Symonds and Jeska dominate at Coledale...
A fresh looking Lauren Jeska and Joe Symonds
In one of the most loaded fields in a fell race for a long time, Joe Symonds wreaked havoc on the hills of Coledale on Saturday, finishing almost a minute up on Romanian Ionut Zinca and putting large chunks of time into some of the UK’s best…
Taking hold of the race on Grisedale Pike Symonds pulled away from 2011 British Champion Morgan Donnelly and bar a little detour running towards Causey Pike continued to extend his lead on the long descent back to Braithwaite. Speaking after the race Joe said:
“I made a conscious decision to commit myself and run hard to the top of Grisedale, knowing full well that I would have a long and lonely run on my own if I were to hold on for victory, but not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to make a decent gap on the steep climbing, which is my strength.
“I was delighted with this run and very pleased to score top points in the first Championship race. It was one of those days that you wish you could replicate every time you race on the fells.”
Joe Symonds crosses the line
Symonds time was a new course record by some 4 mins, and many of those behind also beat the previous record held by Simon Booth from 2004. Second went to Zinca (who was running due to the event being part of the 2012 Buff Mountain Cup), Donnelly was third with Rob Jebb running well for 4th and Ben Abdelnoor claiming an excellent 5th.
Such was the depth of talent that Rob Hope was 10th, Carl Bell 14th, Jethro Lennox 16th and 2010 British Champ Tim Davies in 20th.
Men’s Top 5
1 Joe Symonds Kendal (HBT?) 01:07’45
2 Ionut Zinca Team Valetudo 01:08’42
3 Morgan Donnelly Borrowdale 01:08’48
4 Rob Jebb Bingley 01:09’18
5 Ben Abdelnoor Ambleside 01:10’37
Men’s results and additional insight from the excellent Fell Running Briefs.
In the women’s race 2011 English Fell Champ Jeska took full advantage of some absentees (Angela Mudge withdrawing just before the start after suffering a back spasm) to win a great battle with HBT runner Sarah O’Neil and take Pippa Maddams’ record by a hefty 5 mins. Such was the quality in the ladies race was that all of top 6 down to Helen Fines, were inside Maddams’ 2009 mark.
Sarah O'Neil
Going off 10 mins before the men, the Todmorden Harrier was strong enough to hold off Symonds to be the first runner back to Braithwaite, 36 seconds up on O’Neil. Catriona Buchanan was 3rd, with Anna Bartlett having a great run in her new-for-2012 Mercia colours in 4th. Spain’s Debora Cardone made up the top 5.
Listen to Lauren’s recall of the race via this short FRB interview.
Women’s Top 5
1 Lauren Jeska Todmorden 1:22’40
2 Sarah O’Neil HBT 1:23’16
3 Catriona Buchanan Ochil 1:26’20
4 Anna Bartlett Mercia 1:26’36
5 Debora Cardone Team Valetudo 1:26’56
Plenty of images online, as you can imagine for such a big race. Nice ones via Athletes in Action and Paul ‘Dobo’ Dobson. Lookout for a great in-depth story in Joe Symonds’ words later!
