4 June 2015

Andrew Douglas (coach: Sophie Dunnett) extended his lead in the British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge after winning the European Uphill Championship trial race in Glenridding last Sunday.

Inverclyde’s Douglas has enjoyed a storming start to the Challenge series and added to his victory from the opening round at the Inter-Counties last month. The Scottish athlete battled with Chris Smith of Thames Valley before taking victory by ten seconds, and also earning a place on the European Mountain Running Championships team heading to Porto Moniz next month. 

The victory for Douglas takes him to the top of the Challenge standings on 104 points with Smith the closest contender on 98 points. Owain Jones (Conrad Milton) is third in the standings after two events with the deciding event held in North Wales in August. 

Victoria Wilkinson showed her experience to take the victory in the women’s race. The Bingley athlete did not compete at the first event in May but shone on the uphill course to finish ahead of Portugal-bound duo Annie Conway and Emma Clayton (Andrew Henderson).

Clayton, the Leeds City athlete, leads the overall women’s Mountain Running Challenge after victory at the first event and sits on 100 points. She leads by two points ahead of Conway with Louise Mercer further behind on 92 points. 

There were victories in the junior events for Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley) and Heidi Davies respectively.

The final race in the series will be held at the World Mountain Running Championship Trials in Betws-y-Coed on 22 August 2015 where the athletes will get an opportunity to test the course ahead of the championships on Saturday 19 September. 

More information regarding the British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge and full results from the event can be found here: