Keswick Commonwealth event a huge success
25.09.2009
Many personal bests were broken, and a new Commonwealth Record was achieved with Australia's Martin Fryer covering 255.9 kilometres (159 miles) in the men's 24 hour race. In a surprise result, Kenyan athlete Wilson Chemweno won the men's Uphill race title beating the favourite, world champion Jonathan Wyatt from New Zealand, then went on to achieve the double by also winning the Up and Down race.
All this in his first-ever mountain championship - an incredible talent discovered.
The 100km men's race was won convincingly by England's Jez Bragg in 7:04:01 followed home by Matt Giles and Matt Lynas for an England 1,2,3. Women's 100km winner was Jackie Fairweather from Australia in 7:41:23, a huge 22 minutes clear of England's Emma Gooderham in second.
The 24-hour race saw an Australian 1,2 with Martin Fryer and Jo Blake ahead of Wales' John Pares. Winner of the women's race was England's Sharon Gayter with 226.4km, ahead of Vicky Skelton also from England and Australia's Susannah Harvey Jamieson in third.
The mountain races took place in perfect conditions. The Uphill-only race took athletes to the top of Skiddaw (931m, 3054ft) with Kenya's Wilson Chemweno finishing 40 seconds ahead of Jonathan Wyatt (NZ), and Kris Swanson (Canada) in third. The women's winner was Anna Frost (NZ) with England's Katie Ingram and Rebecca Robinson close behind.In the Up and Down mountain race over Latrigg was Wilson Chemweno's race again followed home by Adam Grice and Billy Burns from England. Women's winners were Katie Ingram and Sara Turnstall from England and Pamela Bundotich from Kenya - another great result, given this was also Pamela's first-ever mountain event!
So it's thanks to all who made the Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Championships such a huge success - volunteers, sponsors, spectators but most of all the athletes who gave their all and created such a spellbinding event. As Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at headline sponsor Northwest Development Agency put it, "This was a truly international event featuring world-class athletes competing on our doorstep, bringing important benefits to Cumbria. Such a high-profile event promotes Cumbria and the Lake District around the world as a true sports destination."
Full Race results are at - www.cumbriacommonwealthchampionships.org
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