World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship
Three Peaks race
England
Saturday 26 April
BATEUP THIRD IN WORLD LONG DISTANCE MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIP
Angela Bateup of Yass in New South Wales, a member of Weston Creek Athletics Club, has had a brilliant international mountain running debut, finishing 3rd today in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship in England. The women's race in the Three Peaks was won by Anna Pichtrova of the Czech Republic who completed the 39 km course in 3:14:43 from UK international Angela Mudge in 3:20:53, with Bateup 3rd in 3:25:33 and New Zealand's Anna Frost 4th in 3:26:13. Fellow Yass runner Fleur Flanery, also of Weston Creek Athletics Club, was 16th in 3:56:24 and Melbourne's Isobel Bespalov 20th in 4:02:03.
The men's race was won by Jethro Lennox of the UK in 2:53:39 from Thomas Owens of the UK in 2:54:16 and Mitja Kosovelj of Slovenia in 2:57:36.
The leading Australians were Canberra's John Winsbury, 52nd in 3:24:03, Sydney's Barry Keem, 57th in 3:24:59 and Canberra's Trevor Jacobs, 129th in 3:42:24. Jacobs was also the fifth M50 finisher.
Speaking after the race, Bateup said that she was ecstatic with her performance, 'It was beyond what I thought I might be able to do'. Trevor Jacobs said that heavy rain in the leadup had made the course quite boggy and treacherous in places. He is normally an accomplished downhill runner but he was passed on each of the three mountain descents by fell runners used to the conditions who ran fearlessly at great speed. He said that John Winsbury and Barry Keem, who were running well up in the top twenty over the first of the three mountains in retrospect probably started a bit too hard, and paid the price in fatigue later on. Angela Bateup was fifth to the first summit and picked up placings as the race wore on.
Full results at www.threepeaksrace.org.uk