Today marked the first ever edition of the Salomon Buttermere Skyline.

The final race in the Golden Trails National Series, today’s race promised technical, rocky descents, lung-busting climbs and rapid runnable trails, and it certainly delivered! The route took in some of the best fells the Lake District has to offer, including the rugged fells around High Stile, Red Pike and Haystacks, and the more grassy runnable ridge round Dale Head and Robinson.

The Event Centre, located down at Rannerdale Farm was in a stunning location along the shore of Crummock Water. Far from the crowds of Keswick or Ambleside, it was nestled amongst some of the most stunning fells in the Lake District.

It was a wet start to the race, making for challenging conditions in the morning. The terrain under foot was difficult, with the course suiting the more fell-inclined runners in the field. It was also incredibly windy on the tops, making the going tough. However, the runners and marshals alike took these challenges in their stride, and it was an epic day of racing.

In the men’s race, Salomon athlete Chris Richards took the win after an incredibly strong run, coming in a sub 3 hours. As he crossed the finish, he looked like he had barely broken a sweat, and took the opportunity to really enjoy his moment crossing the finish line victorious. He was nearly eight minutes clear of Daniel Connolly in second place. The men’s podium was completed by Rob Sinclair in third place.

*Runner celebrate making it to the final of the Golden Trail National Series ©Jamie Rutherford*

It was a great day for Team Salomon, as first woman today was Betty Bergstrand, who is also a Salomon athlete. She had an extremely impressive led of 12 minutes in the women’s race. Behind her was fellow Salomon athlete, Welsh runner Beth Logan. In third place, was Hannah Havelock-Allan, who had a brilliant run.

The morning rain cleared in the afternoon, with even the occasional burst of sunshine, making for a wonderful atmosphere at the finish line today. Runners and supporters alike gathered in the Event Village, where Kong Running had a pop-up shop selling Salomon kit, and runners could refuel at Pizza Artigiano or Northumberland Coffee.

While the weather may have thrown its challenges, it was a fantastic day of running, with elite athletes and beginner trail-runners alike enjoying the sweeping views (when the weather finally cleared). The race will certainly be a great addition to the fell running calendar.