Just over 100 runners had the pleasure of running this challenging mid-week race on Wednesday night. Although the race has an advertised 8 miles of running and 3000' of ascent, several GPS watches recorded over 9 miles for the course, which visits checkpoints at Rispa Pike, Uldale Head, Linghaw, and Blease Fell.
The race was the third in the 2011 Keswick AC Club Fell Championship. There were some closely fought battles in the men's competition, with Phil Winskill in the second race of his Championship campaign posing the biggest threat to the advantage held by Steve Hebblethwaite going into the race, but it was Steve who came out on top after getting involved for much of the race in a chase of the eventual race winner Rob Jebb (Bingley Harriers), that turned into a battle for 2nd place on the long descent from Blease Fell summit. This eventually went to Carl Bell (Howgill Harriers) who had the strength on the night to run clear of Borrowdale's Jim Davies who took the 3rd podium spot, with Steve around a minute later in 1:16:03. Jamie Luxmoore (1:22:14) showed a promising return to form after a poor run at Duddon only the week before to take 3rd in the senior men's championship from John Nicoll (1:26:08) in 4th. Indeed there were some promising runs from several of the emerging crop of runners at the club with Josh Hebson in only his second fell race only around a minute in arrears of John, while Lee Newton who is rapidly improving ran another strong race here.
After just under an hour and a half of racing Andrew Slattery (1:29:04) took maximum points in the V40 competition from Craig Smith (1:29:48) by a margin of less than a minute. In the V50 competition Quentin Merritt handed Peter Bailey a more comfortable ten minute defeat and in doing so reversed the V50 result of last month's Dockray-Hartside, while Dunc Overton had the better of Chris Clark in the V60 category.
With Pippa Maddams away on international duty at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship in Slovenia this weekend, the door was open in the Ladies Championship. Cathrine Evans (1:40:56) who is on a great season this year ran a fine race to take 2nd overall on the night behind Amblesdide AC's Hazel Robnson who recorded a winning time of 1:38:17. But it was Lyn Thompson (1:46:38), making her debut in the 2011 Championship who had the run of the night in the ladies race to beat Rachel Slattery who was 1st V40 in 1:50:28.
The remaining races in the six-race Championship are Blisco Dash (20th July), Loweswater Show (4th September), and Three Shires (17th September).
1. Rob Jebb (Bingley Harriers) -1:13:08
2. Carl Bell (Howgill Harriers) -1:14:31
3. Jim Davies (Borrowdale Fell Runners) -1:15:04
4. Steve Hebblethwaite -1:16:03
6. Phil Winskill -1:18:10
13. Jamie Luxmoore -1:22:14
24. John Nicoll -1:26:08
27. Josh Hebson -1:27:13
30. Ian Davies -1:29:04
31. Andrew Slattery -1:29:04
32. Daniel Barton -1:29:17
33. Craig Smith -1:29:48
38. Chris Edis -1:32:15
44. Lee Newton -1:35:19
48. Duncan Overton -1:37:33
54. Andrew Murray -1:40:11
78. Quentin Merritt -1:50:21
89. Chris Clark -1:55:54
95. Peter Bailey -2:02:38
1. Hazel Robinson (Ambleside AC) -1:38:17
2. Cathrine Evans (Keswick AC) -1:40:56
3. Sharon McDonald (Settle Harriers) -1:42:22
6. Lyn Thompson -1:46:38
8. Rachel Slattery -1:50:28
16. Sarah Bennett -2:01:43
17. Kim Clark -2:08:21
Full results HERE.
Keswick AC Fell Championship fixtures 2011 - Best 4 from 6 to count
(S) Loweswater Show, 2.6m/1000' -Sun 4th September
(S) Causey Pike, 4.5m/1780' -Sat 26th March*
(S) Blisco Dash, 5m/2000' -Wed 20th July
(M) Dockray Hartside, 6m/2000' -Wed 4th May
(M) Tebay, 8m/3000' -Wed 15th June*
(L) Three Shires, 13m/4000' -Sat 17th Sept*
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