Cumberland wrestling round-up

By Roger Robson

David Atkinson (front) fails in his attempt to leg-up Richard Fox

Gridlock proved the popularity of the Alwinton Show which took place in the Cheviot Hills.

Governing board chairman Jim Bland travelled from Kendal for the wrestling, but spent an hour in a traffic jam looking at the autumnal colours between Harbottle and Alwinton while the wrestlers battled it out in the big ring.

In the age classes, local wrestlers reigned supreme and did the Rothbury Academy proud.

Cade Whitfield had a couple of falls with inside-hipes which brought satisfying gasps from the crowd, while Charlie Carlyle, a young wrestler who has never been seen west of Hexham, was a class act. He won not only the Under-13s but also the Under-16s against heftier opposition.

Eleven-year-old Joe Hale does not appear on the prize-list, but he kept up his reputation with some giant-killing bouts before being overwhelmed.

Two Northumbrians, Andrew Ord and Jack Hale, have established themselves in the mainstream of wrestling.

Hale recently won the Under-18 Championship at Kendal and Ord was last year's 14 stones champion.

Appropriately they met in the final of the Under-21s where Ord's close control stifled Hale's more exuberant style.

Once the senior wrestling began, the skills of three Carlisle wrestlers took them through the crowd of the Northumbrian representatives.

John Harrington of Bewaldeth felled Carlisle's Andrew Carlile in the 11.5 stone final in straight falls. Harrington managed to gain the stronger hold and work off the right hip, rushing Carlile forward off the hip for the first fall, and countering Carile's buttock attempt for the second.

In the 14 stones Richard Fox continued his fine season though he seemed less fluent than usual at times.

Former champion David Atkinson, now returned to the area after finishing a contract in the south, pushed him hard in the first round but eventually ran out of leg length when trying the leg-up buttock.

Fraser Hirsch of Dundee, on holiday in Berwick, forced Jack Hale to his limits in their second round bout. It began easily enough with a Hale hipe, but Hirsch took the second by countering a buttock attempt. The decider was a desperate affair, but Hale managed the last twist in a hectic bout.

In the final between Hale and Fox, the Northumbrian gained a quick and surprise fall by twisting off Fox's usually reliable back-heel. Fox then equalised with an outside-hipe, and went on to win when he went for the inside hipe, coming forward till Hale succumbed.

In the All Weights category, reigning champion Richard Younger was in full control. He is massive and knows how to use his mass. Only at one point was there any doubt about his eventual success.

In the first fall of the final, Richard Fox went to buttock, with Younger's body clear of the ground and starting to come round and under, but not fast enough. Younger got the fall and a fright.

Finale of the day, the last bout, was a simple matter of a Younger lift and a sideways flick to send Fox sprawling.

The Wasdale Head Show was a meeting place for Kendal and Carlisle trained wrestlers.

In general William Hayhurst and the two Atkinson brothers, Matthew and William from Kendal, had an excellent day in both the ages and weights.

Craig Naylor who is from Wasdale, but is at University in Penrith and trains weekly at Carlisle, had the pleasure of a win at his home sports in the 10.5 stone, after a season of injury.

And finally, Jack Ewart of Westward, one of the keenest followers of wrestling, who is now restricted to competing only in the All Weights, went home happy after felling William Hayhurst in the final.