AMBLESIDE athletes had the cutting edge at Carnethy and returned to the Lake District from their cross-border raid clutching a massive claymore.

The ancient Scottish two-edged broadsword was their reward for winning the team prize at this popular race which this year attracted a 400-strong field.

Mark Rigby led the Ambleside team home behind Borrowdale's Jim Davies and he was ably supported by Simon Stainer, Graham Patten and Dan Duxbury.

Rigby, Stainer and Patten were amongst the leading group of six runners for much of the race.

Patten was an early leader but was suffering the effects of a cold and dropped back to ninth.

Stainer lost ground on the final descent while Rigby took advantage of a heavy fall from Borrowdale's Andrew Schofield, who badly injured his arm, to move through into second.

"The race is quite famous because of this claymore," said Patten, of Cliff Terrace, Kendal.

"We were all very, very surprised to win it.

It must be about six foot long."

Meanwhile, Kendal's Billy Procter maintained his excellent form of late, placing 16th and second veteran behind Westerland's Ronnie Gallagher who was seventh.

RESULTS: 1 J Davies, Borrowdale, 49-56; 2 M Rigby, Ambleside, 50-23; 3 T Lenton, Lothian RC, 50-31; 4 A Kitchin, Lothian RC, 51-24; 5 D Whitehead, Cosmic Hillbashers, 51-30; 6 A Schofield, Borrowdale, 51-33; 7 R Gallagher, Westerlands, 51-37; 8 S Stainer, Ambleside, 51-55; 9 G Patten, Ambleside, 52-09; 10 T Bracegirdle, Cosmic Hillbashers, 52-13; 16 B Procter, Kendal, 53-30; 28 D Duxbury, Ambleside, 56-41; 55 B Clough, Ambleside, 60-19; 87 D Richardson, Helm Hill, 62-42; 90 J Broxap, Kendal, 63-00; 94 J Rae, Ambleside, 63-38; 118 S Hicks, Borrowdale, 65-35; 133 D Owen, Ambleside, 67-15; 134 R Jerram, Kendal, 67-25; 152 D Shinn, Kendal, 68-31; 158 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 69-29; 368 S Owen, Ambleside, 94-06.

There were 396 finishers.

KENDAL'S Stuart Reid won the sixth event in the 15 race Kendal Winter League series of races on Helm Hill last Sunday.

Reid took an early lead in this two-lap race and his main challenge came from team mate Billy Procter who pushed him all the way.

Bingley's Helen Johnson won the women's race ahead of Wharfedale's Kate Rogan with Kendal's Sharon Dixon in third.

Kendal's Chris Doyle was a comfortable winner of the under 17 boys race beating Helm Hill's Andrew Wilkin by exactly two minutes.

Helm Hill's Carl Robinson was the under-14s boys race winner while Ryan Thornborrow sprinted home in a keenly contested under-12s boys race which had been led by Ben Davies.

Skipton's Sheryl Slater romped to a 47-second victory in the girls under 17s race, while Gemma Crowther upset the form book to beat Jenny Addison in the girls' under-12s race.

RESULTS: Senior men: 1 S Reid, Kendal, 29-50; 2 B Procter, Kendal, 30-36; 3 S Savage, Ambleside, 31-17; 4 P Targett, Clayton, 31-21; 5 S Addison, Kendal, 31-33; 6 M Addison, Kendal, 31-44; 7 C Valentine, Helm Hill, 31-54; 8 N Spence, 32-33; 9 Peter Brittleton, Howgill, 32-43; 10 Ben Procter, Kendal, 32-55; There were 46 starters.

WOMEN: 1 H Johnson, Bingley, 17-24; 2 K Rogan, W/Dale, 18-06; 3 S Dixon, Kendal, 18-18.

BOYS UNDER 17: 1 C Doyle, Kendal, 15-05; 2 A Wilkin, Helm Hill, 17-05; 3 A Berry, 17-38.

BOYS UNDER 14: 1 C Robinson, Helm Hill, 6-48; 2 T Rodgers, Settle, 7-09; 3 A Crowe, 7-27.

BOYS UNDER 12: 1 R Thornborrow, 3-55; 2 B Davies, 4-05; 3 M Parker, 4-09.

GIRLS UNDER 17: 1 S Slater, Skipton, 6-55; 2 J Oates, 7-37; 3 N Biddle, Pendle, 7-42.

GIRLS UNDER 12: 1 G Crowther, Helm Hill, 4-13; 2 J Addison, Helm Hill, 4-22; 3 G Biddle, Pendle, 4-38.