THE CREAM of fell running converged on South Lakeland on Sunday as the Kentmere Horseshoe doubled up as a "medium" counter for the British and English championships, writes Mike Addison..

And Mercia's Simon Bailey underlined his championship credentials with a sterling performance that saw him slice over a minute and a half off Mark Robert's 1996 record of 1-24-13. He now heads both the British and English championship tables.

His only challenger was Staveley's Rob Jebb, who runs for Bingley, and these two dominated the race from the off breaking away from the chasing pack on the initial climb from Garburn Pass and by the time they reached the summit of Yoke both had a healthy lead over their rivals.

Bailey shook off Jebb on the descent of Ill Bell and never looked back establishing a 49 second lead at the finish. Jebb also got inside the previous record time clocking 1-23-25.

"I did what I have been doing all season, just sticking behind Rob on the climb and then getting away on the descent," said Bailey, 24, who is a Macclesfield sheep farmer. "I got away from Rob coming off Ill Bell and just kept a good distance. I kept my eye on him by glancing back to see where he was so that I did not go wrong."

It was while glancing back that he took a fall and twisted his ankle on the final descent off Kentmere Pike and came back into the finishing field with bloodied knees.

First veteran home was Colin Donnelly who was a minute and ten seconds ahead of Borrowdale's Mark Roberts who is favourite to retain the British and English championship V40 titles.

The first lady was Carnethy's Tracey Brindley who placed 71st in 1-42-40 while Keswick's Louise Sharp boosted her championship standing by coming home second ahead of Carnethy's Jill Mykura who ran her close.

RESULTS: 1 S Bailey, Mercia, 1-22-36; 2 R Jebb, Bingley, 1-23-25; 3 I Holmes, Bingley, 1-25-55; 4 S Booth, Borrowdale, 1-26-07; 5 C Donnelly, Ron Hill Camberley, 1-26-35; 6 N Sharp, Ambleside, 1-27-02; 7 M Roberts, Borrowdale, 1-27-45; 8 M Bouldstridge, Mercia, 1-28-28; 9 D Neill, Staffs Moorlands, 1-28-32; 10 D Rodgers, Lochaber, 1-28-47; 15 C Roberts, Kendal, 1-30-34; 30 C Doyle, Trafford, 1-34-59; 34 E Nash, Kendal, 1-35-44; 36 A Smith, Ambleside, 1-35-54; 37 N Spence, Borrowdale, 1-36-09; 39 G Bland, Borrowdale, 1-36-43; 44 D Golding, Ambleside, 1-37-26; 45 B Procter, Helm Hill, 1-37-28; 47 G Thorpe, Ambleside, 1-38-34; 55 A Dunn, Helm Hill, 1-39-48; 77 N Ashcroft, Ambleside, 1-44-09; 81 S Addison, Helm Hill, 1-44-51; 83 S Horsley, Howgill, 1-45-15; 87 Q Harding, Bowland, 1-45-29; 88 C Valentine, Keswick, 1-45-33; 94 R Blyth, Helm Hill, 1-46-16; 109 S Bennett, Eden, 1-47-09; 115 S Hicks, Borrowdale, 1-47-22; 116 L Sharp, Keswick, 1-47-28; 126 C Speight, Ambleside, 1-48-31; 132 S Varney, Kendal, 1-48-43; 159 G Thomas, Kendal, 1-52-15; 161 A Miller, Kendal, 1-52-23; 163 R Scott, Kendal, 1-52-42; 177 I Atkinson , Helm Hill, 1-53-32; 202 A Heron, Eden,1-56-24; 206 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 1-57-01; 207 H Symonds, Kendal, 1-57-03; 209 W Percival, Ambleside, 1-57-22; 215 K Dacre, Kendal, 1-58-18; 229 D Richardson, Helm Hill, 1-59-40; 235 G Dover, Hoad Hill, 2-00-13; 246 A Shepherd, Settle, 2-01-37; 247 N Hambrey, Kendal, 2-01-40; 249 D Murray, Howgill, 2-01-51; 255 J Jones, Kendal, 2-02-40; 257 M Richards, Helm Hill, 2-03-10; 264 P Simpson, Kendal, 2-03-47; 267 P Acland, Kendal, 2-04-14; 273 W Dodds, Clayton, 2-04-41; 284 L Hamel, Kendal, 2-06-37; 286 S Woods, Ambleside, 2-07-01; 316 J McKenzie, Helm Hill, 2-12-45; 322 J Broxap, Kendal, 2-14-06; 328 A Bramhall, Ambleside, 2-14-50.

n KIRKBY Stephen's Paul Brittleton, who runs for Helm Hill, was third in Saturday's Kinniside Two Tops race which forms part of the Wath Brow Sports at Cleator Moor.

For a time he was vying for second place as he headed the new England under 20 champion Ricky Lightfoot who finished second but neither were in contention with race winner Alan Bowness who won by a minute and 22 seconds.

Keswick's Kenny Stuart's comeback continues and he finished fourth after turning at the summit with Lightfoot. He picked up the first V45 prize.

Ingleton's Ben Morphet won the junior race with Helm Hill's Chris Tuson finishing seventh.

RESULTS: 1 A Bowness, CFR, 23-49; 2 R Lightfoot, CFR, 25-11; 3 P Brittleton, Helm Hill, 25-32; 4 K Stuart, Keswick, 25-39; 5 B Riley, CFR, 26-53; 12 P Tuson, Kendal, 29-23. There were 33 finishers.