CASEY Dennis won the 2013 Wilson Run in Sedbergh on Tuesday in boggy conditions after recent snow had melted, with Eilidh Sproul regaining her ladies title and beating her 2012 time.

Race organiser Jim Fisher said the race was a very open contest before the event, with as many as 10 runners in contention for victory.

Dennis, Sedbergh School’s head chorister and a leader of the swing band, came in with a time of 1.18:26 and was followed by Arthur Owen in 1.21:04.

Head of School House Ben Stewart was a minute behind in third.

Sproul finished in 1.32:10, a full 11 and a half minutes ahead of Alex Johnston.

Casey was delighted with the win, and said all his hard work training for the event had paid off.

He said: “It just feels amazing – it’s such a huge event that you gear up for it a long time in advance.

“It has all paid off and I suppose I felt confident about being the leader by the time I got to Danny Bridge.

“Road-running is my strength and I was really fresh at this point.”

Casey was leading at Cautley and he held that lead but just as they came out on to Baugh Fell and Fitzner’s Fence, Arthur Owen closed him down and he got very close, but Casey was able to hang on.

“It was a very open race, more open than usual,” said Fisher.

“No-one could have predicted the order they would come home in. The ones we expected were all in the first dozen or so and there were no big surprises but the winner was a very sound contender.

“The conditions were perfect – iIt was an exciting race.”

Old Sedberghians running captain, Geoffery Watson, who was at the finishing line, said: “There were quite a few OS runners and walkers out this morning in different groups.

“There were about six in my group at 10.30am but lots of walkers too, 20 or 30.

“I ran in 1993 and 1994. The record was broken by Charles Sykes in 1993, and 1994 was the year everyone got lost in the mist on Baugh Fell!

“It’s always good to come back and see the race. I like to see how pupils’ times compare these days with times before.”