Japanese International Favourite for Hawkshead Trail Race

News Release / 04.05.2011

One of Japan's top International runners, Yujiro Iida, from Tsunami hit Tohoku, starts as the favourite for this weekend's sell out Lakeland Trails event at Hawkshead on Saturday 7th May. Yujiro heads a capacity field of 1100 competitors taking to the 15km course, described by Runnersworld magazine as "the most scenic race in Britain".

Yujiro says: "It is a huge honour that I can run in this great event as one of the invited runners and can compete with some of the UK's top athletes like James Walsh. I very much believe that I can make a great impact on the Hawkshead Trail Race and hopefully win the race and cheer up people in the Tohoku disaster hit area. I have set up my own fundraising webpage <a href="#" onClick="javascript:newsitewindow('http://www.justgiving.com/yuji')" class="main">www.justgiving.com/yuji</a> to help with funding for Japan's earthquake and tsunami appeal.

â€œMy answer to help is through my running, and I am going to donate all the prize money earned from running races this year to the charity. I believe my attempts can also give hope and courage for the victims of the earthquake. I am really proud of being Japanese, we are moving forward and never give up - this is our Samurai spirit !"

Other International visitors are taking part in the event from the United States, New Zealand, Sweden, Holland, Germany, Belgium and Ireland, along with people from all over the UK

There are two main events during the day, with fitness walkers, charity and fun runners setting off at 1 o'clock on the 15km Hawkshead Challenge. This is followed by the blue riband event, the 15km Hawkshead Trail Race setting off at 2 o'clock, following exactly the same course.

Favourites include Japan's Yujiro Iida (Team Salomon Japan), last year's winner and course record holder, GB International James Walsh (Leeds City AC), GB International Martin Roscoe (Leeds City AC), Scotland's Marcus Scotney (Dumfries Running Club), and Cumbria's Phil Winskill (Keswick AC).

In the women's 15km race, a great race is expected between former World junior mountain running champion and GB International Victoria Wilkinson (Bingley Harriers) and Scotland's Commonwealth Games Marathon runner Susan Partridge (Leeds City AC), fresh from breaking her personal best in this year's London Marathon, with GB International Triathlete Vicky Graves (York City AC), last year's winner, Sarah Ridehalgh (Accrington Road Runners) and GB Junior International Melanie Hyder (Helm Hill Runners) all set to feature.

The oldest male competitor is David Deaville from Chorley, aged 75, and the oldest lady is Ann Dukes, from Southampton Running Sisters, who is 73.