Otley AC successfully defended home territory at the Washburn Valley Relays on Friday.

Their male and female teams came home first in an event staged over three different legs. It began with a 2.9-mile undulating blast of lanes, woodland and trails around the woods above Fewston Reservoir, before a flat four-mile circuit of Fewston itself and the anchor leg of just over three miles around the adjacent Swinsty Reservoir.

The race went to the wire, as Otley’s Liam Dunne attempted to defend a lead (built up by fastest legs from Julian Mawson and Ian Fisher) from a strong Saltaire Striders team.

Determined efforts from Andrew Bedford and Simon Pass kept Saltaire in contention, leaving last man Will Kerr with a 42-second deficit.

Dunne hung on with just six seconds to spare as Otley claimed first in 60min 14sec. Harrogate took third place with Ilkley Harriers fourth.

Ilkley’s Alison Eagle, Caz Farrow and Alison Bennett lost out to Otley’s Karen Best, Suzanne Sharman and Laura Martin, who won the female race in 70:24.

Baildon Runners were an excellent fourth courtesy of Michelle Morris, Nicola Empson and Emma Stoney.

Idle AC won the mixed team competition as Leon Winder, Phil Goode and Donna Edmondson Booker took the honours in 65:71.

Sunday’s Eccup 10 Miler, incorporating the Yorkshire Championships and hosted by Abbey Runners, attracted 645 runners to the roads and reservoir paths north of Leeds.

Leeds City dominated the podium positions, with Nick Hooker, a recent winner of the Apperley Bridge ABC, first in 55min 42sec, ahead of team-mate Peter Branney (56:05).

Susan Partridge (58:38) was the only female to break 60 minutes to win convincingly, with Jess Nixon in third.

In the male race, Valley Striders Andy May and Steve Webb were third overall and over-50 category winner respectively. Simon Pass (Saltaire) was sixth overall.

Veterans Christopher Gill (St Theresa’s) and Fred Gibbs (Bingley) posted 67:17 and 72:06 to secure wins in the M65 and M70 age groups.

Pauline Munro (Bingley) was second in the ladies’ race and the first over-40, with fellow Harrier, Andrea Dennison first F45 in 68:17.