SARAH Tunstall and Katie Ingram were the first two counters as the Great Britain and Northern Ireland senior women took silver at the World Mountain Runn-ing Championships.

The 25th jubilee edition of the Championships at Campodolcino in Italy was also a historic day for the British as it was the first time a combined team had been entered instead of separate teams for each home nation.

Clitheroe physiotherapist Sarah Tunstall had missed the trial race with an Achilles tendon injury which had sidelined her for six weeks, but fortunately her boss is Denise Park, the physio to the World Moun-tain Running Association.

Intensive treatment, which even included a trip to Switzerland where Denise was on duty at the Sierre-Zinal race, got her to the start-line in good shape.

The selectors had kept faith with Sarah after her bronze medal in the European Championships last year, and she repaid them in full with fourth place. The only athletes to beat her were three Italians who not only had the advantage of local knowledge, but crucially were acclimatised to running at 6,000 feet.

Chorley-based Katie Ingram won the trial in Keswick which had been designed to replicate the Italian course as closely as possible with its up-and-down format, so it was no surprise that she enjoyed another good run.

Weather conditions were ideal for the athletes as the sun came out following a cold and windy morning with temperatures only just above freezing.

The senior women completed two laps of the 4.3 kilometre circuit, each lap including 275 metres of climb and descent.

Katie finished seventh, in a second under 45 minutes and 11 seconds behind Sarah.

Kate Goodhall from Stroud was 11th and the final counter, giving them 22 points, while Bingley’s Mary Wilkinson was the team’s insurance in 14th.

The Czech athlete Anna Pichrtova, who was once a member of Clayton Harriers, finished sixth in spite of carrying a hamstring injury, and Billy Burns from Lostock was the first British counter in the senior men’s race in 23rd.

The silver won by the senior women was Britain’s best result, although the junior men won team bronze with Alexander Hendry, Robbie Simpson and Scott McDonald all making the top 20.

Every member of the successful women’s team will be in action again, this time for England, at the Commonwealth Games in Keswick.

Ingram will feature in the uphill race on Friday September 18, and in the up-and-down race on Sunday September 20, while Tunstall has been chosen for the up-and-down race.