THERE was a record turn out of runners in the Gargrave Show fell races on Saturday just beating the entry record set in 2014.

A total of 97 runners lined up in the senior race - unfortunately even the race commentator Roger Ingham could not persuade a further three to don their running gear to bring the number up to a hundred.

The multi terrain course attracts competitors from all over the country and this year was no exception. Three Scots were on the podium in the senior race and many counties were represented including Derbyshire, Devon, Berkshire and Suffolk.

The Preece family from Shropshire were camping in Gargrave and five of the family were competing, Maggie and Charlie were the most successful of the quintet claiming prizes in the under 14s race.

Two senior entrants from America and one from Zimbabwe also tackled the ascent of Sharphaw, a real experience and not something they had envisaged when they initially planned a visit to their English relatives.

The Reeday brothers from Hetton dominated the first two junior races. Isaac was the winner of the under nines race and brother Jacob defended his title with a win in the under 12s, slicing almost a minute off last year’s time.

Fellow Barlick fell runner, Will Peace, a newcomer to the sport impressed with his second position in the under nines’ category. The girls gave the boys a real run for their money in both of the first races. Harriet Williams of Otley AC was the first girl home in the under nines and Martha Jackson was first girl in the under 12s and also in third position overall. Her time would have seen her take overall first position in last year’s race.

Telford AC runner twelve year old Charlie Preece was the victor in the under 14s category and his sister Maggie was the second girl home. Otley AC runner, the talented Charlotte Rawstron won the girls race, fellow team mate George Chambers was the second male runner.

The under 17s race was run alongside the senior race as the day’s events had got a little behind schedule due to a larger than normal turn out in the horse jumping which also takes place in the main ring prior to the commencement of the fell race.

The 17s course is a shorter one than the senior one so in essence it worked well as the spectators didn’t have a gap between waiting for the runners in two separate races to return home.

Jack Villiers of Barlick Fell runners made sure of that when he was the first under 17 home in a time of 13.35. International runner Alice Jones was the first girl to return. Gargrave runner Katie Atkinson was second and first local girl and her brother Will was first local boy.

Hot on their heels was the senior race winner, 27 year old Alasdair McLeod a member of Leeds City AC. Primarily an International Orienteer, Alisdair makes a fell run look seemingly effortless and the fine performance was only twenty four seconds outside the race record ( 21.21 ) set by Robert Hope back in 1999.

He was the winner of the Penyghent Fell race earlier on in the summer and he made that look like a walk in the park too. Fellow Scots made up the winning trio of males with Alasdair Anthony from Edinburgh in second place and fellow T.Riser club mate Ross Houston from Ruthin in third place. Jim Roberts flew the flag for the English and for Gargrave as he was both the first local runner and the first male over 50. There was a strong run from the leading lady, 23 year old Wharfedale Harrier Pippa Barrett, second was team mate Monica Padilla and third was Miranda Bower. First local lady was Alison Eagle from Winterburn . Alison was also the first lady Veteran over 50. Gargrave`s Jayne Butterfield was close on her heels to contest both awards.

A great afternoon of sport, only possible by the kind permission of local landowners, the generous time given by marshals, time keepers, entry secretaries, organisers and of course the rousing commentary from Roger Ingham. However without the competitors there would be no races so see you all in 2019 ( and tell your friends and team mates too )!

Prize Winners.

Under Nines: Boys: 1 Isaac Reeday Barlick Fell Runners 6.50; 2 Will Peace Barlick Fell Runners 7.08; 3 Axel Dinshaw Keighley and Craven 7,22

Under Nines : Girls: 1 Harriet Williams Otley AC 7.45; 2 Francesca Bagot Settle AC 7.53; 3 Isabelle Attwell –Skoughton

No local runners.

Under Twelves: Boys: 1 Jacob Reeday Barlick Fell runners 5.48; 2 Jack Lamb Chorley 5.57; 3 Aston Brogden Otley AC 6.32. First Local: Frederic Moorhouse-Smith 8.26

Under Twelves: Girls: 1 Martha Jackson U/A 6.03; 2 Lucille Pickles Barlick Fell runners 6.43; 3 Charlotte Chambers Otley AC 7.06. First Local: Maddie Moorhouse-Smith 8.00

Under Fourteens: Boys: 1 Charlie Preece Telford AC 9.57; 2 George Chambers Otley AC 11.12; 3 Benjamin Grundy 14.25 No local runner.

Under Fourteens: Girls: 1 Charlotte Rawstron Otley AC 10.18; 2 Maggie Preece Telford AC 10.35; 3 Amelie Lane Wharfedale Harrier 10.49. First Local: Amelie Lane.

Under Seventeens: Boys: 1. Jack Villiers Barlick Fell runners 13.35 2. Hamish Wills Wharfedale Harrier 14.56 3. Jensen Brogden Otley AC 16.19. First Local: Will Atkinson Keighley and Craven 17.10.

Under Seventeens: Girls: 1. Alice Jones Wharfedale Harrier 14.05 2. Katie Atkinson Keighley and Craven 17.20 3. Angelina Bairstow Keighley and Craven 18.22. First Local: Katie Atkinson.

Seniors: Males: 1. Alasdair McLeod Leeds City AC 21.45 2. Alasdair Anthony T.Riser 23.42 3. Ross Houston T.Riser 24.44. First Local and First Veteran Over 50: Jim Roberts Keighley and Craven 27.51.

Females: 1. Pippa Barrett Wharfedale Harrier 28.17 2. Monica Padilla Wharfedale Harrier 29.30 3. Miranda Bower U/A 30.36. First Local and First Veteran Over 50: Alison Eagle U/A 33.33.

Trophies: Silentnight Trophy Senior Winner: Alasdair McLeod .

McKell Trophy awarded to the highest placed local male from any category: Will Atkinson.

Weatherill Shield awarded to the highest placed local female from any category: Amelie Lane

Caroline Thompson