3 Peaks race preview: Loaded fields should make for wide-open racing
This weekend sees the 58th edition of one of the most iconic fell or mountain races in the world. The Three Peaks race is one of those races that is on a fell runner’s ‘must do’ list, and represents a true fell running classic…
The race has got its fair-share of legends amongst its role call of winners – Jeff Norman, Ian Holmes, Hugh Symonds, Gavin Bland, Kenny Stuart, Andy Peace, Rob Jebb, Angela Mudge, Carol Greenwood, list goes on and on. However, all is history as the 1000 (entrants) take to the start line at Horton-in-Ribblesdale this Saturday at 10 o’clock sharp.
The fields for the mens and womens races are absolutely stacked with fell and mountain running talent from the UK, with the likes of Rickey Gates making the long trip to Yorkshire from California to have a crack at adding this monument of a race to his list of career wins.
The men’s race is headed by 2011 winner Tom Owens, recent British Champs round one winner Joe Symonds, multiple winner of the 3 Peaks Rob Jebb and 2008 winner and Owens’ Shettleston team-mate, Jethro Lennox.
The 2009 winner Jebb will be aiming to put himself even further up the Three Peaks hall-of-fame rankings as he goes for his fifth win. Only Mike Davies and Jeff Norman have won more than 3 Three Peaks races.
Jebby has had a pretty good start to 2012, and with the class that the Bingley man possesses he will be hard to beat on this, one of his favourite races. Whether he will ever get anywhere near Jeff Norman’s six-wins remains to be seen.
Symonds comes into this race full of confidence, after his great run at Coledale and the 3 Peaks is amongst Joe’s list of objectives for 2012, so should see the HBT man as a strong contender.
Owens is also in good fettle after some big miles in recent weeks and a good win a few weeks ago at the 35km Taygetos Challenge race in Greece.
“My Three Peaks race prep has been going really well,” Tom told us.
“After my win in 2011 I know that the race demands the utmost of respect as do the other participants – as usual the field is full of past and potential future winners, and it will be interesting to see how Rickey Gates goes in his first crack at the event.”
Thumbs-up from Tom...
One other contender is 2009 runner-up Ricky Lighfoot. The Ellenborough athlete has had a good start to 2012 and is proven over the longer distance races, with a strong win at the Kielder Marathon in 2011. He has also shown well in some of the early season fell races this year.
Others to look out for are Dark Peak’s Oli Johnson and Robert Little, Carl Bell, Graham Pearce, Eryri’s Richard Roberts, Andy Davies, Martin Cox and of course Rickey Gates… the list goes on.
The women’s race looks like a wide-open affair, with 2009 and 2010 winner Anna Lupton running again this year, and probable pre-race favourite. Emelie Forsberg will be a contender for sure and makes the trip from Sweden in good form.
Natalie White is on a comeback in 2012 and has the quality to make on impact on the race, as does Scottish ultra runner Lucy Colquhoun.
Add to these Mercia’s Anna Bartlett, 2011 Brit Champs third-placer Sarah Ridgway, Aly Raw, Jo Waites and Horwich’s Lindsey Brindle and the women’s race should also be a cracker.
Full start lists are here with additional reporting via the ‘FRA website”:http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/.
The Three Peaks has become known for its monumental battles over the years and this year’s racing could prove to be so once again. MST will be there and this year and aim to bring you as much of the live action (reception permitting) as possible via Twitter, along with our usual post-race report and the odd exclusive interview if we can grab one or two.
Ascending Whernside
Everything a competitor could need to know is on the Three Peaks site and make sure that you check in to MST early next week as we aim to bring you all of the results and reactions from this great race.
