After the mammoth turnout at Grindleford, over 100 runners have now taken part in the 2019 fell race championships and we are only half way through. We also have our first runners completing enough races to qualify for the title, although there is still plenty of time for many more to join them. There is also just enough time for anyone yet to run a championship race to make a tilt for the title. But beware, like the Tour de France, this year’s championship is backloaded with some tough races towards the end!
Next race: Sheldon – Thu 19 July
Senior Women – Gillian Allen is pulling away with a solid lead but with the Grindleford 1-2-3 of Caroline Brock, Fran Cummins and Amy Earnshaw moving up the rankings, you get feeling this one will go to the wire.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Gillian Allen | 377 | 4 |
| 2 | Rosa Sampson Geroski | 276 | 3 |
| 3 | Fran Cummins | 213 | 2 |
| 4 | Caroline Brock | 201 | 2 |
| 5 | Amy Earnshaw | 197 | 2 |
| 6 | Naomi Rabin | 150 | 2 |
| 7 | Helen Burgess | 97 | 1 |
| 8 | Amy Duck | 95 | 1 |
| 9 | Harriet Davies | 89 | 1 |
| 10 | Heather Wallis | 87 | 1 |
| 11 | Laura Hogg | 85 | 1 |
| 12 | Fran Allen | 83 | 1 |
| 13 | Emma Beal | 83 | 1 |
| 14 | Cara Hanson | 81 | 1 |
| 15 | Eleanor Bull | 64 | 1 |
| 16 | Charley Burney | 59 | 1 |
V40 Women – Despite having run one race fewer, Lucy Broom is showing strong form to leapfrog Sallyann Winslow at the top. But with a number of other contenders yet to really get going, this category is far from over.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Lucy Broom | 287 | 3 |
| 2 | Sallyann Winslow | 275 | 4 |
| 3 | Helen Calder | 171 | 2 |
| 4 | Clare Trevitt | 168 | 2 |
| 5 | Pippa Powell | 164 | 2 |
| 6 | Rachel Woollen | 148 | 2 |
| 7 | Jennie Stevens | 91 | 1 |
| 8 | Abigail Higginbottom | 85 | 1 |
| 9 | Julie Bembridge | 85 | 1 |
| 10 | Rachel Anderson | 81 | 1 |
| 11 | Tracey Davies | 81 | 1 |
| 12 | Morvern Lowe | 81 | 1 |
| 13 | Sarah Ward | 79 | 1 |
| 14 | Helen Cain | 71 | 1 |
| 15 | Melanie English | 65 | 1 |
V50 Women – Nicola Rafferty’s consistent results have enabled her to stretch away from Jill Davies, in what is looking like a two-way race, but with three new entrants after Grindleford this title is certainly not decided yet.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Nicola Rafferty | 367 | 4 |
| 2 | Jill Davies | 309 | 4 |
| 3 | Kate Scott | 85 | 1 |
| 4 | Jane Huws | 70 | 1 |
| 5 | Philippa Moorhead | 66 | 1 |
V60 Women – Not content with dominating on the national road race scene, Dot Kesterton has decided to hunt for a fell title too. Will any others join her?
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Dot Kesterton | 87 | 1 |
Senior Men – Paul Middlemas consistently finishes first Strider on the fells and with Chris Jones missing Grindleford, has opened up a gap at the top. Joseph Mallinshaw is running well however, and lying in wait should Paul suffer a dip in form.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Paul Middlemas | 392 | 4 |
| 2 | Joseph Mallinshaw | 357 | 4 |
| 3 | Chris Jones | 296 | 3 |
| 4 | Hal Roberts | 183 | 2 |
| 5 | Joe Buckman | 175 | 2 |
| 6 | Regan Hanson | 150 | 2 |
| 7 | Phil Skelton | 102 | 1 |
| 8 | Stuart Carrack | 95 | 1 |
| 9 | Simeon Cotterill | 88 | 1 |
| 10 | Sam Needham | 88 | 1 |
| 11 | Andrew Fry | 88 | 1 |
| 12 | Russell Jones-Davies | 84 | 1 |
| 13 | Alex Green | 83 | 1 |
| 14 | Seth Kirby | 83 | 1 |
| 15 | James Broomhead | 81 | 1 |
| 16 | Adam Close | 80 | 1 |
| 17 | Keith Hague | 80 | 1 |
| 18 | Joseph Lee | 80 | 1 |
| 19 | Michael Wu | 79 | 1 |
| 20 | Adam Newell | 69 | 1 |
V40 Men – Jason Brannan has run all five races so far this season and is rewarded with a near 70 point lead in the V40 Men category. But it’s nowhere near over, as Louis Wood and Nigel Barnes head the chasing pack. This looks like another contest that could be settled in the latter stages.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Jason Brannan | 456 | 5 |
| 2 | Louis Wood | 388 | 4 |
| 3 | Nigel Barnes | 351 | 4 |
| 4 | Nick Burns | 336 | 4 |
| 5 | Russell Stevenson | 334 | 4 |
| 6 | Craig Baird | 256 | 3 |
| 7 | Michael Squires | 254 | 3 |
| 8 | Matthew Winslow | 241 | 4 |
| 9 | Rob Pilling | 188 | 2 |
| 10 | Dan Cook | 186 | 2 |
| 11 | Ben Clithero | 172 | 2 |
| 12 | Andy Sheppard | 171 | 2 |
| 13 | Dean Young | 156 | 2 |
| 14 | Dan Bell | 153 | 2 |
| 15 | Matt Broadhead | 152 | 2 |
| 16 | James Norton | 150 | 2 |
| 17 | Mark Ramsell | 147 | 2 |
| 18 | David Adams | 117 | 2 |
| 19 | Luke Desforges | 93 | 1 |
| 20 | Warren Brown | 86 | 1 |
| 21 | Matt Williams | 81 | 1 |
| 22 | James Fletcher | 81 | 1 |
| 23 | Andrew Lock | 80 | 1 |
| 24 | Richard Smith | 80 | 1 |
| 25 | Keith Bell | 80 | 1 |
| 26 | Stephen Clarke | 80 | 1 |
| 27 | Simon Ellis | 78 | 1 |
| 28 | James Rees | 77 | 1 |
| 29 | Chris Walker | 76 | 1 |
| 30 | Ian Stinson | 76 | 1 |
| 31 | Lee Mills | 69 | 1 |
| 32 | Steven Lewis | 69 | 1 |
| 33 | Richard Copeland | 54 | 1 |
V50 Men – Another ever-present, Mark Platton – holds the lead at the halfway stage, but with the likes of Paul Stuart, Nick Kirk and Rob Davies all showing similar form, this may well be the most closely contested category of the year.
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Mark Platton | 431 | 5 |
| 2 | Paul Stuart | 351 | 4 |
| 3 | Nick Kirk | 268 | 3 |
| 4 | Rob Davies | 261 | 3 |
| 5 | Neal Pates | 240 | 3 |
| 6 | Phil Howson | 230 | 3 |
| 7 | Andy Green | 220 | 3 |
| 8 | Bob Grocutt | 214 | 3 |
| 9 | Will Day | 168 | 2 |
| 10 | Sean O’Brien | 89 | 1 |
| 11 | Michael Slater | 86 | 1 |
| 12 | Ben Heller | 81 | 1 |
| 13 | Steve Haake | 79 | 1 |
| 14 | Chris Hodson | 79 | 1 |
| 15 | Tom Nuttgens | 78 | 1 |
| 16 | Simon Wiles | 78 | 1 |
V60 Men – With neither Andy Buck or Paul Shelton running at Grindleford, there was no change in the standings. Andy still leads but as he’s concentrating on the National Champs this year, will he hold on?
| Position | Name | Points | Races completed |
| 1 | Andy Buck | 87 | 1 |
| 2 | Paul Shelton | 58 | 1 |
Full results and breakdowns are on the current standings spreadsheet