English Championships
Congratulations to Finlay Grant who won three of the year’s six English Championship races and was second in his other counter, a feat replicated by Ben Rothery of Ilkley and so Fin and Ben are joint men’s champions. The last Dark Peak Fell Runner to win the men’s English championship was Lloyd Taggart in 2011. Nathan Lawson and Jonny Crickmore finished 14th and 16th= respectively. In the age categories John Hunt was 6th M55, Dave Taylor is M60 champion having won each of his four counters with Joe Blackett 7th M60. Finally, evergreen Ken Jones was 3rd in the M75’s.
In the women’s championship Emily Cowper-Coles excelled to finish 3rd with Lisa Watson 6th. Liz Batt is the new W60 champion and won the W55’s in the process!
In the seven team championships the Dark Peak teams finished as follows:
Men’s open – 2nd behind champions Ambleside.
M40’s – 4th just a single point behind the 2nd and 3rd placed teams.
M50’s – 3rd, two points behind 2nd placed Helm Hill.
M60’s – 2nd narrowly beaten by Northern Fells RC.
Women’s open – 5th.
W40’s – Didn’t complete the required four counters.
W50’s – Didn’t complete the required four counters.
Full team results can be found here.
Past Races
Eyam – A strong showing by both men and women. Mark Jones 1st, Felix Watts 2nd, Luke Wilkinson 3rd with Lewis Roberts and Will Gratton also in the top ten. Harriet Wingfield and Poppy Wardley 1st and 2nd women respectively, Helen Elmore 2nd F50 and Jane Crowson 1st F60. Results.
Whittle Pike (women’s race) – The 6th and final counter in the English Championship. Sara Willhoit of Mercia 1st with Emily Cowper-Coles 2nd, Sally Fawcett 2nd W40 and Liz Batt 1st W60. Results.
Whittle Pike (men’s race) – The 6th and final counter in the English Championship. Finlay Grant 1st to become joint English champion with our erstwhile clubmate Ben Rothery, now of Ilkley. With Tom Spencer 3rd, Jonny Crickmore 11th, Ed Corden 12th and Tom Savile 18th Dark Peak won the team competition for this race. John Hunt was 4th M55, Paul Fawcett 10th M55 and Jon Batt 5th M60. Results.
Longshaw –
Crowden –
Upcoming races
Friday 5th September – Great Longstone Chase, the last of the weekday races.
Saturday 6th September – Great Kinder Barrel Race.
Saturday 6th September – Old Crown Round, an AL in the Northern Fells and highly recommended.
Saturday 6th September – Groovy Kinder Love, Pennine’s AL from Hayfield.
Sunday 7th September – Exterminator, Totley’s BL from Totley.
Monday 8th September – Trunce 9, the last of the year.
Saturday 13th September – Heart of Granite, Nicky Spink’s AL in Galloway.
Saturday 13th September – Bruce’s Crown, Nicky Spink’s BL in Galloway.
Saturday 13th September – Nine Edges Endurance which looks expensive!
Saturday 13th September – Helvellyn and the Dodds, yet another brilliant Lakeland AM.
JimP
Sunday 31st August, 2025