 | Keswick played host to the International Lakeland Trails Festival on Saturday 1st September, with over 2500 people attending despite the damp weather. |
The sell-out Puma Trailfox Derwentwater Trail Race was the blue riband event of the day, attracting 800 runners from all over the world. With more than 20 current international athletes taking part, the race was always going to be an exciting, close-run affair. After an epic battle over fourteen kilometres of tough mountain trails, British Universities Cross Country Champion, James Walsh (Leeds City AC), pulled a minute clear of 2007 British Fell Running Champion, Rob Hope (Pudsey & Bramley AC), and National Track 3000m Champion, Simon Deakin (Leeds City AC). James finished in 52 minutes 37 seconds, just 15 seconds outside the course record set in 2006 by Andi Jones.
Vic Wilkinson (Bingley H), a former World Junior Mountain Running Champion, and 11th in last year’s World Championships in Turkey, smashed the ladies record by over a minute to finish in 59.39 and a staggering 21st place overall. In-form Sarah Tunstall (York Acorn), finished runner-up in 61.15, leaving a host of international athletes in her wake. Candice Leah (Clayton le Moors H) made the podium with an excellent 63.51.
The Trail Race proved a great final send-off for the International athletes representing their countries in the World Mountain Running Championships in Switzerland in a fortnight’s time. James Walsh, Rob Hope, Nick Swinburn (5th, 1st under 21), Vic Wilkinson, Sarah Tunstall and Natalie White (5th), will all be wearing England vests; whilst Owen Gahan (8th) and Tricia Sloan (15th), will be wearing the green of Ireland.
Peter Rabbit’s appearance was a big festival highlight for the 140 children under 12 competing in the Fun Trails, whilst the climbing wall, bouncy castles, slides and face painting kept them entertained throughout the day. The Caribbean sounds of Milnthorpe Steel Band welcomed the tired runners home, and were the stars of the closing ceremony. Margaret Jackson, Deputy Leader of Allerdale Borough Council presented the prizes worth over £2500, and the event is expected to raise over £1000 for the Fitz Park Trust and Keswick Junior Football Club.
Sponsoring the event were : Puma, Allerdale Borough Council, Frederick Warne, Falke with funding from the development agency Cumbria Vision.
The event has shot to the top of the UK’s race rankings (see
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/) and this is a quote from one of the many delighted competitors:
In short: Another superbly organised race in the fantastic Lakes!
In full: Travelled across for this event early on a wet Saturday morning at the end of a long, difficult and stressful week at work. Result? Work cares banished as I lapped up the atmosphere of this truly gorgeous event! It's runs like this that keep me running. Uplifting, life-affirming. Devotees of the Lakeland series will need no further persuading because they've already been converted. If you are reading this as an unbeliever, sign up next year and make sure you do this race and the other 3. I've done them all for the first time this year, and am thrilled to have done so. They've got pretty much everything: stunning scenery, great camaraderie and slick organisation. Oh yes, and on this occasion, some of the country's top trail/fell/cross country runners also participating. What other sport can offer you the chance to compete in the same event with that sports elite? 90 minutes with Beckham et al? Face Shane Warne at Lord's? Nah, don't think so. The organisers deserve praise for attracting such talent, and this should help get these events even firmer on the map than they already are. Well done. Counting off the days to Coniston.
Date of review: 2 September 2007
International Lakeland Trails Festival A Huge Success