This year’s Cracoe Fell race was marked by a double hat-trick of wins as Mercia’s Simon Bailey romped home at the head of 91 runners in 19.50 mins, and Ribble Valley’s Kirsty Hall won the ladies race in an impressive 26.47.

The omnipresent sun that has baked the countryside this summer was thankfully bashful for this year’s Cracoe fell races, hiding behind cloud. However, the life giving, but drying, sun over previous months had changed this usually soft going race to a hard, ankle wrecking, overly technical endurance event. Even the ubiquitous, sneaker snatching bogs at the fell base were reduced to firm peat.

Bailey won from Ribble Valley’s Josh Boyle (21:.07) and Ilkley Harriers’ Jack Cummings (21:14), while Hall beat Pudsey and Bramley’s Rachel Pilling, 2nd, (27:.12) and Wharfedale Harriers’ Pippa Barrett, 3rd (27:43).

The under-17 race runs over the same course as the seniors and was won this year by FRA junior champion Lancaster and Morecambe’s Matthew Knowles, in a time that would have placed him fifth in the senior race of 22:23). Wharfedale’s Sam Smith was second in 22:40 with Keighley and Craven’s Eric Beaumont third in 23:26.

The girls’ race was won in 27:29 by Ilkley’s Bernadette Raven who continues to show her competition a clean set of heels.

Had she run with the seniors, she would have been third lady. Rossendale Harriers’ Lauryn Gregg chased Raven all the way to take second place in 27:36 from Ilkley’s Catherine Westhead (33:24).

The under-14 was won by Ambleside’s Charlie Allmond who sped down the finish field to win with a time of 11:48 to win from Keighley’s Sam Headley (12:19) and Helm Hill’s Alex Tallon (12:50).

Leven Valley’s Olesia Winder won the girls’ race in 13:19 from Otley’s Charlotte Rawstron (13:51) and Cumberland’s Emily Swarbrick (14:40).

Barlick’s Jacob Reeday took victory in the under-12 race in 7:52. Keighley’s James Sadler-Townsend (7:55) was second and Ambleside’s Rowan Ashworth, third two seconds back.

The girls’ race was won by Clayton-le-Moors Helana White (8:26) ahead of Leven Valley’s Georgia Bell (8:41) and Keighley’s Maisy Bellwood was third in 8:49.

The fast and furious under-nine race was won by Jamie Dent (3:.06) adding another trophy to his cabinet this season. Hot on his heels was Keighley’s Oscar Timbers (3:08) with Settle Harriers (3:10) in third place.

Leven Valley’s Lucy Bell won the girls’ race (3.15) from Wharfedale duo Isobel Patefield (3:17) and Jessica Anderson, (3:19).