It has been a strange season for the Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling Association.

Usually, during the summer months wrestlers, officials and followers of the sport can be found around the wrestling ring every weekend, sometimes on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sometimes up to three events can be on in one day, with staggered start times to allow wrestlers to attend all events.

Covid-19 has meant we have spent an event free summer, instead we have reported on the past successes of the 2019 World Championship holders and also the achievements of some of the most well-known names to have graced the Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling ring.

A summer which would usually be packed full of reports on winners from all of our competitions on the grass has been wiped out.

Who would have thought way back in April when we took the decision to cancel all of our World Championships and, subsequently in May, cancel all competitions over the summer that now, when the grass season would have been drawing to a close, when we would usually be looking forward to a winter of training sessions, that another difficult decision would have to be made.

We did think as the summer progressed and restrictions were eased and a downward trend of confirmed cases of Covid-19 could be seen, we could hopefully look forward to a winter of training.

Unfortunately, as we all know, the easing of restrictions has led to an increase of confirmed cases.

The governing board has had to take the decision to cancel all training sessions for the foreseeable future to comply with Government guidelines regarding Covid-19, a decision which was very much taken out of their hands due to the current climate.

Clubs at Carlisle, Kendal, Rothbury and Waberthwaite have all been made aware of this decision.

This time of year would also usually see the secretary of the governing board totting up a season’s worth of points ready for the Presentation Dinner.

At this Victor & Victrix Ludorum trophies would be awarded to the person with the most accumulated points in each of the categories: mixed under 10yrs, mixed under 12yrs, boys under 15yrs, boys under 18yrs, girls under 17yrs, ladies open, middleweights, lightweights and all weights.

There will be no trophies this year and therefore no presentation dinner.

The situation will be reassessed in January 2021.

As a governing board we will always have the safety of our wrestlers, coaches and followers as paramount.

In the meantime, please take care and stay safe.