A SIXTH place finish in the 'classic' Borrowdale Fell Race was a respectable placing for Staveley's Rob Jebb considering he took a tumble and cramped up badly in the latter stages.

The challenging 17-mile course, which takes in Bessy Boot, Esk Hause, Scafell Pike, Styhead, Great Gable, Honister Hause and Dale Head, also attracted a quality field as the event will be an English championship counter next year.

Jebb had been jostling for second place with Borrowdale's Simon Booth and Manx Fell Runners' Lloyd Taggart when he clipped a rock in the quarries and "had a bad fall."

"Simon, Lloyd and me were together at the top of Dale Head," said Jebb, 40, of Bingley Harriers, a previous winner of the race. "I took a bad line and tripped on a rock and then both my calves just lumped up.

"I could not stretch down to reach my toes to ease the cramp of. I lost a couple more places after that."

The chasing pack had no hope of catching Ellenborough's Ricky Lightfoot who had a big lead on Great Gable and went on to win in a time of 2-54-14, almost six minutes ahead of Simon Booth (3-00-16), who has won the race numerous times. Taggart was third in 3-00-57 while the first lady was Carnethy's Jasmin Paris who was 15th overall in 3-15-33.

Ambleside's Ben Abdelnoor was ninth in 3-13-36 and Helm Hill's Kieran Hodgson ran well to finish 11th in 3-14-34.

AMBLESIDE ladies are celebrating after wrapping up both the English and British championship team prizes following the recent Lingmell Dash in the Wasdale valley.

The ladies' race was won by Bingley's Victoria Wilkinson in 50-35 ahead of Carnethy's Jasmin Paris (51-14) with Helm Hill's Sharon Taylor turning in a gutsy performance to finish eighth in 55-20.

The Ambleside girls packed well behind Taylor with Jane Reedy (55-45) coming home ninth, Anna Gibbs (55-53) in 11th and Hazel Robinson (56-34) and Louise Roberts (59-24) placing 15th and 19th respectively.

The senior men's race was won by Simon Bailey with Rob Jebb finishing fourth.

HELM Hill's Tom Addison returned to action after injury and won Sunday's Farleton Knott Race in 33-41 ahead of Barnoldswick's Jimmy Craig (34-31) and Wharfedale's Ted Mason (35-13).

Broughton's Joe Edmondson won the U17 race while Helm Hill's Georgia Stevens (25-50) and Imogen Burrow (25-53) were involved in a thrilling race to the line and filled the first two places in the U17 girls' race.