Top triathlete Jonny McLean was the winner of the Holmfirth Harriers’ Tinker Cup.
McLean took the annual prize with the fastest time on handicap – actual time 47 minutes 12 seconds and handicap time 45.42 – with the fastest time being recorded by Chris Law and the fastest women’s runner was international athlete Katie Walshaw.
On Saturday 19 December 2015, members of Holmfirth Harriers AC gathered at Honley Cricket Club to take part in the club’s oldest and most prestigious race, the “Tinker Cup”, which was first contested on Boxing Day in 1908.
There was quite a good turnout of 68 athletes who assembled at the start on the road just outside the recreation ground in Honley.
The conditions were quite good, muddy in places after a lot of rain in previous weeks, but probably the mildest day ever for the race with the temperature 15 Celsius.
The course crosses Long Lane, Thong Lane, New Road in Netherthong, down to Mark Bottoms, picking-up Hill Lane and Binns Lane in Upperthong, before returning to the finish on the recreation ground in Honley at the back of the cricket pavilion.
The race included 18 novices, tackling the race for the first time (not eligible to win the Tinker Cup in the first year they compete), 6 guests and a total of 20 ladies in the 96th running of the event.
The athletes set off at a brisk pace with three juniors, Chris and Joe Law and Kai Sunman accompanying some of the more experienced runners in the early stages of the race.
They quickly arrived at Dean Brook Road as the field began to spread out and by the time they crossed New Road after climbing over a number of obstacles, larger gaps began to appear with some of the experienced runners including Fell Internationals, Katie Walshaw and Ladies Captain, Helen Berry, in the top eight places.
The tough course claimed a few casualties, with Steve Green pulling a muscle at Mark Bottoms and retiring from the race, Juan Biurrun had a lift back from Netherthong with an injury and two novices also retired from the race.
On the return leg from Upperthong seventeen-year-old novice, Chris Law looked in good shape followed closely by Jonny McLean, Kai Sunman (novice), Joe Law, Katie Walshaw and Helen Berry.
Kai Sunman and Joe Law took the wrong route back to the finish as they left Netherthong, which put them out of contention.
Chris Law was able to increase his lead in the closing stages finishing in first place (46.14) and winning the Ian Roberts Trophy for the fastest time. Jonny McLean was the next to finish winning the Tinker Cup with the fastest time on handicap (Actual time 47.12, handicap time 45.42).
Katie Walshaw finished in third place (Actual time 47.28) and won the Norman Haigh Trophy for the fastest female.
Novice Kai Sunman finished 4th (Actual 49.05), Joe Law was 5th (Actual 50.31, handicap 49.31) and former winner, Helen Berry was 2nd lady and 6th overall (Actual 50.42, handicap 47.42).
A presentation ceremony took place at Honley Cricket Club, where a former winner of the Tinker Cup, Dave Hutchinson, was recognised for completing 50 years as a member of the club and
presented the trophy to this years’ winner, Jonny McLean.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
The runner-up on handicap was Maggie Sykes (Actual 57.19, Handicap 46.19) and third place went to Sean Doyle (Actual 1.01.12 Handicap 46.42).
The fastest novice female was Ruby Sykes, who finished 24th overall in a time of 59.20.
A full list of results can be found on the Holmfirth Harriers website www.holmfirthharriers.com
