Sarah Willhoit blazes a trail to help GB claim bronze

Willhoit, from Shrewsbury, was part of a four-strong Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the event in the Stubai district of Innsbruck in Austria.

The Championships take place over several days with different style of races taking place each day.

The uphill championships were held over seven kilometres with more than 1,000m of climbing. Runners started off in the streets of the town in the valley and then ascended the mountain, zig zagging through the woods before moving back out in the open on even steeper slopes to a cable car station where the race finished.

Willhoit was the second GB runner home in 20th place in a time of 52.39, with her effort helping the team secure bronze.

Sara was running for Great Britain and Northern Ireland as part of a four-person team taking on teams from 22 other countries. The GB team came home third with 51 points ahead of strong mountain running countries like Italy in fourth and USA in fifth. Germany were second and Kenya were crowned the world champions with just 17 points.

Scout Adkin (51.39) led the GB charge in eighth place, with Phillipa Williams (53.19) 23rd and Kate Avery (53.39) 24th.

Willhoit, who runs for Mercia Fell Runners on the fells and for Shrewsbury AC at cross country, was selected for the team after winning the GB uphill trial race held at Keswick.

She claimed victory in the the 6.4-kilometre race in 45.20, with Williams (Dark Peak Fell Runners) second and Avery (Shildon) third.

Two days after winning that event and confirming her selection for Austria, Willhoit turned out for Shropshire in the British Inter County Fell Running Championships, held on the scenic Howgill Hill in Sedbergh.

Shropshire’s women’s team finished an impressive seventh out of 17 competing counties.

Willhoit led the team home in fourth place, with Jules Toone 30th and Monika Oparka 43rd.

Shropshire’s Mel Price sacrificed her own race as she kindly stopped to help a runner from Yorkshire who had collapsed. All ended well and the runner recovered.

Shropshire’s men’s team finished 13th out of 20 counties. Ludlow’s Oliver Perratt, the reigning Shropshire champion, was first home for the county in 23rd place. James Stuart was59th and Aidan Yapp 65th and 10th under-23.

Will Longden recent winner of the Wrekin Streak race is in the GB under-20 team for the up and down race at the World Championships. Will runs for Buxton, but is this year based at Harper Adams University in Newport.

The British Junior Inter Counties is being held in Church Stretton.

Organised by Telford Athletic Club’s Alison Preece, there will be races for under-9s, under-11s, under-15s, under-17s and under-19s.

The race is also one of the Fell Runners Association English Championship races. The races are being held on Saturday 24th June at Gaerstone Farm, Hope Bowdler, just outside Church Stretton on the Much Wenlock road.