Final British Championship counter: Y Garn -Saturday 1st August

With many of the categories in the 2009 British Championship already decided at the Tebay race in June, the final counter of the new four race series -the 3m/1500' short race Y Garn from the village of Rhyd Ddu in North Wales today, was contested by a rather thin field. There were however still runners-up and third positions to be decided, and a stiff climb was followed by a wonderfully steep descent over grass and blaeberry for runners to risk life and limb to make up time on their rivals.

There were a total of 98 finishers. Full results now available thanks to WFRA here. Nick Swinburn of NFR was first home in a new record time of 25.44 followed by Pudsey & Bramley runner Rob Hope, for whom the race was a formality he having already sealed the British title, running 26.15 ahead of brother Danny in 26.37, the pair racing in a style reminiscent of the brothers Andy and Frank Schleck ascending the Ventoux in the Tour.

With Pippa having allready sealed the British title and the Ladies third placed team by an unsurmountable lead, only one Keswick runner appeared in the results -Steve Hebblethwaite going some way to erase the memory of Slieve Bernargh with a run of 29.06 which was good enough for 10th place overall.

Claire Whitehead (Cosmic) was first lady, also in a new record time -32.08. Emma Clayton (Scunthorpe & Dist) was second in 32.26 and Fiona Maxwell (Mourne Runners) third in a time of 32.56.



picture: Pete Douglas