Passing Clouds Press Report 2023 from Nick Budd

Saturday June 4th 2023 saw the Congleton Harriers hosting the smallest of their three races, the Passing Clouds Fell Race. Whilst it is the smallest in terms of runners, it may well be the toughest as it follows a gruelling 9.8 mile route with over 1800 ft of ascent across the Namurian age gritstone of Ramshaw Rocks, Roaches and Hen Cloud.

Congleton Harriers actually “inherited” this race a good few years ago when it was in danger of being lost from the race calendar due to the previous organisers being unable to continue. It was saved by one of the club’s stalwart runners at that time, John Amies, who took it over and reinvigorated it. John, still plays a small part in organising the race each year as he prepares the small decorative pictures of the Roaches presented to all the race winners.

At some point the race also got moved from being held in October to being run in June due to a then congested October calendar. Even in June it is competing with a lot of other races, but in general the weather is usually better which is a bonus for runners and marshals alike.

This year there were 94 runners registered for the race, many of them repeat visitors as it remains a favourite amongst those who enter it. The weather on the day was fabulous, at least down at the start at the Tittesworth Visitor Centre, where all the marshals were ambling around in shorts and T-shirts (it was a bit chillier up on the actual hills where the marshals had to don 2 or 3 layers despite the bright sunshine).

Shortly after 11.00 the starting horn was sounded and the runners set off. After almost an hour and a quarter, there were reports of the first runner coming back in through the grounds of the visitor centre and Staffs Moorlands’ Harry Bond was first person back in a time of 1.14.34, followed by Arthur Raffle (Altringham) in 1.17.16 and Lawrence Eccles (Penny Lane Striders) in 1.18.13.

Eleanor Wainwright (Clapham Chasers) was the first woman back, 25^th overall in 1.30.50 followed by Lucy Bednall (Buxton), 33^rd in 1.35.53 and Lenka Vidamoor (Penny Lane Striders), 41^st in 1.37.48.

Other Age Category prizes went to: 1st MV40, Matt Owens (Pennine), 5^th in 01.19.23, 1st MV45, Craig Bradbury(Chorlton Runners), 13^th in 01.26.03, 1st MV50, Jeffrey Capper, 6^th in 01.19.42, 1st MV55, Steve Lomas (Macclesfield), 21^st in 01.30.19, 1st MV60, Paul Chrisp (Delamere Spartans), 47^th in 01.39.02, 1st MV65 Paul Addison (Dark Peak), 60^th in 01.44.55, 1st MV70, Mick Moorhouse (Matlock), 38^th in 01.37.13, 1st FV40, Abi Kinman (Macclesfield), 73^rd in01.51.48, 1st FV45, Caroline Burrell (Wirksworth), 79^th in 01.57.16, 1st FV50, Alison Wainwright (Dark Peak), 56^th in 01.43.21, 1st FV55, Jo Bednall (Buxton), 46^th in 01.38.52, 1st FV60, Janneke Gorzeman, 87^th in 02.07.01 and 1st FV65, Ann-Marie Jones (Macclesfield), 52^nd in 01.40.00.

Thanks again to all those who took part, all the marshals who did a grand job on the day and to the Tittesworth Visitor Centre for letting us use their site.