To weekend of 29th / 30th July

Kentmere kit check incident

There has been a furore on social media about a kit check incident at Kentmere last Sunday. Two comments from the Facebook Fell Running UK group page are reproduced below. The first outlines the incident and the second, by Race Organiser Matt Bland, sheds further light on it. It’s poignant to note that in this race some years ago, mid 90’s I think when the late Pete Bland (Matt’s dad) was the race organiser, a runner died from hypothermia.

“So I was just behind the guy who failed the random kit check at Kentmere Horseshoe yesterday. He had nothing apart from an empty backpack. How selfish to not only put yourself in danger but also potentially the marshalls/mountain rescue.”

“Think it may be best for me to comment on this thread as I was the RO at Kentmere. I won’t be naming the individual concerned and I am in the process of passing all details onto the FRA. Firstly its important to state that full kit was stipulated (list of kit required) in emails twice to all entrants prior to the race yesterday with also a warning of poor weather in the second email, after some changes for the worst during the week. Full kit was also stipulated (with a list) at registration and all who registered were told random kit checks would be undertaken prior to the start and at the finish. Kit was checked by myself and marshalls before the race and after (including many elite runners). I am slightly old school (learned alot from my dad, Pete Bland) and believe I am dealing with responsible adults, who when told that certain rules will apply (particularly given the adverse weather) then all would comply for their own safety and out of respect for the RO and the many marshalls involved in the race. This is ultimately why random kit checks took place rather than kit checking all 250 of the runners who ran (this may change in the future after this years race experience.) Please also remember that Kentmere (with my dad as RO) suffered a fatality many years ago. The individual was randomly kit checked before the race, stated he didn’t know what kit he needed and produced a pair of gloves, water bottle and a gel. He was told to report to registration immediately and told he couldn’t run with no kit. I also called out his number on the start line and said that if he was in the starting field then he most make himself known and pull out immediately. Once radio reports came back from Ill Bell and High Street his number wasn’t there so my presumption as RO was that he hadn’t started and gone home with his dibber and a bruised ego. However this changed when he arrived at the gate to the finish, quickly handed his dibber to the marshall and scuried off refusing to report to registration. Subsequently I have seen photos from Stephen Wilson with the individual clearly part of the race, but not wearing a number. This information is been passed onto the FRA but ideally I wanted to nip this thread in the bud with some facts rather than speculation. Regards Matt Bland”

Past races

Crookstone Crashout – Race report and results here.

Kentmere Horseshoe. Ales Mason 7^th, Alison Wainwright 4^th W50. Results

Big Stone. Tom Perry 3^rd, Andy Barnett 1^st M60, Keith Holmes 1^st M65. Results

Blackamoor Chase – Cynog Williams 1^st, Mark Jones 2^nd, Keith Swainson 3^rd M40, Helen Roberts 2^nd woman, Chris Shaw 2^nd M60. Results

Sheldon. –

Upcoming races

Sunday 23^rd July – Holme Moss

Monday 24^th July – Trunce 7.

Wednesday 26^th July – Terry’s High 5, Macclesfield way.

Thursday 27^th July – Stoney Middleton

Thursday 27^th July – Brassington, White Peak

Sunday 30^th July – Up the Nab, Charlesworth

Sunday 5^th August – Borrowdale, a Lakeland Classic and a truly great fell race. SiEntries.

JimP

Saturday 22^nd July, 2023