Pen y Fan Race 2008 Results
Click here for photos
Report
11.00am Saturday 19th July 2009
68 runners
Pen Y Fan is one of the classic short fell races, and the athmosphere on the start line is nearly as intense as the smell of sweaty vests and fear.
But this year couldn't we also hear a fiercely mumbled oath...? "Kaphar hunnu bhanda marnu ramro" - better to die than to live a coward (or miss the Pan Y Fan Race) - the motto of the Gurkha regiment, who had brought a team over from Brunei to do the Brecon Fans races and then Snowdon. It could the motto for all fell runners.
After a few showers, the weather lifted for the race, though the wind on the tops was ferocious. Will Horsley, down from Northumberland, led the climb with Charles Sykes, who's not run on the fells for years but is obviously a real talent. Mark Palmer hung in, suffering a bit from his 2nd place at Wasdale, with Martin Shaw for company. Martin got ahead near the summit, but found that running in front of Mark didn't suit him.
On the steep descent Will and Charles were powerless as Mark thundered past, Martin chasing but never quite joining the battle. It was a close race, and brought 4 runners home under 35 minutes.
Sharon Woods (NB number 51) showed she is coming back to fitness after slipped disk miseries, winning the ladies race in 51:51, in 51st place (say no more, she's freaked out already).
Mynydd Du took 1st and 4th places, so initially looked like lifting the team prize for the 3rd year running, but excellent packing from the Gurkhas won the day, with 8th, 9th and 13th places.
Naomi's Mum (Sally Law, 1st V60) was quite chuffed to beat their CO, but perhaps he had to bring up the rear for strategic reasons.
The records were safe and sound, and the prize fund on the men's record should rise to £300 for next year, £100 on the ladies'.
Unfortunately Ade found it too windy on the summit to take any split times, so we can't do the usual analysis of rankings on the ascent/descent.
Thanks to Andy Jones, Ade O, Steve Ellwood and Mike Law who marshalled up the hill and took photos, Tony Law who helped at the finish, and to everyone else who helped in any way. Thanks also to the sponsors who helped us provide great prizes (Cotswold, Barry Tomlinson, Breconshire Brewery) and free food for all (St. Mary’s Bakery).
Crispin and Naomi
Prize Winners
Category | Name | Club | Time |
1st Open Male |
Mark Palmer (V40) |
Mynydd Du |
34:11 |
2nd Open Male |
Charles Sykes |
Swindon |
34:23 |
3rd Open Male |
William Horsley |
Northumberland Fell Runners |
34:30 |
1st Open Female |
Sharon Woods |
Mynydd Du |
51:51 |
2nd Open Female |
Emily Gibson |
Swansea University |
53:51 |
1st Male V40* |
Martin Callaghan |
Ludlow |
44:20 |
1st Male V50 |
Stephen Littlewood |
Hereford Couriers |
46:43 |
1st Male V60 |
Gary Gunner |
Croft Ambrey |
49:41 |
1st Male V70 |
------------- |
|
|
1st Female V40 |
Hanneke Van der Werf |
Mynydd Du |
55:20 |
1st Female V50 |
------------- |
|
|
1st Female V60 |
Sally Law |
Unattached |
55:32 |
1st Female V70 |
------------- |
|
|
1st Local |
Michael Keddle |
Brecon |
44:00 |
Team (3 runners) |
Tulasi Gurung (8th) |
Gurkha |
38:34 |
|
Shankar Magar (9th) |
Gurkha |
38:57 |
|
Bejaya Tamang (13th) |
Gurkha |
41:55 |
* awarded to 2nd placed MV40 as Mark Palmer was overall winner |
Full Results
Name | Race No | Club | Cat | Time | Position |
Mark Palmer |
4 |
Mynydd Du |
MV40 |
00:34:11 |
1 |
Charles Sykes |
23 |
Swindon |
MS |
00:34:23 |
2 |
William Horsley |
29 |
Northumberland Fell Runners |
MS |
00:34:30 |
3 |
Martin Shaw |
6 |
Mynydd Du |
MS |
00:34:50 |
4 |
Steve Hebblethwaite |
28 |
Keswick AC |
MS |
00:36:34 |
5 |
Simon Barnby |
48 |
Brecon AC |
MS |
00:36:51 |
6 |
Patrick Woodisse |
22 |
Bristol & West |
MS |
00:38:28 |
7 |
Tulasi Gurung |
89 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:38:34 |
8 |
Shankar Magar |
96 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:38:57 |
9 |
Gary Crone |
8 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:39:54 |
10 |
Nick Frost |
12 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:40:55 |
11 |
Tony Robson |
25 |
Pennine |
MS |
00:41:18 |
12 |
Bejaya Tamang |
92 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:41:55 |
13 |
Joe Pickles |
32 |
Great Western Runners |
MS |
00:42:25 |
14 |
Mohan Angdembe |
93 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:42:29 |
15 |
Ananta Rai |
90 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:42:44 |
16 |
Man Gurung |
99 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:43:22 |
17 |
Sagar Gurung |
98 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:43:27 |
18 |
Michael Keddle |
38 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:44:00 |
19 |
Manindra Rai |
95 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:44:01 |
20 |
Tim Corbett |
11 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:44:19 |
21 |
Martin Callaghan |
49 |
Ludlow |
MV40 |
00:44:20 |
22 |
Simon Blease |
20 |
Brycheiniog |
MV40 |
00:44:50 |
23 |
Andrew Smallwood |
7 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:44:53 |
24 |
AndrewMason |
10 |
Springfield Striders |
MV40 |
00:45:14 |
25 |
Carl Thompson |
33 |
Royal Air Force |
MV40 |
00:45:24 |
26 |
Steven Metcalfe |
56 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:45:53 |
27 |
Dylan Owen |
26 |
Eryri |
MV40 |
00:46:08 |
28 |
Suraj Magar |
97 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:46:19 |
29 |
Steve Bajic |
1 |
Telford Harriers |
MV40 |
00:46:25 |
30 |
Chris Fell |
54 |
South West Vets |
MV40 |
00:46:30 |
31 |
Stephen Littlewood |
24 |
Hereford Couriers |
MV50 |
00:46:43 |
32 |
Alun Saunders |
36 |
Hills Plymouth Gazelles |
MS |
00:46:56 |
33 |
Gwyn Lloyd |
3 |
Pontypridd Roadents |
MV50 |
00:47:04 |
34 |
Carl Lewis |
35 |
Hills Plymouth Gazelles |
MV40 |
00:47:29 |
35 |
Richard Skinner |
30 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:47:43 |
36 |
Martin Longhurst |
21 |
Great Western Runners |
MV50 |
00:48:00 |
37 |
Peter Tracey |
44 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:48:05 |
38 |
Tom Hall |
27 |
Unattached |
MV40 |
00:48:05 |
39 |
Julian Catmull |
17 |
Springfield Striders |
MV40 |
00:48:20 |
40 |
Krishna Limbu |
100 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:48:22 |
41 |
Jon Legge |
16 |
Springfield Striders |
MV40 |
00:48:35 |
42 |
Nick Kaiser |
18 |
Totley AC |
MV50 |
00:48:40 |
43 |
Indra Limbu |
91 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:48:51 |
44 |
Nick Jenkins |
34 |
Ledbury Harriers |
MS |
00:49:05 |
45 |
Russell Porter |
55 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:49:28 |
46 |
Gary Gunner |
19 |
Croft Ambrey |
MV60 |
00:49:41 |
47 |
Andrew Kettles |
15 |
Springfield Striders |
MV40 |
00:49:50 |
48 |
Nick Whittingham |
43 |
Penistone FR |
MV50 |
00:50:05 |
49 |
Paul Baker |
52 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:51:27 |
50 |
Sharon Woods |
51 |
Mynydd Du |
FV40 |
00:51:51 |
51 |
Paul Taylor |
47 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:52:25 |
52 |
Stuart Woodhead |
42 |
Penistone FR |
MV50 |
00:52:30 |
53 |
John Williams |
14 |
Springfield Striders |
MV50 |
00:52:51 |
54 |
Geoffrey Dimelow |
41 |
Penistone FR |
MV50 |
00:53:41 |
55 |
Emily Gibson |
2 |
Swansea Uni |
FS |
00:53:51 |
56 |
Adrian Taylor |
37 |
Hills Plymouth Gazelles |
MV40 |
00:54:33 |
57 |
Hanneke Van der Werf |
39 |
Mynydd Du |
FV40 |
00:55:20 |
58 |
Sally Law |
5 |
Unattached |
FV60 |
00:55:32 |
59 |
Tom Usher |
94 |
Gurkha |
MS |
00:58:04 |
60 |
Richard Harding |
31 |
Unattached |
MS |
00:58:19 |
61 |
David Gilbert |
40 |
MDC |
MV50 |
00:58:33 |
62 |
William Darby |
50 |
Mynydd Du |
MV50 |
00:59:39 |
63 |
Sean Bird |
53 |
Unattached |
MS |
01:03:25 |
64 |
Peter Evans |
13 |
Unattached |
MV60 |
01:08:30 |
65 |
Sarah Mann |
46 |
Penistone FR |
FV40 |
01:10:51 |
66= |
Andy Plummer |
45 |
Penistone FR |
MV50 |
01:10:51 |
66= |
Mick Ligema |
9 |
Ludlow Runner |
MV50 |
|
DNF |
Junior Race
We don't have full results from 2008, but in retrospect we think it went...
- Joe Fell
- Harri Keddle
- Lois Flower
- Other Fell brother
- Helen Flower (DNF)