Mel Price won her first ever Stretton Skyline Fell Race and with it ran the 4th fastest time ever in the 19 mile race 33 year history. The Stretton Skyline organised by Telford Athletic Club, starts and finishes in Church Stretton and has check points at Pole Bank, Ragleth, Caer Caradaoc, The Lawley and Motts Road on the Long Mynd involving 4,450 feet of climbing. Mel, from Woolston near Church Stretton, runs for the Mercia Fell Running Club she is one of the leading runners in the country and is well placed in this years British and English Championships. She overtook team mate and last years winner Emma Gould on the final Gogbatch climb onto the Long Mynd to come home in 2 hours 52 minutes and 13 seconds, 6 minutes faster than her previous best and when she was fourth last year. She is now 4th on the all time list behind coures record holder Ruth Pickvance from South Wales who ran 2.46.42 when winning in 2005. Hannah Jarvis from Mynyddwyr, was second in 3.02.22 the 13th fastest ever, whilst Polly Gibb from Coalbrookdale, the 4 times winner and second fastest ever was 3rd this year in 3.05.10.
Hugh Aggleton, who is living in Hampshire but running for the Mynyddwyr club from South Wales, won the mens race in 2.29.46 and became the first man since Shrewsbury's Mike James in 2008 to get under 2 and a half hours. He got the better of the early leader and last years winner Dominic Jones from Dorrington, who now runs for Mercia but formerley Shropshire Shufflers. Although having to settle for second place Dominic had the satisfaction of running a new personal best of 2.33.50 over 3 minutes qicker than last year. Virgil Barton from Moreton Corbet finished 3rd and the first over 40, in 2.43.13 and made a massive 12 minute improvement. Jon Hedger from Shrewsbury was 4th in 2.46.37 whilst Telford Athletic Club's Nick Thomas was 5th in 2.49.37 and the first over 50.
Paul Sanderson
