Take two for Ricky at Borrowdale...
Ricky Lightfoot on Scafell Pike
After his great win at Wasdale a few weeks back, it was more of the same at yesterday’s Borrowdale Fell Race for Ellenborough athlete Ricky Lightfoot. This one was arguably better, as the field assembled for one of the best races on the fell calendar was stacked full of class…
Ricky has certainly found his feet in this last couple of months, after struggling with a knee injury brought on by his first ever 50 mile race in Denmark, the HammerTrail.
However, he showed no signs of injury issues on the Borrowdale fells as he put almost two mins into 2011 English Fell Champ Lloyd Taggart, and a further one and half into former British champ Simon Bailey. With 2011 winner Ben Abdelnoor in fourth, Wasdale runner-up Carl Bell fifth, 2011 British champ Morgan Donnelly in sixth and legend Rob Jebb in seventh, this was a significant victory for Lightfoot.
Despite the erratic British weather it was ‘no tops’ for many of the runners as the temps rose in the August sunshine, with almost 500 fell runners heading out on this classic race at 11am. The race quickly developed for the front few as the top-quality field embarked on the early ascents. Ricky takes up the story:
“A group of myself, Carl Bell, Jebby, Morgan, Ben Abdelnoor, Simon Bailey and Lloyd Taggart broke away early on, and we were all together at Esk Hause. I put the hammer down from there on and had a minute lead on the pack at Scafell Pike.
“I pressed on over the Corridor route and I think I might have extended my lead from there as I felt really strong and was pushing hard. I got a few lines wrong and lost a little time but knew I had the win climbing up Dalehead as I was feeling good.
Ricky Lightfoot
“The conditions were really hot, which makes a nice change this summer, and the underfoot conditions were pretty wet. I am really pleased to have won this one though, and added to my Wasdale win it’s been a pretty good few weeks for me.”
There was another big win in the women’s race for breakthrough runner of the last few months, Jasmin Paris. The Carnethy athlete romped around the 16.2 mile route (which takes in a meaty 6500ft+ of climb) in 3:32:03, with a comfortable 1min 46sec gap on team mate Helen Bonsor.
These two were well clear of Lauren Jeska (3:41:02) in third, with Holly Page and Helen Berry completing equally classy top 5 in the women’s race. This added to her Wasdale win also makes it quite a healthy haul for Paris in the last couple of months and along with Angela Mudge puts the Carnethy gilrs as quite a force to be reckoned with in British fell running these days.
Jasmin Paris
Full results via Fell Running Briefs here, with some great shots via SportSunday and Paul ‘Dobo’ Dobson for some finish line images.
Men’s Top 5
1. Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough) 2:49:20
2. Lloyd Taggart (Dark Peak Fell Runners) 2:51:11
3. Simon Bailey (Mercia Fell Runners) 2:52:57
4. Ben Abdelnoor (Ambleside AC) 2:54:55
5. Carl Bell (Howgill Harriers) 2:55:08
Women’s top 5
1. Jasmin Paris (Carnethy) 3:32:03
2. Helen Bonsor (Carnethy) 3:33:49
3. Lauren Jeska (Todmorden Harriers) 3:41:02
4. Holly Page (Calder Valley) 3:46:24
5. Helen Berry (Holmfirth) 3:54:49
