As the morning mist burned off the River Aire at Silsden on Sunday to reveal a cloudless sky, the horn sounded to start the Rivock Edge Fell Race.

The field of 106 athletes from clubs all over Yorkshire and Lancashire set out to climb the 837 feet to the trig point on Rivock Edge and back.

Due to a necessary change of starting location the race was almost a mile longer than the scheduled 6.5 miles.

After a gentle start along the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the mood quickly changed, with a vicious ascent through Spring Crag Wood. After some contouring to cross Holden Lane, runners made a direct assault on the edge with a final tough uphill zig-zag to the trig point.

The steep descent through loose leaf litter and fallen branches in Spring Crag Wood provided some spills and thrills towards the end of the race. The final run-in along the towpath was fast and furious.

Coming out of the woods, Jonny Bradshaw of Wharfedale Harriers was in the lead with Chris Loftus of Keighley & Craven AC looking strong at his shoulder.

Sure enough, he took the lead in the final section to finish overall winner in 51min 38sec and first in the over-40 category.

Bradshaw finished second in 51.52. In consolation he took the under-40 prize.

The first woman athlete was Lucy Needham of Holmfirth in 23rd place with a time of 61.58. She finished well ahead of her nearest female rival, Carol Morgan of Nidd Valley Road Runners (65 min, 35th place).

Karen Ballantine took the over-40 age category, making a nice local double for Keighley & Craven.

Organised for the fourth year by the Keighley Scouts, who marked and marshalled the course, proceeds from this event will go to support scouts attending the Big Camp in Harrogate this year.