Taggart blasts back at Whittle Pike
Lloyd Taggart
On a hot afternoon in the Lancashire fells Lloyd Taggart put himself right back in the English Fell Running Championships picture after a great win at round 5 short distance Whittle Pike race in Rossendale…
After a below par performance at the Loughrigg and Sliver Howe race in June, Lloyd has been firing again recently, including an excellent fifth place at last weekend’s International Snowdon Race.
With this win, and a win at the medium round 1 Long Mynd race, the Isle of Man-based Dark Peak Fell Runner has a real championship chance if he secures a win at the last race in the 2011 series, Sedbergh.
Chris Steele
Other gainers on the table standings were Borrowdale newly wed Chris Steele, who had an excellent run in second, just thirty seconds back on Taggart. Ben Abdelnoor also put himself in contention for a championship medal with an excellent third place finish on the day.
The men’s championship standings were tight after Loughrigg, but are tighter still going into the last race. This is an excellent advert for fell running and the Championships in general, with the title going down to the wire in three weeks time at Sedbergh – which also doubles-up as a Brit champs round too!
Whittle Pike men’s top 5 (provisional)
1. Lloyd Taggart (DPFR) 0:37:30
2. Chris Steele (Borrowdale) 0:38:00
3. Ben Abdelnoor (Ambleside) 0:38:14
4. Danny Hope (Pudsey and Bramley) 0:38:22
5. Tom Addison (Helm Hill) 0:38:30
In the women’s race Holmfirth’s Katie Walshaw had a superb run to beat Championship second placer Helen Fines by almost a minute. The second place cements Fines’ comfortable silver medal position in this years Championship standings after round 4 Loughrigg, behind Lauren Jeska who was absent from Whittle Pike. Mercia’s Mel Price continued her fine recent form to finish third.
Katie Walshaw
Whittle Pike women’s top 5 (provisional)
1. Katie Walshaw (Holmfirth) 0:45:47
2. Helen Fines (Calder Valley) 0:46:43
3. Mel Price (Mercia) 0:47:06
4. Helen Berry (Holmfirth) 0:47:39
5. Sarah May (Todmorden) 0:48:23
Full men’s and women’s Whittle Pike results now online at the Rossendale Harriers site
