HORWICH Harrier Sam Fairhurst won the returning Harrock Hill race on his debut at the event.

Back for the first time in three years, the race was no match for Fairhurst who won it by more than 20 seconds ahead of several race regulars.

He has been steadily building an impressive set of results this year but this was his first win in an event under fell-running rules.

Erica Booth was fourth woman in the race and F40 prize winner, too, having the previous week been first woman at the Jubilee race.

Both runners then went on to multi-discipline events only a few days later.

Booth competed for Horwich Tri Club and won the women’s prize at the EpicMan Windermere triathlon, taking 10th place overall in a field of more than 200 starters.

Fairhurst, still in Harriers colours, had a great second place at the Ian Hesketh Memorial Duathlon and was beaten only by another Harrier, Julian Goudge.

It was a close-run thing, though, as Fairhurst had a fast final run to claw back more than a minute and a half after Goudge’s great second-leg cycle ride.

In the end, there was only 11 seconds between them as Goudge’s experience gave him the edge.

Steph McKee was fourth woman in the duathlon as she enjoyed her first ever competitive duathlon.

In 2021, Dan Gilbert took on the FRA’s 50@50 anniversary challenge and was 13th overall in the series and third M40, so he is well used to many of the tougher fells in the Lake District.

This week he was understandably pleased with his effort in the Helvellyn and the Dodds fell race, as he covered the 15 miles and 4,400 feet ascent in 2hrs 40mins.

Gilbert said ‘that was unheard of for me’ as in the second half of the race he made up four places to finish 18th overall and fourth V40.

In parkrun, Phil Marsden was first home at the fast, flat Cirencester course and achieved an 80-per-cent age grading, as did Ste Williams at the undulating Pennington Flash course where he finished 14th.

Joe Mercer was on similar terrain at Marple and in coming first set a new personal best for Marple parkrun of 16:40.

Richard O’Reilly, buoyed by his recent Manchester half marathon performance, was sixth at Haigh Woodland with a 77-per-cent age grading.