Broughton ready to host UK Inter-Counties

Tuesday 9th May 2017

Athletes from throughout the UK will descend upon the small Borders town of Broughton on Saturday to take part in the 2017 UK Inter-Counties Senior Fell/Hill Running Championship.

Over 110 athletes from as far afield as Kent, Northern Ireland and Scotland North will field teams in what is looking like a fiercely contested battle for the Senior and U23 individual categories, as well as the county/district team competition.

Those contests will be played out over a course of 9.6km, with 600m ascent in the Broughton Heights Hills.

In the senior men’s race, GB international Andy Douglas of Scotland East is arguably the favourite as he looks to kick off the 2017 season in the same form which saw him close to the medals at both European and World level last year.

Recent Dumyat race winner, and GB mountain running and orienteering international, Graham Gristwood of Scotland Central should also be well up there, along with fellow Scots Kyle Greig, Joe Symonds and Gavin Bryson.

But there will be stiff competition coming from the Yorkshire trio of Tom Addison, Ben Mounsey and Jack Wood, the Lancashire trio of Chris Arthur, Chris Holdsworth and Gary Priestley, Cumbria’s Carl Bell and Mark Lamb, and Kent’s GB international Max Nicholls.

The Senior Women’s race is fairly open with GB international Lizzie Browne leading a strong Cumbrian team which includes Lou Roberts, Kelli Roberts, Heidi Dent and Carnethy 5 winner Hannah Russell.

They may be challenged by the strong Scotland East team of Charlotte Morgan, Louise Mercer, Scout Adkin, Georgia Tindley and Jill Stephen, with GB international Katie Walshaw of Yorkshire and Scotland Central’s Catriona Buchanan also likely to challenge.

With thanks to Mark Johnston

*Scots were to the fore in the Senior British Championship race held last weekend at Stuc a Chroin (Strathyre).

Finlay Wild (Lochaber) won in a time of 2.08.44 (11 seconds outside the record) and Andrew Fallas (Carnethy) was second. Georgia Tindley (HBT) had an outstanding race to finish first woman, even if it was by a mere four seconds. Steph Provan (Deeside) was third.

Murray Strain (HBT) finished fifth, not a bad result considering it came only a week after his great win at the 3 Peaks and less than 24 hours after running the Scottish 5km road championship!

In the Veteran categories, Shona Robertson (Shettleston) was second FV40 and Clare Whitehead (Deeside) third FV40, Stewart Whitlie (Carnethy) was third MV50, Andrea Priestley (Ochil) second FV50, Christine Menhennet (Westerlands) first FV60 and Jocelyn Scott (Fife) third FV60.

There’s a brief report and full results online

With thanks to Malcolm Paterson

Tags: Andy Dougals, Broughton, Finlay Wild, UK Inter-Counties Senior Fell/Hill Champs