AL/12 miles/4000 ft - Saturday 16th September 2006
Courtesy of Ben Abdelnoor    

PHOTOS | RESULTS

A strong run from Ambleside’s Nick Sharp secured a deserved victory at the Three Shires Fell Race. An unseasonably warm morning saw 265 runners set off from the Three Shires Inn in the Little Langdale valley on the 12-mile race. The route takes in the summits of Wetherlam, Pike o’ Blisco and Lingmoor Fell with a total ascent of over 4000 feet. With the valley temperature around 20°C and no noticeable breeze on the ridges there was little respite for the runners who toiled in the heat, including a punishing steep 2000-foot climb up Wetherlam early in the race.

Sharp took command of the race from the first climb and finished with a comfortable 3-minute margin in a time of 2 hours and 3 minutes. Meanwhile Helm Hill’s Alistair Dunn and Clayton le Moor’s Paul Thompson battled for second position. Dunn eventually pulled away on the final climb and descent of Lingmoor, finishing in 2.05.59 with Thompson 3rd in 2.07.39. The same Lingmoor climb split apart a chasing pack of four runners. Mark Roberts of Borrowdale showed gutsy determination to pull away from the Ambleside duo of Ben Abdelnoor and Dan Duxbury. Roberts finished 4th overall and 1st V40 in 2.10.06 with Abdelnoor and Duxbury 5th and 6th respectively in 2.11.52 and 2.13.23. Dark Peak’s Alan Ward was dropped on the steep Lingmoor climb but finished an excellent 7th overall and second V40 to Roberts in 2.14.21. With Ambleside runners finishing 1st, 5th and 6th the local club took the team honours.

In the ladies race ex-Ambleside runner Helene Diamantedes current domination of long distance races continued with an impressive win in 2.20.26. Diamantedes, running for Scottish club Carnethy, also won the V40 category over Kate Nash of Preston who finished 3rd lady overall and 2nd V40. Jo Waites of Calder Valley was second lady.