3 Peaks Challenge

Surprise winner Jethro Lennox, from Glasgow, stripped Yorkshire’s reigning Three Peaks champion, Rob Jebb, of his title, despite finishing the race almost two minutes slower than Jebb’s 2007 time.  The three-times winner could only manage fourth on the day in conditions made tougher by a strong wind affecting the tops of the fells.

Lennox, who beat a world-class field to win the 24-mile race across some of the Yorkshire Dales’ toughest terrain, completed the race in 2hrs 53mins 39s.  The Shettleston Harrier, who had never competed in the race before took the title and a cheque for £1,000, along with the status of world long-distance mountain running champion.

Lennox said, “I am still in shock at winning!  The race went really well.  I planned to take it easy on the first climb and it paid off.  I felt pretty strong and was getting close to the Slovakian and managed to overtake him and take the lead up Whernside. 

“I am over the moon.  My main aim this year was the British Championship, I was only hoping to go top 10 in the Three Peaks, but on the day everything just clicked.

“The support from the spectators on the hills was amazing.  I can’t praise the people enough for coming to show their support.  They were all along the course as well, even at the tops of the hills.  It really kept me going.” 

English pride was salvaged by Thomas Owens (London), the only English runner to gain a medal, who came in 37 seconds after Lennox in second place.  Mitja Kosovelj, from Slovenia, completed an excellent run in third position, beating Rob Jebb (Bingley Harriers) and British fell running champion Rob Hope (Pudsey & Bramley) in 4th and 5th place.

First woman across the finishing line at Horton in Ribblesdale was Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic, who set a new women’s course record of 3hrs 14mins 43s.  Dominating the women’s entrants from the start, she sped around the 37.4km course that included 1608m of ascent and descents to beat the old record set in 1996 by 1 minute 34 seconds.  32nd overall, she too collected a prize of £1,000. 

Long distance expert Angela Mudge, from Gartmore in Stirlingshire, was six minutes behind in second place. There was a fierce tussle for the bronze medal between Australian Angela Bateup and New Zealander Anna Frost with the former winning by just 40 seconds on the final run in. The Russian ladies, in 6th, 7th an 8th position won the team award.

Thankfully, the weather forecasters got it completely wrong and instead of the predicted heavy rain, running conditions were ideal under high cloud and mild temperatures.  The local, vastly experienced, and leading English fell runners were faced with an overseas invasion determined to prove that they could succeed in the British version of mountain running.  685 runners completed the gruelling course, which takes in the summits of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.

Nearly 2,000 flags were used to mark the course, and officials were on hand at Horton to test runners for drugs.  Race director Paul Dennison said of organising an international event: “There was a lot of apprehension early doors, but we have an excellent committee and I felt quite relaxed all day because people were doing their jobs so well.  It’s really put Horton on the map – we’ve had excellent support from Craven Council and we’ve had 21 countries represented: USA, Australia, from Europe, from Scandinavia.”