Bailey and Jackson triumph at Tebay
Mercia man Bailey - great win
Although race reports are as yet unavailable news comes to MST of yesterday’s British fell champs fourth round battle on Tebay. It seemed that the field was completely loaded with internationals and some of the best fell runners in Britain descended on Cumbria.
Former 3-time English fell champion Simon Bailey scored a narrow victory over form-man Ricky Lightfoot, as both men went inside the course record. Rob Jebb took the final podium place, with current overall championship leader Rob Hope securing fourth and consolidating his lead at the top of the championship standings, super-vet Ian Holmes made up the top 5. The rest of the top ten then looked like a who’s-who of current British fell running, containing John Heneghan, Jim Davies and Tom Owens.
The course was described as “fast, grassy and not too technical” by ninth-placer Owens, and it seems the weather, underfoot conditions and the quality field meant that the course records were always going to be under threat.
In the women’s race overall championship leader Pipa Jackson took the win and the ladies record with it, and now looks a strong favourite to take the 2009 title with only one race remaining at Y Garn in Wales on the 1st of August. She was chased home by Emma Clayton and Fiona Maxwell, with Three Peaks winner Anna Lupton in fourth and Jane Reedy in fifth.
Provisional results:
Men
1. Simon Bailey (Merica)
2. Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough)
3. Rob Jebb (Bingley)
4. Rob Hope (Pudsey and Bramley)
5. Ian Holmes (Bingley)
Women
1. Phillipa Jackson (Keswick)
2. Emma Clayton (Scunthorpe)
3. Fiona Maxwell (Mourne Runners)
4. Anna Lupton (Radcliffe AC)
5. Jane Reedy (Ambleside)
Full results, photos and reactions to follow…
