Weekend racing...
Emma Clayton and Tom Adams at the Ilkley Moor race
Wins for Ricky Lightfoot, Emma Clayton, Tom Adams and Rob Hope amongst others at last weekend’s racing on the fells of England and Wales. Snow was still prevalent in the Lakes at High Cup Nick, as Lightfoot took yet another win in 2013…
Ricky Lightfoot at High Cup Nick
Images by Stu Stod here, with full results to follow.
At the Bleasdale Circle race 3-time British Fell Champ Rob Hope was looking strong as he was over 2 minutes clear of the field at this 5 miler that takes in 1250ft of climb. Steve Swarbrick was second with Karl Steineggar in third. Nicola Sweeney made it a Pudsey double as she took the ladies race.
Documenting his afternoon in the hills, Rob told us:
Had a good lung opener at Bleasdale Circle today and a comfortable win. The first short blast I’ve had on the fells this year. Weather ended up like at Winter Hill with blizzards sweeping across the Bowland Fells although it didn’t feel too cold with the short distance.
Three cheers for the marshalls and organisers again, it wasn’t great for standing around. Enjoyed a nice homemade pie and peas, and cup of tea in the village hall after. A nice Saturday afternoon all round!
Full Bleasdale Circle results here, with a few shots by Ian Charters here.
Rob Hope - back in form
Over in Wales on Saturday there was a great turnout at the Moel y Ci race, a traditional season opener in the north of Wales. Martin Cliffe continued his great early-season form taking the win, with Lisa Grantham taking the ladies race. Full report by Math Roberts on the Eryri site here, with images by Al Tye on the FRP site here.
Martin Cliffe at Moel y Ci
2012 English and British Fell Champion Lauren Jeska was seen sporting some rather fetching fluro yellow shorts at the Flower Scar race in Todmorden on Saturday too, as she comfortably won the women’s race. Karl Gray continued his great 2013 with the win in the men’s race, just sprinting away from CVFR club-mate Tim Ellis, who himself has had a great start to the season.
Steve Weston reports:
This is a new race that has replaced the Noonstone which was cancelled because of access problems. Race starts at Told CC then climbs to the Flower Scar then there’s a tussocky bit before it descends through a wood before going back up a track and going over a cliff before climbing a track through Robinwood.
Full results here with images via Woodentops here.
Lauren Jeska
On Sunday it was business as usual for Ilkley man Tom Adams as he took the Ilkley Moor race ahead of Sam ‘Watdog’ Watson. Emma Clayton (fresh from her tremendous 4th place at the National XC on Saturday) smashed her own record by almost a minute, and was perhaps just as significantly 50 seconds up on young Annabel Mason, who herself had won the National U17 race on the Saturday, and making up the women’s top 3 was Helen Fines, also inside the top 20!
Images once again by the ever-present Woodentops and results via the Ilkley site here.
Tom Adams at the 2013 Ilkley Moor race
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