The Snaefell Fell Race has ’a bit of everything,’ said Tony Rowley as he lined up with 65 other competitors for last Wednesday evening’s event.

It was his first start in a fell race for quite a number of years and it seemed like he had chosen a good night for it.

The entry of 66 was exactly the same as 2016 and all runners were looking forward to another great race in what was the penultimate round of the Callin/Wild Fell Running League.

Almost from the start, at the Bungalow, runners took different routes to the first checkpoint at Cronk y Vaare. Among others, leading man Ben Corkill and leading woman Alice Forster took a lower route while the majority of the runners climbed higher.

Because of the rain of the previous days there was a lot of mud and standing water, making it very difficult underfoot. It was not an evening for personal bests or course records.

Again, a variety of routes were taken on the descent into Laxey valley and the manned checkpoint at Snaefell Mines where Corkill held his advantage over Lloyd Taggart and visiting runner Timothy Cowin (Helm Hill), while Forster extended her lead over Keri Parry and Sarah Curphey in the women’s class. The latter was marginally ahead of under-19 athlete Alex Bell.

Leading over-50s Ian Gale and Rob Sellors were both inside the top-10.

Crossing the TT Course under supervision at Black Hut, Corkill had a 30-second lead over Taggart with only the ascent of Snaefell remaining.

But Corkill slowed dramatically on the final climb, enabling Taggart to overhaul him.

The weather deteriorated the higher the runners climbed and visibility worsened as the later runners began their ascent. Then the hail and sleet started ... in July!

Fortunately, all were carrying full waterproof gear and were able to protect themselves from the stinging hail and sleet.

Ultimately, Taggart (MV40) was a minute-and-a-half ahead of Cowin with Corkill - the leading senior man - less than a minute behind the Kendal man.

Orran Smith came in fourth and leading over-50 Ian Gale fifth.

A strong run from Alice Forster saw her lead the women’s race from the start, finishing eighth overall ahead of Keri Parry (18th) and Sarah Curphey (27th).

Maggie Watkins was the first female veteran over-50, while Rose Hooton had another good race to be first FV60 home.

John Norrey was the third MV50 finisher in 16th place. and Peter Cooper won the MV60 race ahead of Ian Callister and Les Brown.

l Manx Fell runners wish to thank the landowners for access and Sean Craig for sponsoring the race.

Thanks also to all the marshals out on the course and at the finish for a fabulous job in very unpleasant conditions and to the runners who hung around at the end to make sure everyone returned safely.

Snaefell Fell Race, Wednesday, Manx Fell Runners, sponsored by Sean Craig & Sons - results: 1, Lloyd Taggart (M40 Manx Fell Runners) 44min 05sec; 2, Timothy Cowin (M40 Helm Hill) 46.31; 3, Ben Corkill (MSEN MFR) 47.46; 4, Orran Smith (MSEN Westeran AC) 47.49; 5, Ian Gale (M50 MFR) 50.11; 6, Neil Brogan (MSEN MFR) 50.47; 7, Andy Watson (M40 Unattached) 52.04; 8, Alice Forster (WSEN MFR) 52.05; 9, Rob Sellors (M50 MFR) 53.15; 10, Charlie Whipp (MSEN MFR) 54.09; 11, Nigel Maddocks (MSEN MFR) 54.23; 12, Mark Murphy (MSEN MFR) 54.37; 13, Paul Thomas (M40 MFR) 54.54; 14, Alan Sandford (M40 IoM Veteran AC) 55.25; 15, Peter Bradley (M40 MFR) 56.08; 16, John Norrey (M50 MFR) 56.21; 17, Matt Callister (M40 Northern AC) 56.27; 18, Keri Parry (WSEN MFR) 57.20; 19, Gary Kelly (MSEN U/t) 57.39; 20, Jim Macgregor (M40 NAC) 58.07; 21, Neil Kaye (M40 MFR) 58.52; 12, Gary Christian (MSEN MFR) 59.04; 23, Steven Underwood (MSEN U/t) 1:01.18; 24, Richard George (M40 Manx Tri Club) 1:01.33; 25, Jim Read (M40 MFR) 1:01.39; 26, Svetlin Krastev (MSEN MFR) 1:01.53; 27, Sarah Curphey (WSEN MFR) 1:01.59; 28, Steve Partington (M50 Manx Harriers) 1:02.00; 29, Alex Bell (U19B MFR) 1:02.03; 30, Lewis Veale (M40 IoM Vets) 1:04.14; 31, Robert Crichton (M40 MFR) 1:04.16; 32, Tibor Miklos (MSEN MFR) 1:04.19; 33, Helen Davies (WSEN MFR) 1:04.50; 34, David Smith (M50 MFR) 1:04.54; 35, Shaun Hubbard (M50 MFR) 1:05.23; 36, Dave Rielly (M50 MFR) 1:05.23; 37, Daniel Roberts (MSEN MFR) 1:06.43; 38, Adam Fretwell (MSEN MFR) 1:06.56; 39, Maggie Watkins (W50 MFR) 1:07.09; 40, Lee Alstead (M50 MFR) 1:07.45; 41, Debbie Walker (W40 Derwent AC) 1:07.56; 42, Kirsty Arnold (WSEN MFR) 1:08.07; 43, Caroline Caren (W40 MFR) 1:08.36; 44, Kevin Costain (MSEN MFR) 1:08.42; 45, Matthew McSevney (M40 MFR) 1:10.30; 46, Tony Rowley (M50 MFR) 1:11.54; 47, Ali Clague (W40 MFR) 1:12.00; 48, Will Heap (W50 U/t) 1:12.39; 49, Doug Hornby (M40 MFR) 1:12.55; 50, Rosie Ormsby (WSEN MFR) 1:13.10; 51, Peter Cooper (M60 IoM Vets) 1:13.21; 52, Ian Callister (M60 MH) 1:13.23; 53, Craig Wolstencroft (M50 U/t) 1:13.32; 54, Michael Connors (M50 MFR) 1:13.33; 55, Rose Hooton (W60 MFR) 1:14.12; 56, Mike Turner (M50 MFR) 1:15.43; 57, Suzanne Wild (W40 MFR) 1:15.44; 58, Dominic Murphy (MSEN MFR) 1:16.53; 59, Alex Parkes (M50 MFR) 1:17.11; 60, Michael Tait (M50 MFR) 1:17.17; 61, Nicola Bowker (W40 NAC) 1:19.14; 62, Les Brown (M60 MH) 1:25.46; 63, Sharen Gardner (W40 MFR) 1:25.48; 64, Mark Cleator (M50 MFR) 1:29.07; 65, Paul Killey (M50 MFR) 1:31.51. DNF Adam Huxham.