Harrier
Hall of Fame
Three
Peaks 1954
In
2004, the Three Peaks Association celebrated its 50th Anniversary,
with a booklet outlining its history, written by Dave Hodgson, listing a Preston
Harrier as its pioneering organiser for the first two years, namely Fred Bagley,
having run in the, ‘53 and ’54 L.D.M.Trials, finishing 2nd, with
team finishing 2nd in
’54.
From
the Dalesman, June 1954: The3
Peaks took place on unmetalled, uncobbled & trackless
ways with 4 marshals cum timekeepers and no committee!.
The
event was monitored by Andrew Hindle.
A
further chapter has been added to the history of achievements at the
Three
Peaks
of North- West Yorkshire, Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-gent.
On April 24th, Preston Harriers and Athletic Club organised a
Three
Peaks
Race. They had in mind the existing record of four hours twenty-
seven minutes for the circuit, set up in 1948 by international athlete D Birch,
of Leeds Harehills, and the chances this record were considered as a definite
possibility.
Consequently a similar
route to that taken on the previous occasion was chosen, the result being that
the first two men home succeeding in finishing the course under the existing
time. The winner, F Bagley of
Preston Harriers, reduced it by no less than thirty- nine minutes, and so became
the first man ever to complete the twenty-three mile circuit in under four
hours, his actual time being three hours forty-eight minutes.
Following him closely
home was Stan Bradshaw, of Clayton-le moors Harriers, who running a fine race
clocked a time of four hours six minutes, thus clipping twenty one off the old
record. The third man home was clubmate Alf Casey in five hours two minutes.
The
Race: Was started by M T
Withnell (Preston Harriers), from the Hill Inn, Chapel-le –Dale at 11-10am.
The weather was fine and reasonably clear, but a strong easterly wind,
made the day extremely cold, a fact noted both by competitors and time-keepers
on the peaks. The peaks were
occasionally veiled by light mist, but ground conditions proved fairly good
because of a recent dry spell.
The
times recorded on the peaks were as follows:
On Ingleborough (time–keeper A Bibby, Lancaster Primrose Harriers and
Athletic Club, all the competitors were well bunched together and were timed in
at 11.37am (actual time twenty seven minutes. On Pen-y-gent, the
race was beginning to open out, although the leading three were still close
together as the following times show. Leading
in first position was F Bagley who reached the summit at 12-58pm
(actual time one hour forty eight minutes), followed by
S Bradshaw
(Clayton-le-Moors) at 12 59pm (one hour forty-nine minutes) and third A Casey
at 1.00pm (one hour fifty minutes). Time-keepers
were H Eccles and C. G. Shorrock.
From
Pen-y-gent F Bagley steadily increased the lead after resisting one challenge by
S Bradshaw lead and topped the third summit Whernside, at 2- 38pm(
thre hours twenty eight minutes) with Bradshaw
at 2-50pm( three hours forty
minutes) and A Casey 3-27pm(four hours seventeen minutes). Timekeeper was M. T.
Withnell.
These
positions were held to the finish when F Bagley clocked home at the Hill Inn, in
a very fresh condition 2-58pm (three hours forty eight minutes) with
S Bradshaw
at 3-16pm (four hours six minutes) and A Casey 4-12pm (five hours two minutes).
F Bagley, the new
record holder, is a keen cross country and track athlete.
He was Cross Country Champion of the Club for the1952-3 season and is the
1953-4 three mile Club Champion. He
is also a keen fell walker and a regular visitor to the
Three
Peaks
country and the
Lake District
. The event was very successful
and Preston Harriers and Athlete Club are thinking of making
this an annual event.
Although
the entries for this first race were modest in number they are hoping to
increase the entry in the future.
Preston
athletes placed in Mountain Race:
Preston Harriers gained second and third places in a field 25 athletes
who competed in the 18-mile mountain marathon race from Abergavenny,
the climbing of seven peaks including the
Holy
Mountain
and Sugar Loaf, on Saturday.
Bagley
led with three miles to go, but went off course. The winner was 45year-old L
Williams, the international, who was third in the 1952
London
-
Brighton
run.
Under 4 in 3 F Bagley Preston Harriers.
