2022 National League Finals Results
The National League Finals took place on Sunday 4 September held at Redhill just outside Bristol with the final placings to be decided in the mens 600kg, 640kg, 680kg, ladies 520kg, 540kg and 560kg and mixed 580kg. The teams competing were as follows:
Men – Felton Eccles (A and B), St Enoder, Sandhurst (A and B), Lincoln, Bedfordshire, Upper Eden, Bosley, York
Ladies – Bedford Ladies, Bedfordshire, Army Ladies, Melton Mowbray Ladies, St Enoder, England Under 23s
Mixed – Lincoln, Bedford, Bedfordshire, Bosley, Sandhurst, St Enoder, Melton Eccles, composite team.
Given that this was the final competition before the World Championships, all of the competitions were pulled in large groups to give the teams as much pulling as possible. The conditions were dry and dusty and there were a fair few 1-1 pulls early on until the ground opened up.
In the men’s weight classes on the day, Lincoln were unbeaten across all of the mens weight categories, with some great competition behind them as teams fought it out for the points to try and claim a league medal in the final standings.
In the end, Lincoln finished as the overall gold medallists across the season in the mens 600kg, 640kg and 680kg competitions, and Felton Eccles finished as silver medallists in all three of these weight categories. There was some close running in the bronze medal positions, particularly in the 640kg where Upper Eden and Bosley finished joint third, so had to pull again on the day to decide who would win the bronze medal in this weight class, and it was Upper Eden who finished up as the bronze medal winners. Bosley claimed the bronze in the 600kg weight class, and York claimed the bronze in the 680kg weight class.
In the ladies competition, Bedford Ladies won all three weight classes on the day and finished up as the overall league gold medallists for 2022 in the ladies 520kg, 540kg and 560kg divisions. Army Ladies earned the silver medal in the ladies 520kg and Melton Mowbray Ladies finished as silver medallists in the 540kg and 560kg. The bronze medal went to the Melton Ladies in the 520kg, and Army Ladies took bronze in the 540kg and 560kg competitions.
The mixed weight categories saw Lincoln and Bedford fighting it out to decide who would take the gold medal in this competition with both teams joint first before the start of the competition. Lincoln won the competition on the day meaning that they finished as the overall league winners for 2022 with Bedford winning the silver medal. Bosley finished as overall bronze medallists in this weight class.
At the end of the competition, a 580kg competition was held with Lincoln and Felton entering along with Melton Ladies who entered for the training. This competition was won by Lincoln with Felton finishing as the runners up.
Well done to all of the teams who took part at both this event and across the league as a whole this year and very good luck to all of the teams, pullers, coaches and officials who will be travelling over to the World Championships in Holten, Netherlands next week.
Officials on the day – Matt Cowlard, Nick Major, Mike Callaghan, Pete Dyer, Gavin Corden, Vic Ludkin, Mick Grimston, Wendy Dyer, Jane Major, Caroline Abri.
