By Roger Robson

Matthew Atkinson back-heels to win at Langdale

Andrew Carlile is the new Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling 12st world champion.

He adds the title to two others won last season, the 10.5 stones, which he soon defends at Penrith Show, and the 11 stones.

He previously won the 12 stone championship in 2006.

Andrew Carlile is one of wrestling's best assets: at 30 years of age he can look back on a fine career both at home and abroad.

He competed in the European Championships as a senior wrestler 14 years ago, and has been involved as competitor or coach ever since.

Each winter he is a key part of the coaching team at Carlisle Wrestling Club, bringing on the next generation to higher levels of skill.

He is also an organiser, not afraid of taking teams abroad or sorting out sweatshirts and trophies for the club. AND, best of all, he wrestles brilliantly.

As a lightweight, he cannot rely on power and endurance, so he has to be adept at using the right technique at the right time with the right wrestler.

All that was on show at Haltwhistle Carnival in the 12st Championship.

In the first round he met the young Kendal wrestler, William Atkinson, felled him with an outside-hipe for the first fall.

Carlile then saved his energy in the second by feinting to go in one direction and then smartly twisting back and down when the lad least expected it.

The semi-final was a stern test for it brought him up against the holder, John Harrington.

He realised that if the bout settled down he would be brought under control by Harrington's extra power, weight and clever technique.

So he launched himself into an immediate attack, and swung his opponent up and round on an inside-hipe.

Andrew Ord contained a rampant Jack Hale to add to his growing list of All Weights wins Roger Robson

In their second bout, Harrington gained the sort of hold that Carlile feared but he immediately attacked with a back-heel and twist to gain the fall.

The final brought Carlile up against Richard Dixon, another of the young stars from Carlisle Wrestling Club.

Dixon had been on great form the previous week at Skelton Show, and was as fit and lean as I have ever seen him.

Despite Dixon's long legs, Carlile again went for the swinging inside-hipe and cleaned his opponent, just beside the table with the trophies.

The second hold was completely different, for Dixon attacked with the buttock, but Carlile was waiting for it, stepped in front and rushed Dixon to the grass off the right hip.

The wrestling at Haltwhistle was great from beginning to end.

Thomas Gibson was too good for the locals in the Under-12s, Joe Thompson was back to top form when he buttocked James Hall twice and then felled Stuart Mason in the final of the Under-18 Years, and then went on to win an excellent Novice competition.

Richard Fox beat David Atkinson in a three fall final of the 13.5 stones, and Andrew Ord contained a rampant Jack Hale to add to his growing list of All Weights wins.

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