2022 Race Report
60 runners turned out for this years Cockfield Chase, in what might be a fell running first, the female runners outnumbered the male by 31:29, the majority were enjoying their first fell race. Huge congratulations to all who ran, it was a wonderful evening and great to see you all out enjoying The Fell.
Sam Rhodes-Dawber finished first, completing the race lap in 13:40, he was 9 seconds ahead of Matt Walker (Both DFR).
Meghan McCarthy (DFR) finished in a time of 17:58, taking the ladies race by 15 seconds from Joanne Raine (Crook AC).
Profits from the race have been donated to Cockfield Primary School defibrillator fundraising campaign (£150) and Butterknowle Scouts (£50).
Date for the diary next year will be Thursday 27th April 2023. See you there.
Results – 2022
Cockfield Chase - 29 Apr 2022
Position | Gender position | Age cat position | Name | Club | Time | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1 | Samuel Rhodes Dawber | Durham Fell Runners | 13:40 | MU21 |
2 | 2 | 1 | Matt Walker | Durham Fell Runners | 13:49 | M40 |
3 | 3 | 1 | Stephen Jack | Wolf Pack Running Club | 14:04 | MSEN |
4 | 4 | 2 | Phil Tickner | Durham City Harriers & AC | 15:17 | M40 |
5 | 5 | 3 | Ian Hutchinson | Derwentside AC | 15:40 | M40 |
6 | 6 | 2 | Michael Sturla | Durham Fell Runners | 15:43 | MSEN |
7 | 7 | 2 | Rory Hart | 15:53 | MU21 | |
8 | 8 | 1 | Alistair Hart | Hunters Bog Trotters | 16:13 | M50 |
9 | 9 | 2 | Andy Biggs | Durham City Harriers & AC | 17:04 | M50 |
10 | 10 | 4 | Leon Curry | Wolf Pack Running Club | 17:25 | M40 |
11 | 11 | 3 | James Futers | Wolf Pack Running Club | 17:30 | MSEN |
12 | 12 | 4 | Stanton Gibson | Durham Fell Runners | 17:38 | MSEN |
13 | 13 | 3 | Paul Delaney | Durham City Harriers & AC | 17:41 | M50 |
14 | 1 | 1 | Meghan McCarthy | Durham Fell Runners | 17:58 | WSEN |
15 | 2 | 2 | Joanne Raine | Crook & Dist Sports AC | 18:13 | WSEN |
16 | 3 | 3 | Steph Dobbing | Quakers Running Club | 18:14 | WSEN |
17 | 4 | 4 | Alison Goulding | Derwentside AC | 18:20 | WSEN |
18 | 14 | 5 | Paul Dickinson | 18:29 | M40 | |
19 | 15 | 6 | Paul West | Wolf Pack Running Club | 18:33 | M40 |
20 | 16 | 7 | Martin Greensitt | Derwent Valley Trail Runners | 18:57 | M40 |
21 | 17 | 8 | John Holliday | Team caterpillar | 18:59 | M40 |
22 | 18 | 4 | Darren Fairclough | Crook & Dist Sports AC | 19:03 | M50 |
23 | 19 | 5 | Digby Harris | Pennine Fell Runners | 19:16 | M50 |
24 | 5 | 1 | Angela Hall | Durham City Harriers & AC | 19:32 | W40 |
25 | 6 | 5 | Sarah Cook | Elvet Striders | 19:52 | WSEN |
26 | 20 | 9 | Darren Stockdale | Darlington H & AC | 20:26 | M40 |
27 | 21 | 1 | Eddie Peat | Durham Fell Runners | 20:30 | M60 |
28 | 7 | 6 | Emily Bonnett | 20:36 | WSEN | |
29 | 22 | 2 | Andrew Turnell | Crook & Dist Sports AC | 21:46 | M60 |
30 | 8 | 1 | Martha McBarron | Swaledale Runners | 22:19 | W60 |
31 | 9 | 2 | Lynne Carruthers | Durham City Harriers & AC | 22:29 | W60 |
32 | 10 | 7 | Helen Bonnett | 22:31 | WSEN | |
33 | 23 | 1 | Alan Wilks | Aycliffe Running Club | 22:32 | M70 |
34 | 24 | 10 | Blaine Patton | Wolf Pack Running Club | 23:02 | M40 |
35 | 11 | 8 | Gemma Robertson | 23:14 | WSEN | |
36 | 12 | 9 | Ellie Tucker | 23:14 | WSEN | |
37 | 13 | 10 | Kimberlie Hitchcock | 23:24 | WSEN | |
38 | 25 | 6 | David Stothard | Aycliffe Running Club | 23:26 | M50 |
39 | 14 | 11 | Lizzie Lupton | Durham City Harriers & AC | 24:11 | WSEN |
40 | 15 | 12 | Debra Harland | 24:28 | WSEN | |
41 | 16 | 1 | Barbara Crawley | Teesdale AC | 25:11 | W50 |
42 | 17 | 2 | Susan Jackson | Redway Runners | 26:01 | W50 |
43 | 18 | 2 | Rachel Edmunds | Blackhill Bounders | 26:03 | W40 |
44 | 19 | 3 | Fiona Harrington | Elvet Striders | 26:20 | W50 |
45 | 26 | 3 | John Harrison | Swaledale Runners | 26:21 | M60 |
46 | 27 | 2 | Charlie Taylor | Runnation Running Club | 26:26 | M70 |
47 | 20 | 3 | Sandrine Hewitt | Aycliffe Running Club | 26:28 | W40 |
48 | 21 | 4 | Lesley Kipling | 26:54 | W40 | |
49 | 22 | 4 | Claire Weighell | 26:54 | W50 | |
50 | 23 | 5 | Diane Lockhart | Quakers Running Club | 26:55 | W40 |
51 | 28 | 11 | Kevin Sugden | 27:38 | M40 | |
52 | 24 | 13 | Louise Franks | Teesdale AC | 31:03 | WSEN |
53 | 29 | 7 | David Raymond | Teesdale AC | 31:03 | M50 |
54 | 25 | 5 | Louise Harrington | Weardale Flyers | 31:20 | W50 |
55 | 26 | 6 | Lynda Kempsey | 31:23 | W50 | |
56 | 27 | 7 | Catherine Bonnett | 31:29 | W50 | |
57 | 28 | 8 | Amanda Pettitt | Teesdale AC | 32:27 | W50 |
58 | 29 | 6 | Helen Spaven | Quakers Running Club | 1 lap | W40 |
58 | 30 | 9 | Mandy Harrison | Teesdale AC | 1 lap | W50 |
58 | 31 | 10 | Janet Stables | Teesdale AC | 1 lap | W50 |

Cockfield Chase is designed as a beginners fell race, organised by Durham Fell Runners, licensed by the Fell Runners Association (FRA).
All runners are welcome (age 14+), whatever your ability or experience, so long as you think you can safely get around the 7km off road route. It’s half race, half social run.
The Race
Two laps:
- The first lap is a group run to see the route – 3.5km, starting at 7pm.
- The second lap is the race – 3.5km, starting immediately as the first runners finish the first loop.
- Route: No map required, you are shown the route on the night .
- Experience: None required. Suitable for beginners with off road running shoes.
- Distance: 7km
- Elevation Gain: 160m
- Pre Entry: £5 (FRA Members), £6 (non members).
- Entry on the day is not available.
- Age: 14+
This event runs on a bring a prize – win a prize format. So if you bring a prize (anything will do) you will win a prize. If you don’t bring a prize – Booo!
Results – 2021
Cockfield Chase - 29 Apr 2021
pos | gender pos | age-cat pos | Name | Club | Time | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1 | Richard Bateson | RAF Athletics | 13:03 | M40 |
2 | 2 | 1 | Samuel Rhodes Dawber | n/a | 13:18 | MU21 |
3 | 3 | 1 | Rory Woods | Durham Fell Runners | 13:22 | MSEN |
4 | 4 | 2 | Chris Henderson | Crook & Dist Sports AC | 13:27 | MSEN |
5 | 5 | 2 | Graeme Watt | Elvet Striders | 13:31 | M40 |
6 | 6 | 3 | Tim Grimwood | Swaledale Runners | 13:41 | M40 |
7 | 7 | 3 | Adam Malloy | Northumberland Fell Runners | 13:49 | MSEN |
8 | 8 | 4 | Paul Hodgson | Durham Fell Runners | 13:55 | M40 |
9 | 9 | 4 | Martin Wilson | Durham Fell Runners | 14:00 | MSEN |
10 | 10 | 5 | Tim Abel | n/a | 14:11 | MSEN |
11 | 11 | 5 | Ian Hutchinson | n/a | 14:24 | M40 |
12 | 12 | 6 | Paul Dalton | Aycliffe Running Club | 14:28 | M40 |
13 | 13 | 6 | Doug Stimson | n/a | 15:18 | MSEN |
14 | 14 | 7 | Max Wilkinson | Durham Fell Runners | 15:30 | MSEN |
15 | 15 | 7 | Andrew Stimson | Durham Fell Runners | 15:51 | M40 |
16 | 1 | 1 | Meghan McCarthy | Durham Fell Runners | 16:09 | WSEN |
17 | 16 | 8 | Martyn Farnsworth | Durham Fell Runners | 16:20 | MSEN |
18 | 2 | 2 | Andora Holden | Durham Fell Runners | 16:47 | WSEN |
19 | 17 | 8 | Paul Townsend | Durham Fell Runners | 17:22 | M40 |
20 | 18 | 1 | Clifford Featherstone | Durham City Harriers & AC | 17:40 | M60 |
21 | 3 | 1 | Claire Calverley | Northumberland Fell Runners | 17:53 | W40 |
22 | 4 | 2 | Roslyn Kelsey | Durham Fell Runners | 18:36 | W40 |
23 | 19 | 1 | Fred Tennant | Quakers Running Club | 18:39 | M50 |
24 | 20 | 2 | Rick Bennett | Evenwood Road Runners | 18:43 | M50 |
25 | 21 | 9 | Paul Dickinson | n/a | 18:44 | M40 |
26 | 22 | 9 | Stanton Gibson | Durham Fell Runners | 19:00 | MSEN |
27 | 5 | 3 | Emily Heap | n/a | 19:07 | WSEN |
28 | 23 | 10 | Mark Hendry | Unattached | 19:22 | M40 |
29 | 24 | 10 | Michael Bellwood | n/a | 19:27 | MSEN |
30 | 6 | 4 | Clare Robinson | Evenwood Road Runners | 19:44 | WSEN |
31 | 7 | 5 | Esther Neal | Coxhoe On The Run | 19:55 | WSEN |
32 | 8 | 6 | Megan Williams | Derwent Valley Running Club | 20:26 | WSEN |
33 | 9 | 1 | Denise Tunstall | Durham Fell Runners | 21:45 | W50 |
34 | 25 | 3 | Andrew Robson | n/a | 22:19 | M50 |
35 | 10 | 3 | Kate Milburn | n/a | 22:42 | W40 |
36 | 11 | 1 | Lynne Carruthers | Durham City Harriers & AC | 22:50 | W60 |
37 | 12 | 2 | Christine Woods | Durham City Harriers & AC | 22:52 | W60 |
38 | 13 | 4 | Claire Robinson | North East Marathon Club | 23:06 | W40 |
39 | 26 | 11 | Chris Taylor | Coxhoe On The Run | 23:08 | M40 |
40 | 14 | 5 | Sally Ann Greenwell | Derwent Valley Running Club | 23:30 | W40 |
41 | 15 | 6 | Jess Durham | n/a | 24:16 | W40 |
42 | 16 | 3 | Jan Young | Elvet Striders | 24:24 | W60 |
43 | 17 | 7 | Christine Allen | n/a | 24:54 | WSEN |
44 | 18 | 8 | Alison Goulding | n/a | 24:55 | WSEN |
45 | 27 | 2 | Charlie Taylor | Runnation Running Club | 25:04 | M60 |
46 | 19 | 7 | Isabella De Santis | n/a | 27:50 | W40 |
FRA race assessment matrix

Parking: Please park as directed by marshals at the car park at the top of Cockfield (DL13 5HF) main street.
DO NOT PARK IN THE VILLAGE OR BLOCKING VISIBILITY AT THE JUNCTION.
The Route
All photos courtesy of Darren Fairclough, taken during the 2021 event.