Teenager Helen so close to European race date

Buxton Athletic Club's Helen Thornhill (17) was an oustanding fifth at the British Athletics European Mountain Running Championship Trial on the steep slopes of Skiddaw in Keswick, the Lake District.

The race was the trial for the European Championships (Uphill) in Kamnik, Slovakia, in July.

Helen was just outside the automatic qualification places for the four-girl under-20 team that will represent England.

Helen will join the rest of the Buxton AC junior fell running team for the last race in the English Junior Fell Championships at Cowpe, Rossendale, where they are hoping to retain their silver medal position.

Helen has already done enough to have won the under-19 girls’ gold medal.

She will be wearing a Derbyshire vest to compete as part of the county team in the Inter-Counties Fell Championship, which is incorporated into the race.

Her success was part of another good week of running for the youngsters of Buxton.

At the Staffordshire Moorlands Summer series at Titterworth Reservoir, Leek, the junior race saw Stuart Diamond finish second overall and second in his boys’ 14 years age group.

Lucy Bednall was fourth overall and won her girls’ 14 years category.

Abbie Fryer-Winder was 27th as she won her girls’ 13 years category.

Lucy had another fantastic race at the Wincle Trout Run where she was sixth overall and the first junior girl after a sprint finish.

In the adult race, Elliot Meylan was 12th overall out of 311 runners.

At Lyme Park Parkrun, Buxton boys filled the first four junior positions.

Sam Soles was third overall — first junior and first in the 11-14 years boys’ age group.

Jacob Winfield was fourth overall and first 15-17 years boy.

Fifth-placed Luke Farrant was second in his age category and Dan Soles was sixth, third in the 15-17 years boys.

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