Andrew Douglas tops overall standings in men’s event following three-race series, while Emma Clayton and Sarah Tunstall share women’s title

The final event in the 2014 British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge series took place at Sedburgh in the South Lakes on Saturday, with Andrew Douglas claiming victory on the day to wrap up the series title too.

Rebecca Robinson won the women’s race and with the event incorporating the GB & NI trials for the IAAF World Mountain Running Championships, she also secured her spot on the team for Italy. With a second-place finish in Sedburgh, Emma Clayton shares the overall title with fifth-place finisher on the day Sarah Tunstall, with results from May’s Inter Counties and the European Championships Trial race in June also counting towards the final result.

With his victory, Douglas went one better than his runner-up spot at the second race of the challenge series in Cumbria. In Sedburgh he held off the challenge of Nick Swinburn and newcomer Glenn Hughes who filled the other podium positions. Fifth on the day, Tom Addison, takes second in the overall series, with Tom Adams third.

Over in the women’s race and at the top of the first climb Kendal AC s Robinson was locked in battle with World Mountain Running Championship silver medallist Clayton, with Katie Walshaw in pursuit.

However it was Robinson s 2:37 marathon running strength that told on the uphill-only course, as she slowly edged away from Clayton over the remainder of the 7.1km route to win by 48 seconds.

The other podium positions remained the same, with Clayton finishing second and improving her challenge ranking by one point to share the title with Tunstall, and Walshaw wrapping up third, both on the day and in the overall standings.

The junior races were won by Andrew Lawler and Catriona Graves. Lawler has been the dominant force this season, leading the team home at the European Championships last month, and he will now lead the charge in Italy. Graves went one place better than her runner-up place at the European trials.

The Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for September’s IAAF World Mountain Running Championships will be announced on August 12.

Results and standings can be found here

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