Key Points
- Tom Rigby claimed first place in Horwich Harriers’ first-ever Spring 5k race at the Bolton Arena athletics track.
- Tom Rigby secured victory following an intense final track sprint against experienced runner Nick Leigh, with both athletes crossing the finish line in exactly 16 minutes and 54 seconds.
- Amelia Wormald finished as the fastest female competitor, achieving a time of 19 minutes and 19 seconds.
- Following the success of the track event, Horwich Harriers announced plans for a rerun for the Club 5k Championship in the autumn.
- Club members Sam Sale and Lindsey Brindle secured a third-place podium spot in their age category at the gruelling 37-mile Old County Tops Fell Race.
- Under-18 twin sisters Millie and Isabel Reid placed fifth and sixth respectively at the Esk Valley Fell Race on the North Yorkshire Moors, separated by only one second.
- Veteran runner Adrian Bramham took the top spot in the MV60 category at the Adidas Terrex 25km Trail Race during the Kendal Mountain Festival.
Bolton (Bolton Today) May 23, 2026 - Horwich Harriers’ newly launched athletics calendar commenced with a display of local track talent, as Tom Rigby outprinted veteran clubmate Nick Leigh to claim top honours at the club's inaugural Spring 5k race. Held on the athletics track at the Bolton Arena, the highly anticipated event delivered a dramatic climax that required a precise reading of the clock to separate the leading pack. The successful staging of the sprint event has established a new milestone for the club’s seasonal championships, drawing competitive fields across multiple age categories.
The premier race of the evening concluded with an extraordinary tactical duel over the final moments. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Tom Rigby was victorious in a sprint for top honours with the "wily old fox" Nick Leigh. The two frontrunners pushed each other across every lap of the standard distance, matching strides until the final bend. Both competitors registered identical official times, crossing the line simultaneously in 16 minutes and 54 seconds after what was described by club officials as 12-and-a-half well-judged laps.
In the women's category, the event showcased emerging junior talent alongside established senior runners. As documented by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, the first female finisher, in a fantastic time of 19:19, was young Amelia Wormald. Club coaches and onlookers praised her pacing strategy, noting that it will be exciting to see how her talent develops over the coming years. The competitive times across the field demonstrated the high standard of regional athletics currently being fostered within the Greater Manchester area.
The organizational success of the meeting has prompted immediate future planning from the host athletic club. According to the event summary published by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, the event was a great success and stoked excitement for a rerun for the Club 5k championship in Autumn. This scheduled return to the Bolton Arena track is expected to draw an even larger field of club runners seeking to claim seasonal titles.
How did Horwich Harriers perform at the Old County Tops Fell Race?
Beyond the smooth flat surface of the Bolton Arena track, members of the Horwich Harriers transitioned to the extreme demands of long-distance mountain running. The club was well-represented at the historic Old County Tops event, a race widely regarded as one of the ultimate tests of endurance and navigation in the British fell-running calendar.
What are the unique challenges of the Old County Tops route?
As detailed by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, the Old County Tops is a prestigious long-distance fell race with a storied history. Operating under stringent safety and team regulations, it is classified as a pairs race where teams of two must run the roughly 37 miles, with 10,000 feet of ascent, together. The rules mandate strict cooperation, dictating that both must finish and report to each checkpoint for a result to be posted.
The geographical scope of the event covers a vast terrain that tests physical stamina and geographical awareness. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, the route visits the three loftiest summits of the old counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, these being Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man, respectively. While the fastest route is widely agreed upon by veteran mountain runners, it remains the competitors' responsibility to safely navigate the open, often pathless and rugged, fells by themselves with no GPS aids allowed.
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How did the changing weather affect the competitors?
The environmental factors of the race changed dramatically during the day, complicating the efforts of the field. As observed by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, the last few editions have seen clear blue skies and oppressive heat, but this year the weather deteriorated as competitors reached the Old Man of Coniston. The arrival of a harsh weather system transformed the landscape rapidly, as heavy rain began and the clag descended, making navigation tricky and the final descents treacherous.
Which club pairings successfully completed the mountain course?
Despite the deteriorating visibility and hazardous underfoot conditions, the Horwich Harriers pairings secured notable positions. As recorded by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, ably negotiating the tricky conditions, good friends Sam Sale and Lindsey Brindle finished third in their age category, winning a pair of coveted mugs baked especially for the event.
Other members of the club demonstrated similar resilience in the face of adverse mountain weather. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Marcus Taylor, no stranger to a tough day in the mountains, competed with a friend, completing the gruelling circuit safely.
In an impressive display of versatility, the track victor from earlier in the week also made a late-minute transition to the high peaks. As confirmed by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Tom Rigby, in an event which could not be further removed from the track 5k he prevailed in just days earlier, was a last-minute entry with a friend from Bowland Fell Runners, completing an incredibly demanding multi-discipline week of racing.
What were the results for the junior athletes at the Esk Valley Fell Race?
The younger generation of Horwich Harriers athletes simultaneously proved their credentials on the regional stage, traveling to North Yorkshire to compete against the best young talent in the country. The event served as an important proving ground for the club’s development squads.
How close was the finish between the Reid twins?
The competitive action moved to the North Yorkshire Moors for Round Two of the English Junior Fell Championships, which was held at the Esk Valley Fell Race at Chop Gate. The junior ranks produced some of the tightest finishes of the entire weekend. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, in the Under-18 girls' race, Millie Reid was fifth and Isabel Reid sixth. The twin sisters could hardly be separated by the timekeepers, finishing at 46:17 and 46:18, respectively, showcasing almost identical athletic progression.
Did Mark Titmuss achieve a podium position?
The male junior categories yielded similarly strong individual performances against a top-tier national field. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, in the U18 boys' race, Mark Titmuss was fourth in 35:51, missing out on a top-three finish by a mere 19 seconds off the podium after a hard-fought battle on the Yorkshire hillsides.
How did senior runners fare in regional trail and road races?
The club’s veteran and senior members extended their racing campaigns across various prominent trail, half marathon, and parkrun events across the United Kingdom, capturing category victories and maintaining high-performance standards.
Who won the MV60 category at the Kendal Mountain Festival?
At the Adidas Terrex 25km Trail Race, held as part of the annual Kendal Mountain Festival, the veteran contingency delivered standout performances. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Adrian Bramham was the top MV60 finisher, stopping the clock at an impressive 2:27:20. In the same race, Rob Seddon was 17th overall with a time of 2:21:25, while his father Mark Seddon, also competing in the V60 category, completed the course in 3:03:08.
What was the result at the Essar Chester Half Marathon?
On the tarmac, club members proved their durability by backing up difficult fell challenges with fast road times. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Lawrence Pinnell finished in 2:28:50 at the popular Essar Chester Half Marathon. This performance was particularly notable as it came just a week after he completed the gruelling 18-mile Five Trigs fell race.
Which parkrun events did Horwich Harriers dominate?
The weekly 5k parkrun events across the country saw numerous Horwich shirts at the front of the fields. As reported by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Julian Goudge was once again first finisher at Haigh Parkrun in a speedy 17:55.
Further afield, members traveled to various locations to test themselves on different courses. As noted by Sam Fairhurst of The Bolton News, Jason (25:02) and Janet (33:51) Middleton were down in Bristol at Blaise Castle Parkrun, while Milly Lever was fourth female finisher at Trentham Gardens. Additionally, the remarkably reliable Rob Jackson, described as 'Mr Consistent', clocked a swift 18:52 at the Peel parkrun event, rounding off a highly successful week of competition for the Horwich Harriers across all surfaces and age groups.