Bingley Harriers’ men won the GATHERING WINTER FOOLS RELAY on Saturday.

They completed the four-leg off-road course from Keighley in 3hr 23min 11sec.

Ilkley Harriers had a couple of teams and entered into the race’s spirit, with one team kitted out as the Nativity. Sue Bickerdike and Martin Wright ran leg one as shepherds. Jan Smith (fairy) and Stephen Rhodes (reindeer) then handed on to Clare Smith and Elle Bradley (sheep), with their own sheepdog in tow.

Emma O’Loony (king) and Paul Sugden (reindeer) got them back to the manger at UAK school in just over five and a half hours.

Golden Acre Park in Adel hosted the second PECO CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE race on Sunday. Saltaire Ladies were a fine third in the Premier Division behind Abbey Runners and Kirkstall.

Jen Willingham was 14th in a strong field of 227, with Steph Wilson (16th), Laura Marchant (32nd), Louise McGechaen (37th) and Tamsin Treasure-Jones (59th).

Eccleshill’s Claire Hern returned to competitive cross-country with a fine 15th.

Saltaire’s men were fifth, with Valley Striders winning and Ilkley’s men performing superbly in second, ahead of Abbey and Rothwell.

Tom Adams led Ilkley by winning the race.

Saltaire were well represented by Simon Pass (5th) and Will Kerr (11th), while Bradford-Airedale’s Gerard Mills (18th) was second over-45 behind Wharfedale’s Nick Charlesworth (sixth). A total of 371 men finished in a huge combined field of 598.

The previous weekend saw the second race in the WEST YORKSHIRE WINTER LEAGUE at Blackcarr Woods, Pudsey.

Skipton maintained their strong improvement in fourth, behind perennial rivals Stainland and Pudsey Pacers.

Julian Hood is leading the way for Skipton, second in the individual standings. Pudsey’s Karen Pickles and Michelle Tenwick are silver and bronze females behind Stainland’s Mag Beever. Queensbury’s Anna Smith is top over-50 in ninth.

Baildon meanwhile will be particularly pleased with third spot overall, led home in third individual by Quentin Lewis. Queensbury remain competitive, in their second season in the league, within the men’s rankings.