11 August 2014 

Sedburgh in the South Lakes played host to the 2014 British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge finale over the weekend, which also incorporated the GB & NI trials for the IAAF World Mountain Running Championships.

It was double delight for Rebecca Robinson as she took victory in the uphill only race and booked her place on the GB & NI team for the World Championships. At the top of the first climb, Kendal AC’s Robinson was locked in battle with 2013 World Mountain Running Championship silver medallist Emma Clayton (Andrew Henderson), with Katie Walshaw (Katherine Farquhar) in pursuit. However it was Robinson’s 2:37 marathon running strength that told on the uphill only course, as she slowly edged away from Clayton over the remainder of the 7.1km course to win by 48 seconds.

The other podium positions remained the same, with Clayton finishing second and improving her challenge ranking by one point to share the title with fifth place finisher on the day Sarah Tunstall, and Walshaw wrapping up third, both on the day and in the overall standings.

Andrew Douglas went one better than his second place finish at the second race of the challenge series, taking victory over a strong field. Despite missing the Inter Counties back in May, Douglas takes victory in the overall standings courtesy of his first and second place finishes given athletes two best scores from the three races count.

On the day, he held off the challenge of Nick Swinburn and newcomer Glenn Hughes who filled the other podium positions. Fifth on the day, Tom Addison takes second in the overall series, with Tom Adams third.

The junior races saw Scottish dominance, with Andrew Lawler (David Campbell) and Catriona Graves winning respectively. Lawler has been the dominant force this season, leading the team home at the European Championships last month, and he will now lead the charge in Italy. Graves went one place better than at the European charge, in her stronger uphill only discipline.

The Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for IAAF World Mountain Running Championships on Saturday 14 September will be announced on Tuesday 12 August.