Duddon Valley Fell Race | Jura Fell Race

Todmorden Harriers Ladies Team recorded another excellent win at the Duddon Valley Fell Race on Saturday to strengthen their hold at the top of this year’s English Fell Championship standings. With three of the six races completed the club now hold a nine point lead over second placed Keswick.


The classic race started and finished at Seathwaite and the route covered 18 miles around the head of the Duddon Valley with 6000ft of climb over several Lakeland peaks.

Todmorden’s Lauren Jeska won the ladies race, after another epic battle with Calder Valley’s Helen Fines, with just 13 seconds between them after over three hours of racing in the hot sunny conditions.

Sarah May finished 14th lady and Kath Brierley completed the winning team line up with 31st place.

Lauren has now doubled her advantage over Fines in the individual Championship to six points, with Sarah consolidating her position in the top ten.

Alistair Rhodes Dawson was the first Todmorden man to finish in 49th, with Dwane Dixon in 61st. Dave Collins finished 4th vet55, and 90th overall, with Ben Crowther finishing 100th.

Todmorden Results: 32 Lauren Jeska 3:14:26; 49 Alastair Rhodes-Dawson 3:20:23; 61 Dwane Dixon 3:26:49; 90 Dave Collins 3:39:58; 100 Ben Crowther 3:44:10; 129 Sarah May 3:58:04; 136 Robin Tuddenham 4:01:43; 151 John Lloyd 4:09:14; 165 Darren Graham 4:16:34; 168 Darren Tweed 4:17:01; 186 Kath Brierley 4:24:09; 190 Jane Leonard 4:25:11; 223 Melanie Blackhurst 4:40:28; 259 Mandy Goth 5:18:11; 263 Richard Blakeley 5:43:17; 264 Peter Ehrhardt 5:43:46.

Sports Sunday's Duddon photo's...


The previous weekend had seen a quartet of Harriers take on the Isle of Jura Fell Race. The 28 km route featured 2370m of climbing including 7 mountain summits. First Harrier to finish was Phil Hodgson in 5:07:15 for 94th place.
Richard Leonard completed the course in 6:32:27 with Rhys Watkins finished 1 second apart for 182nd and 183rd, with Mandy Goth in 184th three minutes further back.

Jack Crummett won the U13 Jura junior race in a new record time.


The attentions of club will now turn to their own race - the Hebden Bridge Fell Race on Thursday 9th June at 7:15pm. 

Registration is at Machpelah Mill, next to Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge. This is between the town centre and the railway station, south of A646 Burnley Road. Enter on the day £3.50. Minimum age 16.

Prizegiving/food afterwards at the White Swan, Bridgegate, Hebden Bridge. Special prize category for runners entering their first fell race.

Starting on Hebden Bridge Calder Holmes Park, this 5.8mile race goes to Stoodley Pike and back via Erringden Moor, thereby adding a different twist to the climb up to the Pike than other races.