Without a doubt the performance of the day in Saturday’s Ardwhallan Fell race came from Harry Weatherill, who finished in fifth place.
It’s less than 11 months since Harry suffered a horrible double leg fracture playing football for Ayre United in a top-of-the-table match at Peel, which caused the match to be abandoned.
Within a week, and having had a metal rod inserted in the shin of his injured leg, Harry had already stated his intention to return to fell running as soon as possible, initially targeting the Axnfell race in September.
Understandably his full recovery took a little longer than that, but his performance yesterday suggests that he had decided to delay his return to racing until he was fully fit and confident in his leg.
Harry is Back
That confidence was clear in the way he descended the very rough ground alongside the plantation on the drop down from Slieau Ruy into the valley.
He looked like he had never been away, and to finish fifth in such a big and strong field of runners as we saw yesterday was quite incredible after such a serious injury.
Harry has previously been a winner on the fells, and it’s surely only a matter of time before he is back up there again. A truly inspirational athlete!
Ardwhallan Fell Race
Harry Kneen won the fell race by just under two minutes, whilst Sam Jones was placed second and Mark Burman third.
Orran Smith was fourth, followed by Harry Weatherill who made a stunning return to racing after suffering a double leg fracture playing football last February.
The top ten were completed by Nick Colburn, Mark Teare, Tom Cringle, Chris Reynolds and Matt Callister.
Alice Forster was back in action for the first time for a while and she won the women’s race by a little over two minutes, finishing in 15th place overall.
Second was the early leader Amber Carridge, some way clear of the rest.
Rebecca Harding was third, followed by Emily Mylchreest, Emily Bridson and Caroline Caren.
Caroline turned her ankle on the final descent through the fields and hobbled in to the finish.
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