Cumberland News

Carlisle Wrestling Club members win titles

Last updated 10:49, Saturday, 09 August 2008

The Little and Large of the Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling Association Championships were contested simultaneously at agricultural shows a hundred miles apart.

On top of the world: Andrew Carlile

Powburn in Northumberland hosted the 10½ stones and Cockermouth held the All Weights World Championship. Both were won by wrestlers trained at Carlisle Wrestling Club.

Andrew Carlile of Carlisle not only trains at the club, but also is one of the main coaches during the winter months.

His success in the lightweight championship at Powburn was his fourth in a row and seventh overall, leaving him one short of Jimmy Atkinson's record. Carlile's retention of the title was helped by Craig Ridley of Slaggyford who eliminated one of the favourites, the 11st Champion Richard Dixon, clinching the win with a fine hank.

A year ago the final between Ridley and Carlile would have been a one-sided contest, but that has all changed this season, especially after Ridley took a great fall against Carlile at Morpeth earlier in the season. Carlile won the first fall with a lift and an outside-hipe, which sounds clinical, but only happened after a good tussle.

Then, surprise,surprise, in the second bout Ridley took the attack to Carlile and gained all the hold. From there Carlile fought to escape the grip, but suddenly changed direction and caught Ridley with a buttock by the ears. Next day Carlile was also runner-up in the Scottish 11½st and 13½st Championships at Bridge of Allan Highland Games.

At Cockermouth the wrestling looked forlorn at the advertised starting time with scarcely any entries, but suddenly crowds arrived to compete and to watch, and the whole programme was excellent.

Russell Housby from beside Silloth warmed up by subduing the excellent middleweight Richard Fox in the first round before rising to the challenge of David Bowman who could match him for weight and experience. With such big men hipes are not really an option, and Housby won by twists and buttocks.

In the semi-final he snuffed out any potential finesse from John Harrington with brisk action supported by substantial weight to reach the final. On the other side of the draw, the 15st Champion, Joseph Robson, looked like a boy against John Threlfall and Carl Clark, but won with back-heel and hipes for his place in the final.

Robson was forced to make the running in the final to have any chance of winning by putting his opponent off-balance. Housby, though, was equal to the task and won by countering Robson's chips. He rushed him forward off a leg-up, and then chested him down from an attempted outside-stroke.

Housby also won the heavyweights at Ambleside Sports two days before the championship in a final with Thomas Brocklebank. At Ambleside there was a strange domino effect. John Harrington felled Richard Dixon in the 11½st final, which woke Dixon's ideas up in the 12½ stones where he felled Richard Fox in the final. That, in turn woke up Richard Fox who felled a resurgent Alan Jones in the 14st final. The performance of Richard Dixon was judged to be the best overall, and he went home with the Guinness Trophy. Luke Benn reminded everyone why he is the Under-18 Champion in the fall of the day when Graham Benson sent him flying with an inside-hipe, only for Benn to find a toe-hold to carry on the momentum for an even higher inside hipe which left Benson on his back.

In the final of the Under-18s a seemingly straightforward fall left Jack Ewart with a hip injury which meant his removal by ambulance. The injury proved less than feared, a bone chipped in the pelvis, and Ewart is hopeful that he can make a swift return.

Keenest of the day was the Gibson family from High Hesket. Dad took eight year old Thomas to Powburn in North Northumberland for the Under-10s and mum took Dawn and Megan to Beetham, near Kendal for the Girls' event. They had to be contented with places, but with that attitude, their time will come.

Results:

Ambleside Sports

Under 12 Years: 1, J Hayhurst; 2, A Dent; 3, S Wilson.

Under 15 Years: 1, S Brocklebank; 2, S Mason; 3, W Hayhurst.

Under 18 Years: 1, L Benn; 2, J Ewart; 3, J Thompson.

11½st 1, John Harrington; 2, R Dixon; 3, M Knowles.

12½st 1, R Dixon; 2, R Fox; 3, G Benson.

14st 1, R Fox; 2, A Jones; 3, G Brocklebank.

All Weights 1, R Housby; 2, T Brocklebank; 3, G Brocklebank.

Beetham Sports

Under 12: Years 1, J Hayhurst 2, T Riley; 3, J Wiseman.

Under 14: Years 1, W Hayhurst; 2, B Brocklebank; 3, J Hayhurst.