best fell runner ever ?

[Pinchy]

Comparing Donelly, Bland, Mudge et al though is like comparing Cloughie, Shankly, Paisley and the great Sir Alex. All top of their game.

But Clough was just a little bit better than the others - he performed his magic with 2 provincial clubs remember!

[dylan]

Keith Anderson,Ian Holmes,Andy Peace and Joss Naylor.
Mick and Steve Hawkins on the day were invincible.
We have not even seen the best of Rob Jebb.
Carole Haigh/Greenwood,she still holds a fair amount of race records.
Ricky Wilde gave Kenny Stuart a good run for his money.
As to the best fell runner ever,sorry,undecided

[david]

Ricky Wilde gave Kenny Stuart a good run for his money.

Are you sure you aren't confusing Ricky Wilde with John Wild? Kenny Stuart and John Wild had some epic contests about 1983/1984.

[ydt]

Colin Donnelly had (and still has) the speed and endurance to set many more records. Hes has more or less soloed every long distance challenge there is without support or route advice. If he was better organised, he could have achieved more than anyone else.
Perhaps that is the way the great man likes things to be: out there on his own, doing things his own way.
Yiannis

[Witton Park]

I don't want to denigrate any of these runners as they were clearly top class Nationally and will be legends of Fell Running.

But were they world class?

How did they do "offshore"? You can look at the likes of David Lewis and Glynn Tromans on the Cross Country who were almost unbeatable at a National level, but in the World Cross never really performed.

Did these fell runners do it on the international stage?

[crowhill]

I don't want to denigrate any of these runners as they were clearly top class Nationally and will be legends of Fell Running.

But were they world class?

How did they do "offshore"? You can look at the likes of David Lewis and Glynn Tromans on the Cross Country who were almost unbeatable at a National level, but in the World Cross never really performed.

Did these fell runners do it on the international stage?

Is it possible to be "world class" at fell-running? - which, by definition, is only run in Britain?

[Witton Park]

Is it possible to be "world class" at fell-running? - which, by definition, is only run in Britain?

The original question was "in your opinion whos the best fell runner / mountain runner ever?"
and Mr Wyatt was thrown in.

Some have aluded to the distance issue. Surley it is almost impossible to nail it down.

Who would be the greatest athlete? Usain Bolt or Gebresallassie - they cannot really be measured fairly.

Longer fells shouldn't have more credibility than shorter stuff.

Surprised Anna Pichrtova hasn't been mentioned yet.

Good shout for Martin Jones earlier TomCee - back to back World Titles as well as 4th in the Commonwealth Games Track 10K - great versatility and quality!

[end]

The original question was "in your opinion whos the best fell runner / mountain runner ever?"
and Mr Wyatt was thrown in.

Some have aluded to the distance issue. Surley it is almost impossible to nail it down.

Who would be the greatest athlete? Usain Bolt or Gebresallassie - they cannot really be measured fairly.

Longer fells shouldn't have more credibility than shorter stuff.

Surprised Anna Pichrtova hasn't been mentioned yet.

Good shout for Martin Jones earlier TomCee - back to back World Titles as well as 4th in the Commonwealth Games Track 10K - great versatility and quality!

As someone has said it is all about the criteria.

Fell running and mountain running are apples and oranges.

So the question "who is the greatest apple/orange" does not have any real meaning.

So Anna Pichrtova is indisputably the best female mountain runner but she won't cope with Wasdale whereas on the fells Angela Mudge walks on water but does not have Anna's leg speed.

Anyone that knows anything about rugged fell running knows that BB is one of a kind and that eg Kenny followed him round and then out-kicked him towards the line- and Kenny of course ended up doing road marathons.

[Eric Postlethwaite]

I know he'll kick my arse for suggesting it, but I wish Andi Jones would have a crack

RR had a crack, albeit unprepared, unfinished

Is there something we haven't been told?

[tomcee]

I don't want to denigrate any of these runners as they were clearly top class Nationally and will be legends of Fell Running.

But were they world class?

How did they do "offshore"? You can look at the likes of David Lewis and Glynn Tromans on the Cross Country who were almost unbeatable at a National level, but in the World Cross never really performed.

Did these fell runners do it on the international stage?

...martin jones?!