Nick Craig became the First veteran to win the prestigious Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race on Sunday, setting a new record for the over-40s in the process.

The Derbyshire-based 40-year-old ended Rob Jebb’s seven-year domination, beating the reigning Three Peaks foot-race champion by just 15 seconds in clocking 2hr 54min 12sec.

Craig last won the cyclo-cross classic race 18 years ago and has finished second to Jebb six times in recent years.

Craig and Jebb were locked in a tussle virtually throughout the 38-mile race, which has 5,000 feet of ascent.

“I am really proud to win,” said Craig, who took a breathtaking 17min 3sec to cover the five-and-a-half miles from the summit of Peny-ghent to the finish line – an average of 22mph.

First lady was Renee Saxton, of Otley AC, a New Zealander taking part in the race for the first time. She clocked 4hr 18min 36sec to beat last year’s winner Heather Dawe (JD Cycles), who is also from Otley, into second place.

Sharon Smith, sixth, in 4hr 51min, and Mary-Jane Mallon, fourth lady veteran in 5hr 16min, completed a great day for Otley.

This year’s 47th race marked 50 years since the challenge was devised by Ermysted’s Grammar School pupil Kevin Watson, who was 14 when he pioneered the route around Ingleborough, Whernside and Penyghent. Fittingly, he presented the prizes at the weekend.

In tribute, current Ermysted’s PE teacher Kevin White took part in Sunday’s race.

He said: “My shirt will go into a place of honour in the school. Hopefully another student will look at it one day and decide to push themselves towards a goal that many suggested was impossible.”

A record 482 set out from Helwith Bridge, Cononley’s Ian Taylor (Craven Energy) finishing tenth. Clubmate Peter Keron from Carleton was 37th and Bob Whitfield was second veteran.