Cumberland wrestling round-up

Dixon and Harrington represent promising hopes of silverware

Cumbria's wrestlers are busy preparing for the IFCW European Championships in the East Kilbride Sports Centre that take place at the end of April.

More countries and regions will be there than ever before with teams of wrestlers from the Canary Islands, Leon in northern Spain, Brittany, Cumbria, Friesland in northern Holland, Sardinia and Iceland, as well as the host team from Scotland.

In addition a single wrestler from the Cantabrian region of Spain is also entered.

If everyone turns up most weights will have eight competitors. Only in the lightest and heaviest categories are numbers significantly reduced, to six in both.

The struggles have already begun for the Cumbrian team, mainly because of weight problems. We always struggle to find a genuine lightweight at 62kg (9st 10lbs) and once more we are relying on a young wrestler with some growing still to do.

Craig Naylor is the latest to volunteer to take the weight off for his place.

In the next two weights we have two champions who are just right for the weight and ready to rumble. Richard Dixon at 68kg (10st 10lbs) and John Harrington at 74kg (11st 10lbs) are both in their prime and fit to take on the world.

The next category, 81kg (12st 10lbs) was one that we thought would be the same, with David Atkinson coming up from Bristol and Richard Fox newly returned from New Zealand vying for the place.

What we had not reckoned on was that both had put on a lot of weight in their absence and neither was able to qualify.

At short notice the young Kendal wrestler, Sam Wilkinson has agreed to take the place. He should be fine in his own style but may struggle in the Breton section.

The coaches are still in contact with potential wrestlers, but with a week to go we still lack a big man to complete the team

Roger Robson

With his increased weight and power Richard Fox took the berth at 90kg (14st 2lbs) in a wrestle-off with Ross Wilkinson of Rothbury.

Since his return from the Antipodes, Fox has put in a major effort to improve his Breton style under the expert tutelage of Andrew Carlile.

Joseph Robson of Kendal, a former 14st and 15st champion, made his mind up to compete in the championships some months ago and has trained assiduously ever since, so that he is a formidable contestant in his weight, the 100kg (15st 7lbs).

The super-heavyweight section 100+kg (over 15st 7lbs) continues to be a problem.

Richard Younger was to do it but injured his ankle again, then All Weights champion Russell Housby said he would step in but was unable to rearrange work schedules.

The coaches are still in contact with potential wrestlers, but with a week to go we still lack a big man to complete the team.

Whatever the outcome the CWWA owes a debt of gratitude to the two coaches who have driven the team forward.

Firstly Alan Jones, who has hammered away at the necessary fitness and attitude, and Andrew Carlile who is well versed in the subtleties of the Gouren style.

Anyone who wishes to support the team should be in the East Kilbride Sports Centre on Friday, 24 April.

The first bouts will begin at 1030 BST until lunch and then the official opening ceremony will take place at 1400 followed by five hours of wrestling, while on the Saturday the wrestling begins at 1230.