AMBLESIDE’S John Atkinson claims that as a runner he is “semi-retired” but his lack of race fitness did not show at Dunnerdale on Saturday where he was a comfortable winner, writes Mike Addison.

Atkinson, 36, a health and safety manager at Burlington Slate, Kirkby-in-Furness, was a minute and 22 seconds ahead of Borrowdale’s in-form Gavin Bland when he crossed the finish line outside the Blacksmiths Arms, Broughton Mills, after five miles (1,800ft of climbing).

He took the lead on early passing Borrowdale’s Andrew Schofield at the top of the early road section and was untroubled as he visited the checkpoints on The Knott, Ravens Crag, Stickle Pike and Great Stickle.

“I eased in front as we hit the fell and I used the tail wind up the first climb to consolidate my lead,” said Atkinson, who has only competed in four events this year.

“I got a gap. There was nobody coming strong behind me although I sensed there was a race going on between the chasing runners. They were having a tussle and if I had weakened they could well have caught me.” Atkinson’s teammates Simon Stainer and Garry Thorpe placed well in third and seventh place while Borrowdale’s Nick Spence, who lives at Longsleddale, turned in an excellent performance to come home in sixth and second veteran.

Olympic mountain biker Caroline Alexander, who runs for Ambleside, was first lady and was up among the front-runners early in the race.

She demonstrated that she is powerful on the climbs, but her descending speed let her down and she was caught by a number of athletes to finish 20th overall with last year’s winner Louise Sharpe, Keswick, second and Bingley’s Sharon Taylor third.

Results: 1 J Atkinson, Ambleside, 38-06; 2 G Bland, Borrowdale, 39-28; 3 S Stainer, Ambleside, 39-33; 4 A Davies, Borrowdale, 39-54; 5 A Schofield, Borrowdale, 40-22; 6 N Spence, Borrowdale, 41-28; 7 G Thorpe, Ambleside, 41-46; 8 R Lightfoot, CFR, 41-58; 9 J Smallwood, CFR, 43-35; 10 P Whiting, Kendal, 43-40; 11 Paul Brittleton, Helm Hill, 43-49; 12 B Procter, Helm Hill, 43-59; 13 S Freeman, Ambleside, 44-18; 16 B Lonsdale, Settle, 44-57; 19 S Addison, Helm Hill, 45-19; 20 C Alexander, Ambleside, 45-20; 21 M Addison, Helm Hill, 45-57; 22 C Speight, Ambleside, 46-17; 24 N Lanaghan, unattached, 46-41; 29 D Duxbury, Ambleside, 47-50; 31 L Sharpe, Keswick, 47-54; 34 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 47-58; 35 D Owen, Ambleside, 47-59; 44 S Taylor, Bingley, 48-22; 45 P Tuson, Kendal, 48-26; 47 B Kennedy, Settle, 48-31; 48 A Miller, Kendal, 48-34; 51 H Symonds, Kendal, 48-57; 55 R Bell, Ambleside, 49-43; 59 S Milligan, Kendal, 50-11; 60 G Allsopp, Settle, 50-15; 61 D Richardson, Helm Hill, 50-18; 66 J Osborne, Settle, 50-47; 70 A Crowe, Broughton, 51-28; 71 H Jones, Dallam, 51-36; 74 D Aspden, Dallam, 52-02; 76 M Horn, Settle, 52-14; 88 D Parminter, Black Combe, 53-34; 91 A Hinde, Settle, 54-02; 97 J Goffe, Black Combe, 54-38; 99 K Fursey, Black Combe, 54-43; 100 N Goffe, Black Combe, 54-52.

n APPRENTICE Ulverston joiner Chris Doyle proved to be a cut above the rest when he won Sunday’s three-mile Kelbrook Fell Race by a margin of 15 seconds.

Doyle, who runs for Trafford AC, sliced 70 seconds off the time he set last year when he finished second to Will Smith.

His main rival on Sunday was Wirral’s talented under 17-year-old Adam Peers.

“I was a bit tired because I took part in the national cross country relays at Mansfield on Saturday,” said Doyle.

Settle’s David Shepherd finished sixth while his teammate Ben Lonsdale was a creditable eighth.

First lady was Warrington’s Karrie Hawitt in 22nd position.

Local runners faired well in the junior races with Sir John Barrow School, Ulverston, pupil Tom Doyle (Kendal AC) finishing third in the U12s race and Helm Hill’s Tom Addison putting in a spirited run to come home third in the under 14s event. Helm Hill’s junior international Gemma Crowther was fifth and first girl.

Results: 1 C Doyle, Trafford AC, 23-35; 2 A Peers, Wirral, 23-50; 3 S Hunn, Skipton, 24-00; 6 D Shepherd, Settle, 24-43; 8 B Lonsdale, Settle, 25-09; 26 M Addison, Helm Hill, 27-23; 30 A Pilkington, Settle, 27-50; 35 B Kennedy, Settle, 28-33; 39 K Alderson, Helm Hill, 28-51; 43 G Allsopp, Settle, 29-12; 53 T Metcalf, Settle, 30-43; 58 S Slater, Settle, 32-34; 59 A Hinde, Settle, 32-35; 79 S Morphet, Settle, 37-30. U 12s: 1 R Shuttleworth, QEGS, 11-44; 3 T Doyle, Kendal, 12-20; 6 R Addison, Helm Hill, 12-44; 8 D Lund, Settle, 13-02; 13 J Addison, Helm Hill, 14-18; 20 K Lund, Settle, 15-35; 21 M Morphet, Ingleton, 15-35. U14s: 1 J Mountain, 15-32; 3 T Addison, Helm Hill, 15-51; 5 G Crowther, Helm Hill, 17-34; 18 B Morphet, Settle, 19-52.