Ashley’s bronze joy in Germany (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Ashley’s bronze joy in Germany

2:50pm Tuesday 7th July 2009 in

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Ashley Kay has helped the England Boys’ Fell Running Team to the bronze medal in the World Youth Challenge at Ostheim vor der Rhoen in Germany.

The reigning English U16s Champion was winning his second England vest and after being forced to retire from the Home International in Edinburgh last autumn, he was determined to make amends.

After three of the five laps he was actually leading the race, but the hot weather got to him and in the final two laps he slipped down the order to finish 23rd.

Although the Rossendale Harrier was disappointed with his performance, the English trio of 16 and 17 year olds placed third of 10 teams with Billy Pinder from Skipton taking fifth and Wharfedale’s Jonathan Bradshaw making 12th.

While Kay was competing in Germany, seven of his club mates were in the picturesque village of Patterdale in the Lake District for this year’s English Junior Uphill Championships – with two of them returning home as English Champions.

The races were a feature of the Ullswater Country Fair and Beatrice Toman had a super race to take gold in the U10 girl’s race with Dale completing a one-two as Eleanor Solomon made second. Then big sister Megan Solomon held off her opposition all the way on the steep climb in the U12 race.

All junior races were run over various routes up Arnison Crag and the U8/10 race saw Matthew Toman who has dominated the FRA series winning every race, take a bronze medal.

The final medal tally rose to five when Jordan Beard struck silver in the U18 boys’ on the testing 1025 feet of climb.

Max Haworth battled hard in the U10 boys’ race to finish seventh while Savannah Haworth ran bravely on the 780 feet climb to finish sixth U12 girl.

Two other local clubs were represented with Blackburn’s Nina Stirrup ninth U14 girl and Chorley Harrier Mark Brown sixth U16 boy.