Fell Running - Booth's even pace swings Buttermere

12:46pm Sunday 18th May 2008

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BAKING hot conditions tested the mettle of athletes competing in Sunday's Buttermere Sailbeck Fell Rac, writes Mike Addison.

Undeterred by the heat, Dufton's Morgan Donnelly (1-30-19) set a blistering early pace but it was the more measured running of his Borrowdale team-mate Simon Booth (1-29-20) that won through in the end as the Eden athlete was caught on Causey Pike.

Ambleside's Nick Sharp (1-35-22) turned in a good performance to finish fourth behind Borrowdale's Jim Davies (1-33-40) while his team-mate Jon Deegan (1-38-31) was seventh ahead of Helm Hill's Alastair Dunn (1-39-07).

The first lady was Harrogate's Helen Whitaker (1-55-30), in 29th position overall, who edged out Meirionydd's Kate Bailey (1-56-52) with Ambleside's Helen Garrett an excellent third.

The weather clouded over later in the afternoon and the tail end runners caught the thundery conditions with nearby Grizedale Pike getting struck by lightening causing a grass fire.

RESULTS: 1 S Booth, Borrowdale, 1-29-20; 2 M Donnelly, Borrowdale, 1-30-19; 3 J Davies, Borrowdale, 1-33-40; 4 N Sharp, Ambleside, 1-35-22; 5 J Bland, Borrowdale, 1-35-42; 6 D Milliken, Horwich, 1-36-37; 7 J Deegan, Ambleside, 1-38-31; 8 A Dunn, Helm Hill, 1-39-07; 9 N Fish, Borrowdale, 1-39-20; 10 C Steele, Borrowdale, 1-41-48; 26 J Murphin, Settle, 1-52-35; 27 P Clark, Kendal, 1-55-18; 28 M Walsh, Kendal, 1-55-27; 35 H Garrett, Ambleside, 1-59-55; 47 P Tuson, Helm Hill, 2-03-36; 49 A Miller, Kendal, 2-04-00; 65 H Robinson, Ambleside, 2-07-35; 73 M Khattab, Lonsdale, 2-08-55; 76 C Valentine, Keswick, 2-10-52; 82 A Hinde, Settle, 2-12-00; 105 A Forrest, Ambleside, 2-19-21; 106 R Jerram, Kendal, 2-19-34; 116 S Aikman, Lonsdale, 2-23-45; 118 S Sampson, Kendal, 2-24-34; 127 P Ellwood, Settle, 2-28-26; 133 D Shepherd, Settle, 2-30-28; 143 N Hambrey, Kendal, 2-34-57; 148 J Evans, Ambleside, 2-38-14.

AMBLESIDE'S Ben Abdelnoor won the Caw Fell Race despite losing his bearings at one point during the event.

The six-mile race (1,800ft of ascent) sets off from the Blacksmith's Arms at Broughton Mills and climbs up, then down off, The Knott before an out and back ascent of Caw Fell.

Despite the good weather Lloyd Taggart's sub-46 minute record from 2007 was never threatened with the lead runners setting off at a relatively steady pace towards the foot of Caw Fell.

From here Abdelnoor opened up a small lead over team-mates Dan Golding and Gary Thorpe. Returning to The Knott the lead briefly changed hands as Abdelnoor wandered off course and up Raven's Crag.

But Golding, on his return to the fells after a superb sub-two-and-a-half hour London Marathon time, was unable to keep up on the steep descent to the finish.

Ambleside won the team prize with Abdelnoor first in 49-48, Golding 18 seconds behind and Thorpe a comfortable third and first vet-40 in 51-45.

Paul O'Reily of Helm Hill Runners finished seventh overall and second vet-40 in a time of 55-33. Allan Miller of Kendal AC took first vet-50 and tenth overall in an impressive time of 58-46.

In the women's race, despite only seven entrants, the first three finished within a minute of each other in 16th, 17th and 18th places overall.

Golding's partner, and club- mate, Rebecca Cash held off Black Combe's Sue Hodkinson by 20 seconds, to take the win in 65-35. Jo Taylor of Bowland Fell Runners took first vet-40 and third overall in 66-20.

RESULTS: 1 B Abdelnoor, Ambleside, 49-48; 2 D Golding, Ambleside, 50-06; 3 G Thorpe, Ambleside, 51-45; 4 A Dziemian, unattached, 53-03; 5 T Doyle, Helm Hill, 53-38; 6 P Singleton, Ambleside, 55-25; 7 P O'Reily, Helm Hill, 55-33; 8 P Tayler, Black Combe, 56-02; 9 C Speight, Helm Hill, 54-42; 10 A Miller, Kendal, 58-46; 11 W Ross, Black Combe, 62-09; 12 C Fellows, Black Combe, 62-28; 13 D Griffin, Dallam, 62-57; 15 I Stephenson, Ambleside, 65-30; 16 R Cash, Ambleside, 65-35; 17 S Hodkinson, Black Combe, 65-5; 19 J Goffe, Black Combe, 67-02: 20 D Scott-Maxwell, Black Combe, 67-20; 23 K Hodson, Black Combe, 69-02; 24 N Gibbison, Black Combe, 69-10; 26 K Ayres, Ambleside, 70-47; 30 A Gittins, Black Combe, 74-04; 31 K Fursey, Black Combe, 75-34; 33 P Stocks, Dallam, 77-07; 34 B Sendlhofer, Ambleside, 77-30; 36 H Tayler, Black Combe, 79-40; 37 H Appleton, Black Combe, 79-57; 40 P Percival-Smith, Kendal, 96-45; 42 K Nixon, Black Combe, 100-22.