BLACK Combe Runners members will join many hardy athletes tackling tomorrow’s Scafell Pike fell race.

The tough run sees competitors set off from Wasdale Head campsite at 1pm and head out on a 4.5-mile circuit which contains 3,000 feet of ascent on England’s highest mountain range.

Rebecca Rooke starred for Black Combe Runners at the recent Bootle Black Combe fell race by setting a new record time en route to victory in the ladies race.

The 7.8-mile, 2,050ft ascent race, in its second year after being re-introduced in 2016, saw BCR team captain Rooke take the win in 88mins 58secs, beating Beth Ripper’s time of 96 minutes from last year.

The overall race, which started and finished at Bootle Country Fair and Show, was won by Chorley AC runner Darren Fishwick, who came home in 74:19 to beat BCR’s Tim Ripper by 68 seconds. Recently-joined BCR member Mark Bonner was third in 76:09.

Other BCR finishers were John Millen (79:07), Nick Sebley (85:37), Gavin Lloyd (89:48), Julian Donnelly (92:22), Lynn Murray (95:47) – who was also second lady overall – Simon Austin (97:49), Chris Roberts (1:44.17) and Jonathan Bailey (1:50.33).

Another BCR newcomer, Alice Forster, triumphed in the ladies’ section of the Rusland Show and Sports fell and trail race, held over five miles with a near-on 1,000ft ascent. Forster clocked a time of 38:51, with Rooke less than two minutes behind her in 40:12. Harvey Lord was the first BCR male runner home in 34:17, with Dark Peak Fell Runners’ Matthew Elkington taking the overall win in a course-record 30:52.

Chris Roberts was six minutes behind Lord and competed in the shorter 1.75-mile, 560ft ascent race which followed, finishing in 19:31. Matthew Rooke was fourth overall in 14:43 and Susan Ross finished in 20:40. Elkington triumphed again though, this time in 12:39. Lloyd took the male under-23 section honours in the Lakeland Country Fair fell race at Torver, completing the 5.6-mile, 2,313ft ascent course in 60:49.

Helm Hill Runners’ Rob Jebb was the overall winner in 46:19, with Tim Ripper being the first BCR runner back in 52:42, closely followed by Matthew Rooke in 55:56. Other BCR finishers were Peter Tayler (63:03), Mike Jewell (68:19) and William Ross (69:04).

Millen and Ross lead the way in the BCR club fell championships, with Sebley leading on handicap scores.

Millen tops the road championship standings as well, with Sophie Roberts the top female contender and Ian Verber leading the handicap table.