Luke Benn took the Under-18 World Championship

Millom wrestler Luke Benn once again proved he is the best in his age category, when he retained the Under 18 Years World Championship at Haltwhistle Carnival.

With 19 wrestlers contending for the title, Benn had to fell a series of big strong and skilful wrestlers to keep his title.

He set the tone for the rest of his successful defence during his first-round victory over Rothbury's Jack Hale.

After a scrappy first hold won by the last twist, he went on to cut through Hale's hyper-activity with a perfectly timed outside-hipe.

Benn met James Oliver of Jedburgh in the second round and gained all the hold to wrench him forward off his right shoulder and hip.

The second fall was won with a counter to Oliver's attempt to lift. And an even bigger opponent awaited in the third round.

The lofty Fin Healy of Tynemouth was cut down to size by the stockier Benn with a right leg back-heel finished off with a twist over the knee.

In their second bout, Benn lifted Healy up in the air and twisted back.

Despite many stone disadvantage, John Harrington hiped Darren Whitfield for the first fall, went down to an outside hipe for the second and then won the third Roger Robson

In the semi-finals Benn had a rest in the form of a bye and watched Sam Wilkinson of Milnthorpe use his usual tactics of gaining hold and twisting to fell Jack Ewart of Westward.

Benn's winning falls in the final echoed those in the first round against Jack Hale.

The first hold was a twisting all-action anyone-could-win bout with Benn putting in the final twist.

In the second his outside-hipe cut through all the action to leave him a worthy champion for another year.

The Under-18 Championship had a special poignancy this year when Michelle and Alan Walton, the parents of the late Chris Walton, presented Luke Benn with the trophy.

Last year Chris won both the Under-18s and the Novice wrestling at his local Haltwhistle event.

In his memory, the Waltons provided a beautiful challenge cup for the Novices.

Many of his friends entered their names and gave a good account of themselves but in the end the three prizewinners were all trained wrestlers.

After a slow start to the season, Jack Ewart is now in full flow, beating Nathan Birdsall of Rothbury in the final.

In a new initiative, the Rothbury wrestlers used some of their travel grant from a National Lottery award to fund a minibus for the day, travelling first to Distington in West Cumbria, before returning to compete at Hatwhistle.

In the Saturday rains, entries were low at Alston and Plumbland, lightweight star Richard Dixon winning all the senior events and felling local heavyweight Tom Graham in the All Weights final.

Later at Plumbland, Dixon's winning streak continued in the 13 stones but ended surprisingly when Watchi Noimai defeated him in the final of the All Weights.

Noimai somehow gained some hold and then trapped Dixon's long legs with a left leg back-heel.

Noimai's exploit was rewarded with a splendid trophy for the best performance of the night.

Richard Dixon then resumed his successful weekend at Haltwhistle where he won the 11 and half stones.

John Harrington shone at Distington, where he won the two senior events, but was flickering along at Haltwhistle until he reached the final of the All Weights with the Darren Whitfield.

Despite a weight disadvantage, he hiped Whitfield for the first fall, went down to an outside hipe for the second and then won the third and deciding fall by going to buttock but changing direction suddenly with a cross-click which left Whitfield without a leg to stand on.

The prize for the highest throw of the day, if not the year, went to Sam Wilkinson, who lifted the hefty Tom March over head height, nearly fell over backwards, but managed to twist clear as gravity re-asserted itself.