ANNA Lupton became the first Black Combe Runners lady to triumph in an English championship counter race.

She snatched victory on the line by just two seconds in the Wasdale Horseshoe Fell Race.

Lupton was involved in a three-way battle for honours with Keswick AC's Catherine Spurden and England international Nichola Jackson, of Preston Harriers, for much of the 21.1-mile course, which included 9,022ft of ascent.

It all came down to a sprint to the line between Lupton and Jackson, with the former having just enough in the tank to take the win in a time of 4hrs 41mins 26secs. Spurden was third in 4:45.12.

The only other BCR representative to finish was Harvey Lord, who took 38th overall in 4:37.18. John Millen had to retire at the Pillar checkpoint, while the race was won by Keswick's Carl Bell in a time of 3:40.53.

Lord claimed a top-10 finish in the Buttermere Horseshore Long Fell Race, completing the 22.1-mile, 8.251ft ascent course in 4:42.45 for ninth. Ambleside's John Helme claimed third in 4:20.38.

The British and English championships counter at Tebay, covering nine miles and a 3,000ft of ascent, saw Lord and Millen clock 1:25.50 and 1:30.44 respectively, with Lupton finishing 29 seconds behind Millen.

Club captain Rebecca Rooke clocked 1:34:44 and her husband Matthew arrived two minutes later. New member Alice Forster finished in 1:45.09, and Simon Austin was pleased with his 1:55.31.

Chris Roberts stayed under two hours by recording a time of 1:57.43 and Lou Lyness arrived in 2:09.08, but Lynn Murray was one of six retirements.

Austin (46:28), John Shevelan (50:16) and Sophie Roberts (64:01) picked up club points with their showings in the hilly 10km race at Endmoor.

Elsewhere, Phil Clayton completed the seven-mile, 1,312ft ascent Settle Hills race in 76:36 and Andrew Gittins got around the Kettlewell Anniversary Fell Race in 64:50.

BCR's next fell race counter is this Sunday's six-mile, 2,400ft ascent course from Coniston Hall to the Old Man of Coniston and back as part of the annual County Fair, with entry on the day.

Upcoming road club counters are the Ulverston 10k on Wednesday, August 9 and the Hoad Hill half-marathon at Ford Park on Sunday, August 13.

David Fulford set a new course record with victory in the Bentham 10k after clocking 35mins 13secs.

The Hoad Hill Harriers' member held third place for half of the race and then caught the leaders on the hilly sections, passing them to take the win in a record time.

Patrick Thomas was first home in the V60 category with his clocking of 46:22, with Pete Davison (47:11) and Adrian Newnham (50:13) the other Hoad Hill finishers.