TODMORDEN Harrier star Lauren Jeska admits it was ‘fantastic’ to smash the Coledale Horseshoe nine-miler as she lay down a strong marker for this year’s British Fell Championship.

The 37-year-old defending English champion, originally from Lancaster, shaved over five minutes from the prestigious Lake District event’s previous best.

With the 14km race being a counter in both the English and British Championships, the cream of the sport lined up with huge fields in both the men’s and women’s categories.

And it was Jeska who won the battle, staying clear of second-placed Sarah O’Neil of Hunters Bog Trotters to win in one hour, 22 minutes and 40 seconds, eclipsing Pippa Maddams’ 2009 record of 1:27:52.

“It felt fantastic. It’s the biggest race of the year in Britain,” said Jeska.

“Some of the top stars did not show up and I was racing someone (O’Neil) I didn’t know but we had a great race.

“I got to the top of Grizedale and she was just ahead but it sooned turned out that I could go downhill faster so I thought I’d probably win it.”

Jeska took full advantage of some noticeable absentees to clinch victory, with five-time British fell champion Angela Mudge withdrawing just before the start after suffering a back spasm.

But such was the quality in the ladies race, climbing 3,000m at Grizedale, that all of top six finishers were inside Maddams’ 2009 mark.

Going off 10 minutes before the men, the Todmorden ace was strong enough to hold off men’s winner Joe Symonds to be the first runner back to the village of Braithwaite, 36 seconds up on O’Neil.

Ochil’s Catriona Buchanan was third, with Anna Bartlett in Mercia colours in fourth. Spain’s Debora Cardone made up the top five.

The result gives Jeska the perfect start in the British Championships and also puts her in pole position in the English equivalent.

The Lancashire and England came second in this year’s opening fixture, the Lad’s Leap in Derbyshire.

Also at the Coledale Horseshoe, the prolific Wendy Codds of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers kept up her stunning start to the year by coming home first in the over 60s ladies’ section, in a time of 1:44:50.

Jeska’s Todmorden club-mate Lucy Burnett came home in 31st place in 1:39: 01.

There was also a new record set in the men’s race as Symonds of Kendal took the finishing tape in 1:07:45.

Of the East Lancashire contingent, there was a 10th place finish for Rob Hope of Pudsey & Bramley.

Hope, who lives in Wheelton, near Chorley, was just four minutes behind Symonds in 1:11:38. Rossendale’s Sam Tosh was the second quickest U23 runner and 19th overall, clocking 1:12:52