Wharfedale’s junior athlete James Hall was among a number of young runners who disregarded scorching conditions to race three times in five days, beginning with the Badger Stone Relays in Ilkley.

The relays, featuring three legs of two miles (400 feet of ascent), saw Hall’s time of 13:39 bettered only by a course record from Ilkley Harrier Tom Adams, who managed 12:53.

Adams, along with team-mates Dave Wilby and Lee Morley, had to settle for the runners-up spot as a strong Leeds City team of Adam Osborne, Chris Birchall and Martin Roscoe won with 36 seconds to spare in 42.28.

The ladies race was won by Ilkley trio Emma Barclay, Diane Haggar and Sally Morley with a combined time of 53.33, while Wharfedale Harriers won the Junior Boys title over two and a half legs through Charlie Lowrie, Thomas Nelson and Joshua Newbold.

Seventy two hours later, round three of the English Junior Fell Running Championship arrived at Cowpe near Rossendale.

Hall took victory in the under-16 race, while James Lund (Keighley, U-14) won, Josh Newbold (Wharfedale, U-12) was runner-up, Emily Elmes (Ilkley, U-10) was third and Alice Jones (Wharfedale) won the under-eights.

The following day, Coniston Gullies provided a short sharp shock in a BOFRA fell race packing 900 feet of climbing into just one mile.

Hall was at it again, taking victory in the under-17s.

Wharfedale are enjoying a purple patch at present and collected more accolades via Charlie Lowrie and Ellie Lambert (U-14), Hannah Newbold (U-17), Johnny Bradshaw and Sarah Wilson (U-23), Paul Lambert and Val Done (V45) and John Wooton (V50), while Kirsty Hall was second overall in the ladies race.

Ilkley’s Jann Smith completing the top three and first V40.

First overall was Alistair Dunn of Helm Hill in 14:45, with Pudsey & Bramley’s Ian Nixon third.