Wharfedale’s young runner James Hall is making a big impression in his first season in the senior ranks.

The 17-year-old produced an impressive performance to finish second in Saturday’s BOFRA Championship race which was staged as part of the Highland Games at Alva in Scotland.

The race features a run up to the summit of the Torry and features a 1,300-foot climb.

Guest of honour this year was the legendary fell runner Tommy Sedge-wick, who won the race 13 times from 1968 until 1980. He saw Helm Hill runner Alastair Dunn win the race for the eighth time. Conditions on the day were ex-tremely hot and dusty for the 67 competitors.

Athletes who set off fast soon ran out of steam as they were confronted by the sheer ascent.

Hall had a tremendous climb. Four runners broke away from the rest of the field going round the summit and he was one of them with Dunn looking a major threat along with Scottish athletes Stuart Whittle and Andrew Wright.

After the climb it’s all about descending the fell at breakneck speed and with the dry conditions it was hard for runners to keep on their feet over the rocky ground and through gorse bushes.

Almost everyone who finished had grazes and thorns to deal with. Hall pushed Dunn hard and finished just two seconds behind him in a time of 21.16.

Defending BOFRA champion Ted Mason from Appletreewick is renowned for his fearless descending and he finished fifth with his Wharfedale Harriers colleague Jimmy Craig from Hellifield in sixth place.

Two Craven ladies had storming runs. Kirsty Hall of Threshfield finished second lady and Settle’s Judith Marshall was third.

With lots of prize money up for grabs some of the local juniors must have thought Christmas had come early.

In the under-12 race, Thomas Mar-shall – grandson of Tommy Sedge-wick – put in massive effort for Settle Harriers to win the race ahead of Wharfedale’s Ciaren Crabtree and Logan Hargreaves Madhas, who finished second and fourth respect- ively.

Keighley & Craven’s Will Atkinson finished in fifth place and was chased home by his sister Katie who was the first girl finisher in sixth place overall.

The Wharfedale duo of Keera Nelson and Rebecca Kerman also cashed in. They were in the money as the second and third0placed girl finishers.

The under-14 race saw James Lund chase winner Josh Boyle of Hyndburn home to gain second place.

Wharfedale’s Thomas Nelson, who is just coming back from injury, was third ahead of club-mates Robbie Johnstone and Josh Newbold who were fourth and sixth. Wharfedale runner Shona Hastings was the first under-14 girl.

The under-17 race saw Jacob Boyle of Hyndburn score a comfortable win but two girls from Ingleton who run for Wharfedale produced impressive performances.

Ellie Lambert finished second overall and first girl with Hannah Newbold the third girl home.

The BOFRA season continues on Sunday at Cracoe. The seniors will be climbing to the Obelisk and back.