TOM Adams defied the testing conditions to win the Ilkley Moor Fell Race on Saturday.

He beat the 2015 winner Simon Bailey of Mercia Runners by 17 seconds with his Harriers colleague Jack Wood coming home third.

The wet ground and a strong headwind on the second half of the course made the going tough for the runners and meant the times were several minutes slower than last year.

Adams brought the field of 312 runners home in 39:13, while Bailey clocked 39:30 and Wood 41:56.

The in-form Wood won the prize for the first local runner to finish.

Ruaridh Mon-Williams was the third Ilkley Harrier home in an impressive 14th position. He was the first male under-18 finisher in 44:24.

Matthew Cox (48:47), Ben Sheppard (49:00) and Jack Cummings (49:20) also came in the top 50.

Ilkley’s youngsters dominated the ladies race with Jemima Elgood having another great run to come second lady in 52:36. She was the first girls under-18 finisher and took the local runner prize.

In fourth position overall and second girls under-18 runner was Lucy Haines in 54:58.

Kate Archer was third counter for the Ilkley Harriers winning ladies team in seventh place with a time of 56:27.

Helene Whitaker had a storming run to come 1st FV50 in 59:31 and Lucy Williamson was second female under-23 runner in 59:46. Lucy Jaques was third under-18 girl in 60:36. Ilkley Harrier Sue Morley was first LV60 in 73:39.

A record number of juniors competed in the Ilkley Moor event on Saturday.

Forty three battled it out over the half mile course in the under-8 age group with Keighley & Craven taking the three top places.

Maisey Bellwood was first back in a time of 4 minutes 19 seconds, Archie Peaker second in 4:20, and Katie Buckley third in 4:23.

The under-10, 12 and 14s races took in a lap of the lower tarn before ascending up onto the moors below White Wells and finishing on the grass next to Wells Road.

The first three boy and girl finishers in each age category were: Under-10 boys: 1 George Morley (Ilkley Harriers), 2 Patrick Casey (Calder Valley), 3 Archie Budding (Ilkley Harriers).

Under-10 girls: 1 Martha Jackson (U/A), 2 Hattie Bishop (Wharfedale Harriers), 3 Eibhlis Price (Wharfedale).

Under-12 boys: 1 Alex Flaherty (Bingley Harriers), 2 Sam Conroy (Keighley & Craven), 3 James Duffy (Calder Valley).

Under-12 girls: 1 Alice Jones (Wharfedale), 2 Isabel Richardson (Holmfirth), 3 Eve Whittaker (Ilkley Harriers).

Under-14 boys: 1 Dominic Coy (Ilkley Harriers), 2 Ethan Whiteside (Ilkely Harriers), 3 Alex Thompson (Wharfedale).

Under-14 girls: 1 Lauryn Gregg (Rossendale), 2 Ruby Firth (Bingley), 3 Poppy Anderson (Ilkley Harriers).

The under-16 and 18 runners did two laps of the one-mile course. The boys winner was Finn Kerry (Holmfirth Harriers), followed by Oscar Stapleton (Ilkley Harriers) and Ben Kettleborough (Otley).

In the under-16/18 girls race the winner was Ilkley Harriers’ Bethan Morley, finishing fourth overall, followed by Eliza Findley (Bingley) and Daisy Shepherdson (Saddleworth).