman’s Quantum, who completed the Fell Hound Derby race in 31' 18".

A new Hound Puppy Show was also staged in the main arena, with the overall winner being Leo, the pup of Charisma and Cuckoo Lane and owned by Tony Irving.  All of the pups on show will be eligible to race at Grasmere Sports next year, so this was a glimpse of what is to come.

With large numbers of competitors in all competitions, the evidence of participation in traditional and rural sports was there for all to see.  Track and field events were also well supported in all age groups, with some great young talent on show.

A Pet Dog Show charmed the crowds, whilst the Young Handlers category attracted child competitors – and their dogs - from as far away as Bournemouth.  

Despite horrendous summer weather and the cost of living crisis, the show attracted very good numbers and entertained crowds all day, with the wrestling not concluding until around 5.30pm.  With entertainment from the ever-popular Fat Cat Brass Band and Fire Man Dave, a host of bicycles to try out courtesy of Wonder Wheelers, Classic Cars, model steam train rides, craft market and food stalls, there was lots to see and do.

The show was the last that Sports and Field Manager, Deborah Black, has handled, with her five-year tenure in the role ending, as she looks to spend time with her family.  Her hard work was praised by Chairman of the Show, John Hibbert, who thanked her for her dedication.

Deborah says, “It was wonderful to see such strong support for our heritage and traditions and such large numbers of entrants in the events.  Having Breton, Icelandic and Scottish competitors back for the wrestling added a different atmosphere and we were extremely happy to have them back.  

“It is clear that there is a lot of young sporting talent out there and we are proud to be able to provide events that support the development of what could well be the future generation of athletes and cross country runners.

“It is a little emotional for me to be stepping away but now is the right time for me to do so.  I know that Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show is in a very good place and will be hopefully entertaining crowds for many more decades to come."

Ends

Editors notes

Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show is an iconic event taking place in the heart of the English Lake District on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Its long historic roots date back to 1868 and it is renowned for its fell running, hound trails and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling competitions, as well as being a fantastic family day out.