RUNNERS from as far afield as Mauritius and Holland lined up to compete in this year’s Muker Show Fell Race.

It is one of the smaller country shows and races but is one of the older ones at 113 years old.

From the off, as in previous years, Muker’s local favourite, Annan and District’s Andrew Livingstone and Wharfedale’s Ted Mason locked horns.

They battled for supremacy all the way to through the River Swale and on towards the lung-busting, hand over fist, 517 feet ascent up Ivelet Side and over a false summit to reach the real summit at High Kidson.

Mason was first to the summit, having kept Livingstone at bay for the entire climb.

From here Mason pulled away from Livingstone and the rest of the 68 senior runners across the undulating skyline run over a bouncy, rabbit hole pocked fell, to the second turn point at Kidson Scar.

From here, runners choose their best route down the steep sided fell to the bracken lined path leading them back to Ramps Holme Farm and the route home.

Despite a late treat in the form of a second, cooling, river crossing, this race has one last sting – an uphill run to the show field and inviting finish funnel.

Mason showed his superior running ability as he floated down the fell side to win the race in 12min 00sec from Livingstone, (12:36) and Wharfedale clubmate Tom Millard (12:59).

The ladies race was a battle between international athlete, Ribble Valley’s Kirsty Hall and Wharfedale’s Pippa Barrett battled all the way.

However, Hall’s depth of fell running experience and sheer speed won the day as she was both first to the summit and won the race from in 15:01. Second-placed Barrett clocked (15:16) and Wharfedale’s Jean Powell (17:37).

The Under-17 race goes to the first summit before tracing a path across the fell to return via the same diagonal route as the seniors, and was won by James Metcalfe (14:45) from George Hammond (17:14).

The under-14 race winner was Keighley and Craven’s Emma Peel (7:32) from clubmate Maggie Hudson (9:42) and Arabella Raine (13:37). The first boy was Miles Owen (13:35).

Alfred Atkin led the under-12s home in 6:19 from Harry Hammond (6:37) and Monty Rowland-Hill (6:51).

Harriet Rowland-Hill won the girls’ race in 6:44 from Edith Owen, (7:00) and Ellie Hughes (7:21).