GOLF: The season started at Kendal Golf Club on Good Friday with the 36-hole Braithwaite Cup.

Junior member James Atkinson, playing off 15 handicap, was the overall winner with two rounds of 64 for a 128 net total.

Gordon Andrew (65+69=134) was the runner-up with Rhys Garnett (68+67=135) in third after a card play-off with Alan Dunn (68+67=135), who was fourth.

Nick Bone returned the best combined gross (69+77=146).

Rob Young posted the best net, first round score with a 67, after a card play-off with Ben Waller, and Stephen Rothwell had the best net in the second round with a 65.

Gordon Andrew and John Hayton won a Four-Ball Better-Ball Stableford on Easter Saturday with a score of 48 points.

Nigel Robinson and Tony Bland were second on 47 points, and Garry Archer and Mike Graham (46) were third after a card play-off with Mike Heap and T.

Bescoby (also 46) in fourth.

Kirkby Lonsdale Easter Four-Ball: 1 Paul Tallon & B.

Johnston 39pts; 2 Malcolm Harris & Ken Ayre (39), 3 Mark Casson & Sam Shuttleworth (38), 4 Tony Weaver & Tommy Green (38).

Casterton Cup: Div 1 - 1 N.

Meadows 38pts, 2 M.

Wilson 36, 3 M.

Crayston 35.

Div 2 - 1 B.

Johnston 38ts, 2 P.

Cressy 38, 3 S.

Denby.

National role for umpires

HOCKEY: Two Kendal-based hockey umpires Keith Clarkson and Dave Armitage have been appointed to adjudicated at the national semi-final of the England Hockey Association Vase competition for women between Durham University and Battersea Wanderers on Sunday, April 14.

The match will probably be staged at Maiden Castle, Durham.

Both umpires normally operate on the North Women's panel.

Good show at Donnington

MOTORCYCLING: Kendal racer Alan Jackson had three top-ten finishes on his first competitive outing of the season in the New Era Club race series at Donnington Park on Sunday.

Jackson steered a Suzuki GSXR 1000 loaned to him for the season by Rob Montgomery of Windermere to 8th, 9th and 10th in the 1300cc races.

He plans to ride in the TT Races this year and will be on his own Yamaha R6 600cc in Production Races.

'SAS' man v cycle ace

CHALLENGE: Kendal triathlete Colin Hill, who appeared in the BBC's SAS 'Are You Tough Enough?' programme, will go head-to-head with Kent Valley cyclist Andy Powell, who is among the top 20 national best all-rounder time triallists, in a special challenge to mark the opening of the Fitness Lab on Stramongate, Kendal, on Saturday afternoon.

The pair will make a parallel record attempt on the testing bike at the new physical training centre, starting at 3.30pm.

New road-race series

RUNNING: Kendal Athletics Club start their latest fund-raising for new training facilities for members and local community organisations with a road-races series comprising the Burneside Blast, the Hawkshead 10k, the Gathering Half-Marathon and the Endmoor 10 Miles.

The first race, the Burneside Blast, takes place on Wednesday, April 17 from the cricket club and is open to anyone aged 16 and over.

Pre-entry forms are available from Pete Bland Sports but registration can be made on the night from 6pm.

Several local firms and business are sponsoring the venture.

Silver reward at Espoirs

WRESTLING: Cumberland and Westmorland wrestler Andrew Bentham from Kendal fared among the best of the Cumbrian contingent with a silver medal at the European Espoirs Championship in Rennes, Britanny.

Bentham did not record any wins in the Breton style but his fortunes rose to fight through to face an Austrian in the Back-hold final.

Already beaten once his rival in the earlier rounds, he fared better, particuarly with a good inside-click, but had to give best to a stronger man in the end.

Another silver went to David Atkinson and Adam Wharton secured a bronze at these five nations youth championships.