ROB Jebb has become the 2005 Buff Skyrunner World Champion, following a spectacular year and victorious finish in the world's toughest mountain running race, the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon in Borneo, Malaysia.

Jebb from Staveley, Cumbria, and a member of the crack Saab Salomon running team, broke through the finish line out of the first three, but knowing the world title was in safe-keeping for his best-of-four tally from the seven races in the Buff Skyrunner 2005 series.

With 366 points, he was 17 points ahead of team-mate Simon Booth from Cockermouth, who remains No. 2 in the overall world rankings.

Jebb said: "The Kinabalu race was probably the toughest of the year. It is relatively short and the altitude definitely suits the guys who live and train in the same conditions.

"We only flew out the day before and the change in tomezones made it feel as if we were running at midnight.

"For me the longer races are best, which is why I am so well suited to the Sky races."

The other member of the squad, Nick Sharpe finished fifth in the overall world rankings.

The results are even more impressive when considering that 2005 was the first year that the team had competed in the Buff Sky Runner World Championship Series.

Kinabulu's 21k and 7,500 metres of climbing took competitors through several climatic zones, from steamy equatorial forest to freezing tundra.

The challenges on both ascent and descent included huge, craggy granite outcrops and formidably steep stair, rope and ladder sections.

Thin air and lack of oxygen added one of the sternest endurance tests devised for male and female athletes from all over the world.

"Many of the competitiors live at altitiude so the lack of oxygen is not a problem for them," said Jebb.

"Fortunately in mid season there were two races close together in Italy and France and I was able to acclimatise a bit."

Tim Lloyd, Saab Salomon team manager, adds: "This has been a dream first year for us.

"We knew we would be a strong team, but have far exceeded expectations, with 1st, 2nd and 5th in the world, this is an amazing story of success from a British team, who continue the British tradition of winning in the toughest endurance athletic events in the world".

Jebb, a 30-year-old BT engineer, set a new course record on two of the seven stage races - the Zegama-Aikorri Alpine Marathon in Spain in May and the La Plagne D6000 in France in July.

In Spain he broke the previous race record by 12 minutes, with Booth in second place They are the only two men in history to have completed the gruelling 42 km route in under four hours.

haron Taylor, also of Team Saab Salomon, further enhanced the reputation of the squad by coming third in the women's section.

Team Saab Salomon's performance at the La Plagne D6000 was even more outstanding. Jebb win by smashed the six-year-old record by eight minutes Results or Team Saab Salomon has been equally impressive on home soil, in both solo and team events.

n ENGLAND'S four junior teams were celebrating a clean sweep of gold medals in the Open British and Irish championships held at Carlingford in Southern Ireland on Sunday.

Helm Hill's Tom Addison made his international debut in the U16 race where he was fourth counter in the England team placing tenth. Leading the field home was Bingley's Sam Webster with Halifax's Jonathan Hare finishing fourth and Skipton's Jonathan Pawson seventh.

All the races took part over testing courses on the lower slopes of Slieve Foy.

Ingleton's Samantha Morphet got a last minute call up after one of the U18 girl athletes pulled out and despite being "disappointed" with her own performance returned with a gold after Keswick's Emma Stuart led home the field.

The boys' under 18s and the girls' U16 also struck gold with Nick Swinburn and Rosie Stuart also registering victories.