British debut for two

9:03am Friday 22nd June 2007

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OUTSTANDING junior runner Tom Addison and experienced senior Joe Symonds turned on the style as they raced to the summit of Snowdon and won the right to represent Britain in the European Mountain Running Championships next month.

Fell runners usually face the dual problem of a strength-sapping uphill slog followed by a breakneck descent. But the trials held at Llanberis were purely a climbing test, as that is the challenge the runners will face when they make their GB debuts at Cauterets, in the French Pyrenees on July 8.

Tom, 17, who runs for Helm Hill, left many 19-year-olds trailing in the trials and reached the Snowdon summit in 43min 40sec, a mere 12 seconds behind winner Jon Hare of Halifax.

He said: "I have been running strongly, but went there with no expectations as I had never climbed Snowdon before and I am slightly better at descending - that's where I usually overtake my opponents.

"The climb seemed to go on for ever and ever. I was asking people on the way how far there was to go. I tucked in behind the leading group at the start then gradually worked my way through until I was contesting it with Jon, but he managed a burst at the end.

"I was delighted to get second place as that gave me automatic selection for Europe. GB places below that are selected on running records."

Last year Tom ran for England in Italy, but says that GB selection marks a new high in his career. He has been told the course at Cauterets will be similar to the Snowdon climb and involve around 50 minutes running.

Tom has been coached by well-known fell runner Billy Proctor since he was six-years-old and the proud coach said: "He has stuck to his training over the years and is now beginning to bear the fruits of his dedication. If he keeps it up I believe we are looking at a future British champion.

"We knew he was running well, but did not expect to qualify, yet he was outstanding at Snowdon against a high quality field.

"The GB vest is the pinnacle of his career so far and I believe he can do well in Cauterets, although the competition will be strong."

Joe Symonds, of Sedbergh, will also be making his first GB appearance after climbing to second in the senior rankings. He clocked 51-27 for the slightly longer senior course, 22 seconds behind winner James Walsh.

"I had been building up to the race," said Joe, whose father is former triple Three Peaks Race winner, Hugh Symonds.

"My dad had given me a lot of advice about the course. It started off fairly flat and everyone went haring off, but they slowed as soon as climb started. I knew I had to be in the first four to be selected and I was about a minute down on James Walsh and Alan Jones in the early stages.

"I expected James to drop back as he has not had as much experience on climbs and Alan to race away, but the opposite happened and I soon overtook Alan on the steeper part of the 4.5 mile course. I was catching James rapidly at the finish, but he just managed to stay ahead.

"A hard climbing race really suits me, so I am looking forward to Cauterets. It will be about half as long again as Snowdon with around 1600 metres of climbing at an average gradient of 14 per cent.

"Our only worry as a team could be a slight altitude problem as the race starts at 900metres and goes up to 2,500."

n BINGLEY'S Rob Jebb won the midweek Tebay Fell Race and shaved ten seconds from the record in the process.

Jebb, who lives at Staveley, covered the eight miles with 3,000ft of climbing, in 1-10-29 to come home over three minutes ahead of Cliburn's Jim Davies (1-13-38) who runs for Borrowdale.

Kendal's Alastair Dunn was just two seconds adrift of Davies in third place while Sedbergh schoolboy Simon Barnby (1-13-41), who hails from Herefordshire, was fourth.

Cumberland Fell Runners' Kate Beaty was first woman in 1-36-28, followed home by Burneside's Alison Richards (1-38-10). The race attracted a field of 99 runners.

n CHRIS Speight's training for the Windermere Marathon is paying off with some good performances of late and the Helm Hill athlete was the first local home in Saturday's Darren Jones Clougha Pike Race from near Lancaster.

Speight finished the five-mile (1,250ft) race in seventh position out of a field of 90 runners clocking 41-17.

Lancaster and Morecambe's Mark Croasdale won the race and was also first V40 in 37-37 with 22 seconds to spare over Steve Swarbrick of Bowland. The first woman was Rowena Browne, of Bowland, who was 37th overall in 47-54.

n ENDMOOR'S Mike Robinson (4-22-37), who runs for Dark Peak, placed eighth in the 23-mile (7,500ft) Ennerdale Fell Race, which was run in sweltering conditions.

The race, which takes in a number of fell tops including Great Bourne, Red Pike, Great Gable, Kirkfell, Pillar and Haycock, was won in 3-53-17 by Ellenborough's Ricky Lightfoot.

Kendal's Phil Clarke (4-41-44) was second V50 in 19th position behind Jackie Winn (4-39-30) of CFR, who was two places ahead. First woman was veteran Jane Meeks, of Keswick, (5-08-55), who was 35th overall and just over three minutes behind was unattached athlete Helen Garrett. Dallam's Hazel Jones (5-16-20) was third woman in 39th position.

n RUNNERS taking part in Saturday's Gibson Grind 14km trail race from Dean Gibson School will be serenaded by up-and-coming singer Lauren Bate. The race over Scout Scar is one of the highlights of the school fair and sets off at 2pm. Children 11 years and under can take part in the Gibson Gallop Fun Run.