35th International Snowdon Race produces historic winners
Llanberis, Wales – The 2010 International Snowdon Race / Ras-yr-Wyddfa lived up to all expectations on Saturday as two young Scottish athletes swept all before them on this most famous of mountain races. Robbie Simpson and Catriona Buchanan, both just 18, won the men's and women's crowns respectively, and made light work of some of the worst conditions that the event has had to endure in recent years.
Llanberis, Wales – The 2010 International Snowdon Race / Ras-yr-Wyddfa lived up to all expectations on Saturday as two young Scottish athletes swept all before them on this most famous of mountain races. Robbie Simpson and Catriona Buchanan, both just 18, won the men's and women's crowns respectively, and made light work of some of the worst conditions that the event has had to endure in recent years.
The athletes were greeted with mist and light rain as they took to the start line at 2pm, however these conditions were nothing compared to what awaited them on the upper slopes of Snowdon, with strong winds and driving rain awaiting them at the summit, some 5 miles away and at an elevation of over 3500 feet.
Parc Padarn, the location for the race start, was described as one of the most colourful and best presented in years and despite the weather conditions a huge crowd of spectators gathered to watch the race start. In 2009 tragedy struck on the mountain as local man Mark Lear lost his life during the race. The anniversary of this sad event was marked by a minutes silence at five minutes to two, and was immaculately respected by the runners and crowd.
The event was one of great anticipation with the occasion of Kenny Stuart’s 1985 course record being marked with the man himself acting as race starter and guest of honour at the evening presentation, and once respects had been paid it was time to turn attentions to racing. Also present was Ireland’s Robbie Bryson, the summit record holder of an amazing 39 min and 47 secs and Robbie was also running the race. Add into the fold the first African competitor in the shape of Wilson Chemweno, and a little bit of Welsh rain, and this one was always going to be special.
Stuart got the runners underway at bang on two o'clock and we were soon reminded of why this race is known as the International Snowdon race with the first 40 - 50 runners a sea of English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Danish and Italian vests. But it was Kenyan Chemweno who grasped the nettle as the 483 starters made their way onto the mountain and he established a sizeable lead by halfway. Behind Italian Rolando Piana was chasing hard, and as they approached Allt Goch, some three quarters into the ascent, the strongman from Italy passed Chemweno as the weather conditions began to take their toll on the African athlete.
Tucked in behind was 18 year-old Scotsman Robbie Simpson, and as events unfolded he was about to take his chance for glory as they turned for the return trip to Llanberis. As Piana summited in first place he inextricably took the wrong path to Rhyd Ddu, a mistake that was to lose him the race, Wilson was second at the top with Simpson third. Times on top of the mountain were understandably not close to Bryson’s mark, however after the Italian’s mishap Wilson gallantly led the high-quality field as they headed for home. Unfortunately it was the tricky rocks of this famous mountain, made lethally wet by the driving rain, which were to be the African’s undoing as the British and Italian mountain men took their dive for the descent – and the young Scot would now revel in the conditions.
He quickly caught Chemweno and over the ensuing 5 miles Simpson opened up a sizeable gap on the older and hugely more experienced chasers. Amongst them three-time winner Ian Holmes, but he and the rest of the Italian and English internationals were unable to catch the Deeside youngster.
"I actually on knew that I had won as I rounded the finish straight and saw the ribbon across the line", he said, "I knew that they (Chemweno and Piana) were ahead at the top, but after I passed Wilson I was then expecting Piana to come into sight. When I hadn't caught him by half-way bridge I was thinking how fast is he going, as I thought that I was going really well! The support was amazing, it was such a great race for me. It feels great to win this race, especially at my first attempt too.”
The truth was to all unfold as the tales were told back at the finish area and it fellow Italian Alex Baldaccini who was to fly the Italian flag on the podium, outsprinting Ian Holmes for second by the slenderest of margins. It was to be a tough baptism on Snowdon for Kenyan Chemweno, who eventually finished in seventh place, however this man will never be forgotten as a possible trail-blazer for the African nation in British mountain racing, though when asked if he himself would be back again to race he simply said, "I don't think so, I hated coming down!"
Simpson’s time of 1:07:58 will not trouble the record books, however it will go down of the one of the greatest wins on this mountain.
First Welsman home was Andy Davies in 9th position, England easily took the team prize as Holmes was backed up by Richard Baker in 5th and Danny Hope in 6th . Shrewsbury's Steven Cale won the Open prize for non-international competitors in 10th place and Eryri Harriers Iain Ridgway, Matt Fortes and Hugh Connell secured a highly popular team win for the local club.
It was to be double delight for the Scottish team as Catriona Buchanan won the ladies event, and at just 18 years old the GB junior international also became the youngest female to win this prestigious mountain race. Runner-up Pippa Maddams is the reigning British fell running champion, but was unable to match the young Scot as Buchanan summitted in 52:23, some 50 seconds up on Maddams, and carried on to more or less hold the gap all way back to the finish at Parc Padarn.
Speaking later Buchanan said, “I’m so pleased. It was a very hard race out there, but I really enjoyed it and I am particularly happy to beat some very good English girls too.”
With Lauren Jeska in third place the English girls also won the team prize with back-up from Emma Clayton, who unfortunately took a heavy tumble on her way down. Nant Peris runner Sarah Ridgway won the female Open prize and also led the Eryri ladies team to the win, with back-up from Tammy Lewis-Jones and Katrina Spinney.
Leading positions
Men
1. RobbieSimpson (Scotland) 01:07:59
2. AlexBaldaccini(Italy) 01:09:11
3. IanHomes(England) 01:09:11
First 3 british runners will be heading off to italy in October to represent Snowdon Race in the relay race in Morbengo, Italy
Team: England 11 points
Women
1. Catriona Buchanan (Scotland) 01:21:19
2. Pippa Maddams (England) 01:21:56
3. Lauren Jeska (England) 01:24:33
3. Lauren Jeska (England) 01:24:33
First 2 british runners will be heading off to italy in October to represent Snowdon Race in the relay race in Morbengo, Italy
Team: England 14 points
Full results are now online at TDL Services
Race images by Al Tye over at Fell Running Pictures
The International Snowdon Race / Ras-yr-Wyddfa organising committee would like to extend their sincere thanks to all volunteers who made the race possible in 2010, and would like to thank all sponsors and supporters of the event, including priamry sponsors The Snowdonia National Park, Snowdon Mountain Railway, Orbana Health Energy, Inov-8, Pete Bland Sports, Rainbow Running, Seimens, First Hydro, Cwmni Da, Welsh Athletics, Travis Perkins, The Royal Victoria Hotel, NEWSAR, Aberglaslyn & Llanberis Mountain Rescue and the countless helpers throughout the year who have made the 2010 event such a success. Thank you!
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