STAVELEY'S Rob Jebb kept the pressure on in his bid to win the British Fell Running championship title by finishing second in Saturday's Stuc A Chroin 5000 Hill Race from Strathyre in Perthshire, writes Mike Addison.

Jebb, who won the "short" Slieve Bearnagh race in Northern Ireland last month, was looking to consolidate with victory in this "long" Scottish event, but was denied by his main rival and Bingley team-mate Ian Holmes.

Jebb caught Holmes and Borrowdale's Jim Davies by the summit of Stuc A Chroin and there was just seconds between the three at the summit. But he lost the advantage of the long descent. Another Bingley athlete, Andy Pease, pulled through to third with Ambleside's Mark Rigby finishing fourth.

Carnethy's Angela Mudge led the ladies home in 20th place overall in

2-18-04.

Results: 1 I Holmes, Bingley, 2-04-41; 2 R Jebb, Bingley, 2-05-24; 3 A Peace, Bingley, 2-06-04; 4 M Rigby, Ambleside, 2-07-50; 5 J Davies, Borrowdale, 2-09-46; 6 S Booth, Borrowdale, 2-10-42; 7 R Bryson, Newcastle, 2-11-21; 8 R Hope, Pudsey & Bramley, 2-11-56; 9 M Donnelly, Northumberland, 2-12-16; 10 S Whitley, Carnethy, 2-13-08; 13 S Stainer, Ambleside, 2-14-33; 33 J Deegan, Ambleside, 2-25-14; 49 A Smith, Ambleside, 2-32-14; 70 P Singleton, Ambleside, 2-38-27; 90 A Miller, Kendal, 2-45-39; 96 N Ashcroft, Ambleside, 2-46-57; 105 M Walsh, Kendal, 2-48-40; 119 S Wood, Ambleside, 2-51-25; 145 S Taylor, Bingley, 3-00-24; 181 C Kenny, Ambleside, 3-17-38; 251 M Leeming, Ambleside, 4-10-50.

n HOWGILL'S Peter Brittleton was second to Wharfedale's Ted Mason in Saturday's nine-mile Coniston Fell Race on Saturday with just 38 seconds separating the pair at the finish.

"I took a bad line coming off Coniston Old Man," said Brittleton, who lives at Kirkby Stephen. "He was well ahead but if I had taken a good line off the top I could possibly have caught him."

Brittleton, who took part in the Lochaber Marathon the previous weekend and competed in the Kendal 10km road race in midweek, was second all the way round after Clayton's Andrew Black set the early pace. Billy Procter was first veteran in fifth and led Helm Hill to the team prize with Johan Meyfroidt (8th), Mike Addison (32nd) and Dave Richardson (37) the other counters.

Todmorden's Alison Richards was first lady in 49th position in 1-32-49.

Results: 1 T Mason, Wharfedale, 1-17-04; 2 Peter Brittleton, Howgill, 1-17-42; 3 C Reade, Bowland, 1-18-15; 4 S Hoyle, Rossendale, 1-19-15; 5 B Procter, Helm Hill, 1-19-19; 6 A Black, Clayton, 1-19-25; 7 S Birtwistle, Rossendale, 1-19-29; 8 J Meyfroidt, Helm Hill, 1-20-10; 9 D Duxbury, Ambleside, 1-20-16; 10 J Archbold, CFR, 1-20-20; 11 D Golding, Ambleside, 1-21-08; 15 P Clark, Kendal, 1-22-48; 17 C Valentine, Keswick, 1-24-15; 19 B Lonsdale, Settle, 1-25-04; 22 Q Harding, Bowland, 1-26-15; 26 R Jones, Coniston, 1-27-23; 31 J Murfin, Settle, 1-29-34; 32 M Addison, Helm Hill, 1-29-39; 34 D Stones, Hoad Hill, 1-29-43; 37 D Richardson, Helm Hill, 1-30-12; 42 K Rutherford, Black Combe, 1-31-57; 43 J Osborne, Settle, 1-32-13; 52 G Allsopp, Settle, 1-33-18; 55 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 1-34-43; 57 N Hambrey, Kendal, 1-34-53; 60 N Lavery, Ambleside, 1-35-13; 65 S Milligan, Kendal, 1-36-20; 70 B Kennedy, Settle, 1-37-11; 71 M Foxwell, Kendal, 1-37-15; 74 R Jerram, Kendal, 1-37-34; 82 R Simpson, Kendal, 1-38-18; 88 B Slater, Settle, 1-40-15; 108 S Wright, Ambleside, 1-50-07; 146 J Taylor, Ambleside; 150 H Catlow, CFR.

n INVERCLYDE'S Tom Tipping, who lives in Kendal, was the best placed South Lakeland runner in Bank Holiday Monday's seven-mile Wray Caton Moor Race. Tipping was fourth and was followed over the line by Ambleside's Paul Singleton. Salford's Philip Leybourne was a comfortable winner over Bingley's Mick Hawkins by two minutes. Horwich's Brendan Bolland was third. Ulverston's Chris Doyle won the U17 race.

Results: 1 P Leybourne, Salford Harriers, 43-02; 2 M Hawkins, Bingley, 45-25; 3 B Bolland, Horwich, 45-46; 4 T Tipping, Inverclyde, 46-05; 5 P Singleton, Ambleside, 46-16; 6 C Reade, Bowland, 46-44; 7 P McWade, Clayton, 47-14; 8 G Patton, Ambleside, 47-17; 9 P Guinan, Blackburn, 47-20; 10 D Scholes, Keighley & Craven, 47-24; 11 B Procter, Helm Hill, 47-38; 15 S Moffat, Howgill, 48-04; 18 A Pickles, Settle, 48-27; 19 B Lonsdale, Settle, 48-40; 20 A Pilkington, Settle, 48-48; 23 M Addison, Helm Hill, 49-18; 29 A Miller, Kendal, 50-21; 31 J Murfin, Settle, 50-39; 38 A Shepherd, Settle, 52-41; 58 A Hinde, Settle, 56-27; 58 D Shinn, Dallam; 64 J Parminter, Black Combe; 67 T Metcalfe, Settle, 57-54; 75 D Parminter, Black Combe; 80 P Ryan, Dallam; 100 W Dodds, Clayton, 63-03; 118 R Martindale, Dallam; 119 K Pilkington, Settle, 75-22.

May 9, 2003 12:30