MST - Runners of the Year
Laura Park - first of many World titles?
As promised our musings on the “best of…” begin here with the runners. We’ve got a fell / mountain section, UK and International and an outstanding performance, whatever the surface. The choices might have seemed pretty straight-forward, but there will be some out there who will disagree – anyway, this how we saw it in ’08…
Fell / mountain running
UK male – Rob Jebb
Rob Jebb
Possibly the best UK-based fell runner of the last decade, Rob was English Champ again this year. What tilted it Jebby’s way was the fact that he manages to juggle his accomplishments with a full time job, mountain bike and cyclo-cross racing and many trips abroad as part of the Saab Salomon team. A true all-round, champion athlete.
UK female – Laura Park (main picture)
It would have been quite easy to have handed this to Angela Mudge, Nat White or Vicky Wilkinson. However, we felt that a performance at the World Trophy ( insert World Championships) by England’s Laura Park was simply outstanding. Still a junior this also shows what promise she has on other surfaces too.
International male – Jonathan Wyatt
Imagine this is your stomping ground!
(Okay, so this was an easy choice). Subject of an in-depth MST feature early this winter Jono stays strong on top of the world for one more year. He’s currently in NZ running an hour a day, and enjoying some r and r before the new season kicks in. One thing is for sure though, it will take a hugely talented runner to topple the great man in 2009.
International female – Andrea Mayr
Andrea Mayr - handled the heat...
Again it’s difficult to look any further than someone who has won so many races this year. Although beaten to the Grand Prix by another Kiwi, Anna Frost, we felt that Andrea’s win at the World Trophy was so dominant that it tilted the scales the way of the Austrian. However, both girls will need to be on their toes next year as it will be very interesting to see if the African challenge finally emerges in ’09.
