SHIBDEN Cycling Club have belied their status as a relatively new club by coming away with silverware from one of the world's toughest mountain-bike endurance events.

The Queensbury-based outfit put five four-man teams into the 11th annual Strathpuffer 24-hour race, held at Strathpeffer near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, and were placed first, second, fourth, sixth and 12th out of the 118 competing teams.

Started in 2005 as a local event, but now rated in the top ten toughest mountain bike races in the world by US Bike Magazine and attracting riders from all over the world, the Strathpuffer attracted a record 815 competitors for the Le Mans-style start, and had weather that included gales and snow which made descents "a mixture of porridge and water".

Each lap was 11 kilometres (seven miles), and the event started at 10am on the Saturday, with the last lap having to be started by 10am on the Sunday, with a final cut-off time of 11am, and thousands of pounds were raised for charity.

Men's winner Keith Forsyth completed 28 laps, women's winner Naomi Freireich 21 laps and TV personality Guy Martin came 16th, completing 15 laps, having ridden to the event from his Yorkshire home on a fixed-wheel bike.

Shibden Cycling Club's Neil Heywood said of the club's efforts: "This was a great achievement for a recently established club with some very talented riders.

"Barry Firth, from Firth Cycles Queensbury, generously supported the club by giving his and two technicians time throughout the whole event, fixing any mechanicals and keeping all 20-plus bikes in working order.

"This was essential to the success of the team as it meant that all riders could concentrate on the course when riding, refuelling and resting throughout the 24 hours."

Event organiser Steve Macdonald praised the standard of racing and called the competitors "unbelievable".

He added: "It was a great success again. It was a complete mudbath, but everyone seemed to come out of it smiling.

“It was very mild, which made it quite pleasant for cycling, but not so good for the surface.

“It was like a combination of porridge and quick-setting cement. It was an absolute classic.”