INVERCLYDE'S Tom Tipping destroyed the field in Sunday's opening Kendal Winter League race across Scout Scar from Underbarrow Road.

Tipping, who made his home in Kendal last year, led from start to finish and the only thorn in his side was Howgill's Paul Brittleton who decided to go with him from the off.

Brittleton, who lives at Kirkby Stephen, said after the race that his plan was to try to keep pace with the leader in the early stages but conceded: "He just kept going away."

Tipping was a minute and a half clear at the finish with Helm Hill's Johan Meyfroidt coming in third. First veteran was Kendal's Shaun Addison who was fourth after taking advantage of a navigational blunder made by Keswick's Colin Valentine.

Settle's Karen Slater won the women's race with nearly three-and-a-half minutes to spare over Laura Parsons.

The under-17 boys race was won by Kendal's Carl Robinson who beat Settle's Tom Rodgers by 21 seconds, while Sheryl Slater dominated the girls under-17 event. Helm Hill's Thomas Wright won the boys under-14 event and just six seconds behind was the girls under-14 winner Gemma Crowther.

Helm Hill's Jonathan Wright took the honours in the boys under-12 race with a five-second win from Matthew Fretwel,l while Helm Hill's Jenny Addison triumphed in the under-12 girls event.

Results:

Seniors: 1 T Tipping, Inverclyde, 30-22; 2 Paul Brittleton, Howgill, 31-53; 3 J Meyfroidt, Helm Hill, 32-24; 4 S Addison, unattached, 32-34; 5 C Valentine, Keswick, 32-43; 6 Q Harding, Bowland, 32-57. Women: 1 K Slater, Settle, 37-28; 2 L Parsons, 40-55; 3 S Harding, Bowland, 45-01.

Boys under-17: 1 C Robinson, Kendal, 14-10; 2 T Rodgers, Settle, 14-31; 3 A Crowe, 15-16.

Boys Under-14: 1 T Wright, Helm Hill, 9-34; 2 T Addison, Helm Hill; 3 B Morphet, CFR, 13-32.

Boys Under-12: 1 J Wright, Helm Hill, 6-22; 2 M Fretwell, 6-27; 3 D Lund, Settle, 6-32.

Girls Under-17: 1 S Slater, 15-47; 2 C Naylor, 16-36; 3 J Oates, 17-30.

Girls Under-14: 1 G Crowther, Helm Hill, 9-40; 2 R Parkinson, Helm Hill, 11-34; 3 K Robinson, Helm Hill, 13-32.

Girls Under-12: 1 J Addison, Helm Hill, 6-41; 2 H Sewell, Helm Hill, 8-29; 3 J Barrett, Helm

Hill, 8-42.

January 10, 2003 11:02