OARSMANSHIP as well as running abilities were put to the test at the annual running of the Lakeside-Gummers How Fell Race on the shores of Windermere on Saturday night.

The rain lifted for the race which involves athletes running quarter-of-a- mile from a field in the grounds of Buck Yeats House to waiting rowing boats at the back of the Lakeside Hotel. The runners then row across the lake before climbing and descending Gummers How. They then leap into their boats once again and row back to the hotel.

Winner of the silver teapot trophy for triumphing in the individual race was course record holder Ian Holmes, of Bingley AC. He was not really challenged after his main rival, Helm Hill's Josh Jardine, struggled to gain control of his boat after the pair hit the shoreline together.

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Holmes clocked 27-12 which was nearly two-and-a-half minutes outside the record time of 24-46 that he set in 2006. Jardine emerged from his boat well down the field but made up ground on the ascent and descent of Gummers How and finished second in 31-03 ahead of Andy Blackett (32-45), of Durham Fell Runners. The first lady was Keswick's Katy Moore who was seventh in 39-39.

Got the Runs - a team made up of Rob Jebb, Mark Addison and Tom Addison - once again won the team prize but were unable to break the long-standing record of 25-51 set by Limited Edition back in 2004.

"We knew we were close to the record and we were really trying on the row back," said Helm Hill's Tom Addison. "But it's all about technique and that went out of the window as we went hell for leather for it."

The trio reached the lawn at the Lakeside Hotel in 26-35 and were well clear of The Sinkers (32-11) - Pete German, Adam Oliver and Ben Jackson - and Bowland's Bows Deep (32-28).

"It was one of the fastest times we have done but we were still more than 40 seconds outside the record, which is an excellent one," said Tom. "It was really greasy on the rocks on the way down, which made descending difficult, so for the conditions I think we did really well."