Valiant effort from Ormrod in Italy
ROSSENDALE Harriers have a proud history going back over thirty years of providing international fell runners and on Sunday Joe Ormrod donned his England vest to run in the U18 International Running Cup in Saluzzo, Italy.
Joe had qualified for the event in the trial race at Todd Crag, Ambleside back in May when he finished in second place to Amblesides’s Charlie Allmond.
This year was the 15th edition of the cup won previously in 2018 in Lanzada by Matty Mackay, now studying in the United States in Boise, and the first for three years as the previous two events were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
Twelve countries in all accepted their invitations to the hilltop town of Saluzzo in the province of Cuneo, an hour’s drive south of Turin.
Joe joined his team of three other athletes including Will Walker from Clayton Harriers, Allmond and Wirral’s Alex Poulston.
The course was unlike a traditional British Fell race as it started in the centre of the town before
climbing 155 metres through the ancient streets, through an old castle previously used as a prison and into the grounds of a vineyard where there were a series of small climbs and descents before heading back down to the finish.
The England team got off to a great start in the girl’s race when Bingley’s Rebecca Flaherty just lost out by two seconds to USA’s Alyssa Sauro but with Jess Bailey (Levon Valley) third, Amelie Lane (Wharfedale) seventh and Harrogate’s Eve Whittaker ninth it was enough to place them on the podium for the Gold medal, a very impressive team performance.
The boys team couldn’t match that but finished in fifth place which was a very good effort considering both Almond and Ormrod fell right at the start of the race in the narrow street, in fact Joe was the last of the 48 runners as they began the climb in 30 degree heat. However, Joe made a valiant effort and threaded his way through the field into the top thirty at the summit and gained several places on the descent to take 24th position at the finish with Allmond twelfth, Poulston 18th and Walker 27th.
It was a great experience for Joe and one he will remember and learn from.
The next big event for him and Will Curry will be the Lily Tarn race in Ambleside on July 17th where they will both be hoping to qualify for England for the Junior Home Internationals in September.