THE Hudson brothers proved to be a winning combination in Sunday’s Stoop Fell Race.

Joe, 16, and Louis, 14, defied the freezing cold and treacherous conditions at Haworth to post victories for the Keighley & Craven club after receiving late entries to the event.

They were included in the race when their dad Rob offered to assist organiser Dave Woodhead by acting as sweeper, running around at the back to make sure everybody was safe and sound.

Joe, who had represented England twice this year in mountain running events, was the top under-18 runner after claiming third place in the senior race.

And battler Louis triumphed in the under-15s where he held off the challenge of Barlick’s Jack Villiers and Ilkley’s Lucas Mullen as he crossed the line in 6min 23sec.

Joe powered round the snow and ice covered course in 31:32 and was only 25 seconds down on senior winner Harry Holmes from Pudsey & Bramley and 16 behind second-placed Joe Baxter (Pudsey & Bramley).

Because of the poor conditions the race was run over an amended course and Joe, who like his brother is an Ermysted’s student, was disappointed to finish 22 seconds down on the record set for that route by Olympic triathlon champion Alastair Brownlee.

Joe did come home almost a minute ahead of seasoned campaigner Ian Holmes of Bingley, who was fourth.

The Wharfedale Harriers pair of Christian Holmes and Marc Sennett were ninth and 12th respectively.

The race will be good preparation for Joe’s challenge for the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships at Lightwater Valley next month where he will do battle with his friend and rival, Euan Brennan from Giggleswick School who runs for Ilkley Harriers.

The under-15 race featured a number of the area’s most promising young runners.

Alex Thompson was fifth in &:26 and was just ahead of his

Wharfedale Harriers’ colleague Alice Jones, who has shown great form for Skipton Girls High School in the English Schools Cross Country Championship. She took sixth place in 7:28 and was the top female runner.

Keighley & Craven had five runners in the top 20. Louis Hudson was joined by Sam Headley (13th), Sam Conroy (14), Donabhan Rudden (16th) and Nathan Caunt (20th).

Samuel Annison of Calder Valley won the under-nine race where Keighley & Craven’s Bethan Buckley was the top girl in third place.

Buckley’s team-mate Zac Jardine was fourth while Settle’s Carl Sanderson was eighth with Keighley & Craven’s Dylan Booth, ninth.