SICHEL HEADS RANKINGS AS TOUGH SEASON LIES AHEAD

Sanday ultra distance runner William Sichel, currently heads this year's UK rankings for the 24hr event following performances in these events by British runners in Europe and the Far East . William's 134.4 miles at last month's Apeldoorn 24hr road race in Holland was not only his 5 th best ever performance but was good enough for 4 th overall and third in his age group and is the best by a British runner so far this year.

"I've managed to be in the top 2 in Britain for the 24hr event every year since 1998 and I'm currently on track to maintain that position for this year. The two main UK 24hr races are in July and October so we'll have to see what performances come out of them although I won't be running these events myself."

Meanwhile William has a long, tough season ahead of him with a string of different events to challenge him.

On August 7 th William will tackle the "Devil O' the Highlands" 43 mile trail race from Tyndrum to Fort William . September 11 th will see William back in Holland for the World 100km Championships and then in October William returns to the Czech Republic , for his main target of the year, the World 24hr Championships in Brno .

Finally an unusual event awaits for the end of the year when William competes for the first time in the USA running in the "Across the Years" 24hr race in Arizona on December 31st.

"It is an unusually long season for me this year so I've had a 'mini break' during June with a period of lighter training to allow for full recovery. From July I'll be building up again for the challenges that lie ahead."

William has already represented Great Britain eleven times at ultra distance running, four of these 'vests' being for the 24 hour event.

William is a long term member of the Orkney Athletic Club and in December 2002 William set new Guinness World Records for both 100 miles and 24hrs on the treadmill. With his wife, Elizabeth, he runs the Orkney Angora mail order knitwear business in Sanday , Orkney.

William is grateful to sponsors Orkney Meat (main sponsor), The Ayre Hotel, The Orcadian and Crantit Dairy (Orkney Ice Cream) and Loganair .

William's running web site, which is being developed as a resource for ultra running in general, can be found at www.williamsichel.co.uk

Picture caption: William completing 134.4 miles in the Apeldoorn 24hr road race last month.

Making contact:

William Sichel, Upper Breckan , Sanday , Orkney KW17 2AZ. Tel/Fax: 01857 600421. Mobile (whilst travelling only) 0794 128 3506. william@williamsichel.co.uk Running web site: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/

Photographs:

Newsline Scotland (Press Agency). Tel 01224 594000. photos@newsline-scotland.co.uk

Ken Amer , Orkney Photographic. Tel 01856 873574, Mobile 07808 961780 info@orkneyphotographic.co.uk

William Sichel, ‘Free to use' photographs can be down loaded from my on-line photo album. Go to: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/ and click on ‘Photos'.

29/6/04