Thanks to all the marshals and helpers and everyone at Beaufield park for the use of there facilities

It was great to see so many new faces taking on the fells and making it such a good race hopefully the record numbers will continue in to the next race in the series at Baldwin Valleys on the 18th February.

Full results from Greeba are here, with pictures and more coverage from Murray Lambden at manxathletics.com

Registration will be at Beaufield Park, formerly Cronk Dhoo Campsite, from 12.15pm. There will be an early start at 1.00pm for runners who expect to take over 2 hours to complete the course. The main race goes at 1.30pm.

Full safety equipment is mandatory for all runners and the minimum age to enter is 18 years as at the 1st January 2012.

The organisers would like to thank everyone at Beaufield Park for their help and cooperation.

Lloyd Taggart started 2012 as he left off in 2011 taking a convincing victory completing the course in a little over 22 minutes although this time was almost a minute slower than the previous year a sign that the very muddy conditions had made the going tougher.  Second place went to the ever improving Oliver Lockley who must be the contender for the fastest descent of the day pushing experienced fell runner Simon Skillicorn, who is no slouch on the downhills, into 3rd spot.

Leading lady was Kate Burge, finishing 13th overall in an excellent time of 29 minutes and 6 seconds, second lady was Rebecca Wallace in 31st overall with Judith Quane taking 3rd position.

In the junior race Jason Moore took the win staying ahead of his bother Shaun in second with Illiam Quane taking 3rd spot.

Thanks as always to the marshals and officials and to Doug for compiling the long list of results!

Full results are now available here, with photos of the event from Murray Lambden, Paul Sheard and Dave Kneen at there respective links.  There is also a video available of the race and further coverage by Murray at manxathletics.com

Don’t forget next race is at Greeba on the 28th January, a classic manx course and always a popular event, hope to see you all there.

Full results now available here, check out coverage thanks to Murray Lambden at manxathletics.com and photos by Peter Bradley are available here

A few of us are having a recce over the New Year’s Day course on Sunday, starting from St Johns FC at 09:30. The recce will take the form of a very low-key handicap race with the slowest starting first and (hopefully!) everyone finishing together.

We’ll go for coffee & cake somewhere after.

n.b. Don’t forget to come down with an estimate of your race time!

The season opened on New Years Day with 122 competitors at the St Johns race. All entry fees were donated to charity and along with donations from spectators MFR were able to pass over more than £800 to Hospice.

There was considerable success in off island competition with Lloyd Taggart winning the English Fell running Championships: he also retained his British Veterans title and came second overall in the Championship series.

The Isle of Man was represented in the Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships in Llanberis and at the same venue three juniors took part in the British Junior Home International. The junior event is held annually and there is every possibility that we will be able to send more juniors in the coming years. Each home country takes it in turn to stage the international and we are hopeful that eventually it will be held on the Isle of Man.

In October the Junior Fell Championships were held at Peel. It attracted 105 youngsters from the age of six. This was a most remarkable event with a quite superb atmosphere generated by the school children and their parents. There is still huge potential to greatly increase the numbers of schools involved in this event. Talks are already ongoing for next year.

The first in a planned series of navigation courses was held in August which was very well received. It is planned to hold further courses in 2012.

Finally the Winter Hill League is currently being held. The first two rounds have attracted 93 runners which is way above the previous best.

The one negative this year has been the continued decrease in numbers in the MMM. In a bid to halt this trend the committee of the MFR have taken the bold decision to move the race to a much later date. It is accepted that this is a fairly big gamble but it is one that MFR are prepared to take.

The opening round of the 2012 Rentokil sponsored Manx Fell Running League takes place on its traditional New Years Day date again next year. The Supercards sponsored St Johns Fell Race will see runners facing  a short 3 miles blast to the summit of Slieau Whallian and back, starting and finishing at St Johns football club.
Start time is 2.00pm with registration from 1.00pm at the clubhouse. Minimum age is 12 years on race day.
All entry fees will be donated to two charities, Rebecca House and the Hyperbaric Chamber.
Competitors are invited to take part in fancy dress, no theme this year, with an award to the best dressed runner. There will also be an award to the first male and female finisher who has taken part in the Peel dip on the morning of the race.

Please inform the organisers if you have done the dip when you register. Refreshments and prize presentation in the clubhouse after the race.

What better way to bring in the new year!…