We spend a lot of time running here in the fells, but sometimes our love of the sport takes us a little bit further afield to pit our skills against the wild landscapes of a different country.

At the end of October, the world’s best mountain runners gathered in Lombardy, Italy, to compete in the Nations Cup, a one-off event held to replace the World Mountain Running Championships that were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. The Round’s Harry, who’s had a storming running season in Cumbria, was there to represent England in the under 23s team.

The race started across the border in Switzerland, then snaked its way back down to Italy through trails and villages then finished in Chiavenna. After a season full of fell races over steep and rough terrain, the net downhill route mainly over roads and smooth trails was a bit of a shock to the system for Harry, but after 90 minutes of racing, he made it back as 6th U23 and 33rd overall.

Harry and fellow Cumbria-based runners Joe Dugdale and Chris Richards also competed in the prestigious Trofeo Vanoni relay race. The race involves teams of three, who each run a 4-mile loop from the town up and back down the mountainside. Now in its 64th year, the race has a rich history of teams from the UK and Europe competing in it, and it’s famed for its electric atmosphere and competitive fields. Representing Cumbria, Harry, Joe and Chris managed to finish 7th overall, ahead of Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Poland.

Some epic achievements in the mountains!

Read more about the Trofeo Vanoni here.

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