Keighley and Craven Athletics Club just missed out on a top four place in Sunday's 50-mile Calderdale Way relay

They lost several minutes on one changeover, and suffered a number of late drop outs and injuries which dented their hopes of a place among the elite.

Already without club road running champion Darren Brame and Snowdonia marathon runner-up Mark Sandamas, the locals suffered another blow when former BOFRA champ Andy Smith pulled out.

But they got off to a flying start with Jeff Emmott and Sam Wadsworth ending the first of six legs in eighth place in the 100-strong field.

A misunderstanding at the start of leg four meant Alfie Atkinson and Zip Jones were not ready when the third leg pair arrived. The blunder cost valuable minutes but Atkinson and Jones wasted no time on the tough, boggy 10-mile moor crossing to Wainstalls, pulling back four places to hand over in sixth.

On the final leg from Shelf to West Vale, Halifax, Mark Wycherley and Laurence Hellawell proved one of the day's most competitive partnerships. They hauled the club up a place to finish fifth.

Keighley came more than 10 minutes behind Bingley in a combined 6hours 19mins 27secs. Holders Bingley saw their title challenge hit illness and inury. Ian Holmes and Rob Jebb produced the fastest time of the day on the short but tough climb out of Todmorden.

Chief rivals Pudsey and Bramley would have reclaimed the title but for a wrong turning on the final leg handing victory to Clayton-le-Moors who won in 5-58-18 from the Leeds club (6-00-38) with Dark Peak third (6-04-14).

Keighley's women had a great fourth place finish, holding off local rivals Bingley. Top performances came from county vets cross country champion Karen Slater and Liz Tomes on the opening leg, and Cath Fawcett and newcomer Chris Preston on leg five. In all the club put out five teams, involving a total of 60 runners.

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