Isle of Wight Fell Running Championship
ZIPPY Grice found the Isle of Wight hills to his liking by finishing fifth overall at the Isle of Wight Fell Running Championship.
A gruelling schedule of three races in two days attracted runners from all over the country with Cambridge Harriers' Dean Lacy returning to win the overall title for the third year on the trot.
Zippy gave the Cambridgeshire runner a fair old battle in the first event, the St Boniface Fell race, which consists of a three mile run with a 775 foot ascent. Lacy won the race in a time of 17min 54sec, with Zippy winning a tight finish for second in 18:39, just two seconds ahead of Daniel Green from Ashford & District Road Runners.
Stubbington team-mate Ben Whittaker, after a month's break from racing, was back in the fray with wife Rachel. Ben came 57th in a time of 25:04, while Rachel ran well for 83rd overall and 19th female finisher in 33:17. Ryde Harriers' Ulla Korenjak, who won the overall series, led the ladies home in 21st place in 21:15.
The second race on Saturday afternoon, just hours after the St Boniface Fell race, was the seven-mile Ventnor Horseshoe, which featured an energy-sapping 1,500 foot ascent. Zippy finished seventh in this race in a time of 59.51, behind winner Lacy in 53.52. Ryde's Korenjak was again the top female runner in 1hr 6min for 18th overall.
On the Sunday, the final race of the series featured the 13-mile Wroxall Round, with another 1,500 foot ascent. Lacy again led the way with an eight minute winning margin for a time of 1hr 22min 27sec. Zippy ran well for eighth place in 1:36.09 to collect fifth place overall.
Zippy's performance earned him third place in the South of England Athletics Association Fell Running Championships.