IAN HOLMES raced to victory in the Boulsworth Fell Race last weekend as White Rose raiders took top prizes in the Lancashire event.

The Bingley runner clocked a time of 48mins 52 seconds to finish a minute ahead of George Ehrhardt of Todmorden. Clubmate Steve Oldfield was fourth in 51:11.

Helen Johnson completed a local double by winning the ladies race in 60:01 ahead of clubmate Pauline Munro (Bingley) 61:38 with Sharon Taylor, also of Bingley in fourth place in 62:04. The Bingley ladies also won the team title.

This weekend the top runners turn their attention to the Soreen Stanbury Splash at Penistone Hill on Sunday when Holmes will be going for his eighth consecutive win in the event.

He holds the record at 43:35 for the 7-mile race which includes 1,200ft of climbing.

"The conditions are very wet and slippery underfoot this year so I don't expect the record to be at risk, but it should be a classic race," said organiser Dave Woodhead.

Ian Holmes lost his total domination of events on the Bronte Moors when he was beaten by Robert Hope of Pudsey and Bramley late last year, and he will be in the line-up again aiming to clock up another victory.

Fellow Bingley Harriers runner Andy Peace will also be among the front runners and is a 'local' runner this time following his move to Haworth.

The ladies race will also be keenly contested with last year's winner Pauline Munro being challenged by the in-form Helen Johnson, who took the title in 2000 and Andrea Priestley who won in 1994 and recently returned from New Zealand.

"Once again we have had some superb sponsorship from Soreen Malt Loaves," Dave said.

Junior races start at 10.30 with the senior race underway at 11.30.

n Ian Holmes (right) leads the Bouldsworth race.