Calder Valley Fell Runners’ Club Championship is set for a thrilling finale after a string of excellent performances in the penultimate round, at Withins Skyline.

Sixteen club members took on the 6.2-mile course, that makes a scenic circuit of Brontë Country, climbing past The Stoop to Top Withins and returning via Brontë Bridge.

At the end of the season, some runners are getting in the final counters they need to complete the champs series, while others are battling to squeeze out every extra point they can to gain an edge over their rivals.

Alex Whittem finished in fifth place overall, and first MV40, with a time of 44:40.

placeholder image — Alex Whittem. Pic: Woodentops

Right behind, in sixth place, was Tim Sunderland, who notched up his fourth counter to leapfrog straight into the top position.

Next back for Valley was Ben Costello in 16th, who joined Whittem and Sunderland in securing the men’s team prize. There were also successes in the veteran categories for Stephen Smithies (2nd MV50) and Rachel Johnston (2nd FV60).

Finishing 19th in 49:25, George Kettlewell was pleased with his personal best time.

Also celebrating a personal best was Tamsin Cooke, who last raced Withins Skyline in 2017 and this year knocked more than ten minutes off her previous time.

Meanwhile, the Calder juniors competing in the Withins Quarry Runs were running in their final championship counter, and 13 youngsters showed their competitive streaks in both running and fancy dress.

Five enthusiastic youngsters took to the start line of the U10s race to run the 500m double loop up, along, down and back up out of the quarry.

Arthur Wilcock crossed the finish line as first boy while Isla Collins, in sixth place, unfortunately turned the wrong way and lost a girls’ podium place as a result. A second behind her, Reece Geldart was making his club championship debut and celebrated it in style by finishing third boy.

Abel McGregor in 12th and Ailish Wilcock, in her cat fancy dress outfit, made it a happy five finishers for the club.

The U12s, U14s and U18s all set off together, with the two younger groups running one loop of the full 1.6k course, while the older ones ran two loops.

Jules Ciolino, Teddy Haigh, Theo Holt and Rory Bradley ran in the U12s, Alfie Hobday, Ella Bradley and Sophie Hozhabrafkan competed in the U14s and Elliot Radcliffe was the sole U18s runner.

First back was Jules, finishing fourth overall and second U12s boy. Just behind in fifth was Alfie as second U14s boy, narrowly ahead of Teddy, in sixth place and third U12s boy.

Ella Bradley took her first competitive win, as first U14s girl, narrowly ahead of her friend Sophie Hozhabrafkan who came second in the same category.

Theo in 11th and Rory in 14th made it a happy bunch of U12s and U14s on the finish line, while Elliot won the U18s race in a time of 12:35; more than 30 seconds ahead of the next runner.