52 brave amber warriors turned out to face 25 mph winds as the club staged the 104th Tinker Cup race, a challenging cross country race of just over 7 miles. The race requires competitors to navigate walls, fences, gates and rivers. The route from Honley Cricket Club is via Oldfield, Dean Brook, Netherthong, up to Upperthong before looping down and round to Binns lane and back up Hill lane, before returning back to the cricket club.
All 52 runners made it back, including James Burbidge who, despite having a very nasty fall, made sure he made it over the finish line.
There was even a little extra Tinker Cup challenge thrown in with a gate which should have been opened being left closed. The barbed wire on top of it made it even more challenging for all runners on the way out before happily being opened ready for them returning back.
It was an exciting sprint between Mark Buckingham (who has previously won the race 12 times) and Tommy Holroyd into the finish, with Mark just pipping him before the line, to win the race in 48 minutes 38 and Tommy coming in just one second behind. Richard Anderson was a close third finishing in a time of 48 minutes 54.
Katie Walshaw was the first lady back in a solid time of 54 minutes 18.
In the Tinker Cup itself, this years winner was Hannah Austin. Having showed improvement all year, Hannah showed her strength throughout the race, to win the handicap and take the prestigious Tinker Cup trophy. Second in the handicap was Scott Gibbs with Andy Shott in 3rd who both had excellent races.
Ben Jarvis, in only his second outing in the amber vest, was the first novice home in a time of 53 minutes 29, a fantastic achievement. Tessa Billups was first female novice home in a time of 72 minutes 49, and was very proud to win the woman’s prize.
This was my third year as the Tinker Cup race coordinator and I would like to thank my fantastic team as always. Diane Lee for sorting all the volunteers out, Jackie France for sorting the entries, James Spencer for sorting all the land permissions the race goes over, Paul Sammonds for the fantastic chilli and Roger Bradley and Phil Senior for helping set the course out.
I mustn’t forget the volunteers, marshals and handicappers, without you we would not have a race, so my sincere thanks to you all.
Helena Croft,
Ladies Captain
