Fell Running - Waiting game pays off at Fairmile (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Fell Running - Waiting game pays off at Fairmile

1:41pm Saturday 7th February 2009 in

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ENGLAND fell running international Darren Kay played a waiting game before making his move to win the fifth Kendal Winter League race at Fairmile, near Tebay, on Sunday.

He tucked in behind Helm Hill’s Tom Addison on the long, steep climb from the start letting the 19-year-old do all the early work before unleashing a powerful burst on the undulating moorland section to the summit.

The Horwich man put distance between himself and Addison before the summit to establish an insurmountable lead as he headed for home on the fast downhill section of this “classic” horseshoe course.

As he crossed the line he was a minute and 13 seconds clear of Addison with Borrowdale’s Mark Roberts coming in third and first V40. The first V50 was Helm Hill’s Billy Procter in tenth while Clayton’s Jack Holt - who is currently heading the series - was first V60 in 12th.

Bingley’s Natalie White was the first lady ahead of Ambleside’s Jane Reedy and Hazel Robinson while Kendal’s Louise Roberts was fourth.

Helm Hill’s Tom Doyle turned in a powerful performance to demolish a strong U17 field. The Ulverston-based athlete stormed up the front of the fell and had built up a commanding lead at the turn whereupon he demonstrated a controlled descending technique to take him further away from the talented Tom Sessford, of Keighley & Craven, and Wharfedale’s Jonathan Bradshaw. Helm Hill’s Melanie Hyder kept her unbeaten record intact with a comfortable win in the girls’ U17 event.

Apart from an early tussle with one of the Wharfedale athletes, James Knox was barely troubled in the U14 boys’ race and just kept on running up the steep climb while all around him were reduced to a hands on knees walk. Lancaster and Morecambe’s Sarah Hodgson emerged from the U14 girls’ field to beat Helm Hill’s Megan Stuart by 13 seconds.

Keighley & Craven’s Phil Done won his fifth U12 boys’ race but had Helm Hill’s David Goad breathing down his neck with the promising Ben Kent turning in another gutsy performance to finish third. The girls’ U12 race was won by Kendal’s Bella Gray who was a comfortable distance in front of Helm Hill’s Mary O’Reilly.

RESULTS: Senior Men: 1 D Kay, Horwich, 25-14; 2 T Addison, Helm Hill, 26-27; 3 M Roberts, Borrowdale, 26-58; 4 Tim Austin, unattached, 27-03; 5 C Robinson, Helm Hill, 27-04; 6 M Reedy, Ambleside, 27-09; 7 M Robinson, Dark Peak, 27-10; 8 C Newman, Wharfedale, 28-35; 9 M Fretwell, Settle, 28-38; 10 B Procter, Helm Hill, 28-44. Senior Women: 1 N White, Bingley, 29-24; 2 J Reedy, Ambleside, 30-22; 3 H Robinson, Ambleside, 32-38. U17 Boys: 1 T Doyle, Helm Hill, 12-30; 2 T Sessford, Keighley & Craven, 13-16; 3 J Bradshaw, Wharfedale, 13-24. U17 Girls: 1 M Hyder, Helm Hill, 15-40; 2 R Goodfellow, Dallam, 17-10; 3 B Dutson, unattached, 18-31. U14 Boys: 1 J Knox, Helm Hill, 9-32; 2 B Johnstone, Wharfedale, 10-29; 3 W Smith, Wharfedale, 10-52. U14 Girls: 1 S Hodgson, Lancs & Morecambe, 11-52; 2 M Stuart, Helm Hill, 12-05; 3 L Munro-Bennett, Helm Hill, 12-12. U12 Girls: 1 P Done, Keighley & CRaven, 8-24; 2 D Goad, Helm Hill, 8-30; 3 B Kent, Helm Hill, 8-48. U12 Girls: 1 B Gray, Kendal, 9-25; 2 M O’Reilly, Helm Hill, 10-32; 3 T Higgs, Howgill, 10-51.