WHARFEDALE Harriers’ athletes of all ages are celebrating success following the final race of the PECO Cross Country League.

The league is composed of a series of five races at stunning locations around Leeds, such as the grounds of Temple Newsam House and Middleton Park.

The finale, at Roundhay Park takes in the delights of both Soldiers’ Field and picturesque woodland trails.

In the 2015-16 season both the senior men’s team secured promotion to the First Division of their league.

That success spurred the seniors to field strong teams in the 2016-17 campaign.

The men’s team were unbeaten across the season as they won each of the five races in style and secured promotion to the Premier Division for tnext season.

The core of the men’s team, led by Lee Athersmith, Sam Watson, David Driver, Christian Holmes and David Kirkham generally finished in a cluster between fifth and 20th places, giving unbeatable team scores. Additionally in the men’s veterans Premier Division, Wharfedale finished a respectable third.

Notable individual men’s results came from Christian Holmes, who won the vet 40 category across the series, and Nick Charlesworth who took the vet 50 prize.

The ladies team enjoyed mixed fortunes, After coming ninth in the first race they regrouped across the season and went on to gain second place in the next event before winning the last three.

These results secured second place in their division but, importantly, they won promotion to the First Division.

The ladies team generally included Sophie Martin, Emma Dodd, Monica Padilla, Judy Howells and Jennifer Battersby with either Martin or Dodd finishing in the top 10. In the ladies Veterans First Division, Wharfedale finished fifth from 12 teams.

The junior races don’t have a team component but individual athletes compete for league places across the season.

Here too, Wharfedale’s young athletes shone. Alex Thompson, (yr 7-9) competed in four of the races and won all of them to claim the league title.

Logan Hargreaves-Madhas (yr 10-12) won two races and was second in two more to secure top spot ahead of clubmate Will Thompson who finished in second place after winning one race, as well as claiming two seconds and a third place across the series.