By Roger Robson

The British contingent at the Espoirs championship in Brittany

While four of our young wrestlers were facing some of the toughest wrestling of their lives in the Espoirs Championships in Brittany, the Governing Board of the Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling Association was allocating its toughest events, the Championships, for the coming season.

A team of four wrestlers, Jack Hale, Paul Murray, Craig Naylor and Jacob Wragg, came up against formidable opposition in St Brieuc.

The best result went to Jack Hale of Rothbury who hiped his way spectacularly through the 90kg backhold class until he reached the final with Manuel Cano Gonzalez from the Canary Islands.

The English coach, Alan Jones, discovered a Canarian coaching session in the corridor outside the arena where their wrestler was being told how to block the hipe. So, when it came to the actual bout, Hale was unable to get away with his swinging exuberance.

Paul Murray of Arlecdon also went close to a title when he was beaten 3-2 in the closest of encounters in the semi-finals of the 62kg backhold, with an easier opponent as the other finalist.

Sadly, Murray broke his shoulder on the following day in the Gouren style and will miss most of the coming season.

The most successful team was the Canarians. They combined a fanatical will to win with high levels of technique. The best wrestler overall was Emilio Jose Cano of Leon from northern Spain.

Richard Younger (left) will compete in June's Alston Gala for the All-Weights

Seventeen events applied to host the 11 CWWA Championships.

The action begins early with the 13-stones contest at Northumberland on May bank holiday Monday, and ends late with the under-15s championship at Alwinton Show on the second Saturday in October.

Kirkby Lonsdale, the only show held on a Tuesday, has never staged a championship previously, but this year will host the under-18s/10-stones competition - an appropriate venue with so many good young wrestlers coming through the ranks at Kendal and Milnthorpe academies.

The annual meeting of CWWA referees will take place at Carlisle Rugby Club on Thursday, 15 April.

Important dates:

All Weights Alston Gala Saturday, 26 June

15st Dalston Show Saturday, 14 August

14st Kirkheaton Show Saturday, 19 June

13st Northumberland County Show Monday, 31 May

12st Haltwhistle Gala Sunday, 11 July

11st Millom and Broughton Show Saturday, 28 August

10.5st Penrith Show Saturday, 24 July

Under-18s Cumberland Show Saturday, 17 July

Under-18s/10st Kirkby Lonsdale Show Tuesday, 10 August

Under-15s Alwinton Show Saturday, 9 October

Under-15s/8st Grayrigg Show Thursday, 26 August

The association has a list of approved referees and all of those will be receiving direct invitations. However, the meeting is also open to those interested in becoming a referee.

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