IN a week where the temperatures soared, Ilkley Harriers turned up the heat in races at home and internationally.

Euan Brennan finished in sixth place and helped Great Britain to their first-ever junior men’s team gold medal in the European Mountain Running Championships in Skopje, Macedonia.

Great Britain won the team event with 17 points, ahead of Turkey on 22 and France with 25.

Trees and shade were in demand over the weekend for Ilkley Harriers racing under cloudless skies.

Fiona Schnieder found some protection through the woods in the mid-week 6k mixed terrain Rush around the Rhubarb race.

Sue Williamson and team-mates also found respite from the hot sunshine in the woods on a new Harrogate 10k around the Crimple Valley.

Lucy Williamson excelled, finishing first lady on this undulating course with a challenging hill towards the finish.

Results: 1 Mike Burnett, Leeds City, 36.02, 16 Lucy Williamson (first female) 43.40, 29 Steve Murray 46.07, 33 Paul Calderbank 46.34, 88 51.53 Chantal Busby, 331 Sue Williamson 1.09.31, 408 finished.

Despite an early start time of 9.30am, the Eccup 10 race proved difficult in the unrelenting heat.

Four Ilkley Harriers completed the lovely undulating 10-mile rural race which included a circuit of Eccup reservoir.

Results: 1 John Hobbs (Valley Striders) 55.16, 269 Jean Sullivan 1.23.35, 308 Alison Weston 1.25.42, 635 Peter Lewis 1.46.42, 727 Sarah Carroll 1.25.42, 764 runners.

A handful of Harriers completed the 13.5miles/2,500ft fundraising event for the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue which started from Grassington and included as ascent of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside.

Results: 16 Jann Smith 2.26, 44 Adela Reperecki 3.11, 45 Jayne Norman 3.11.

Jack Cummings and Iain Gibbons ran strongly at the Kirkby Gala fell race.

Results: 1 Ben Mounsey (Calder Valley) 39.44, 2 Jack Cummings 41.49, 14 Iain Gibbons 47.01, 53 finished.

At the Eldwick & Gilstead Gala Fell Race 4.8km/168m, Michael Lomas finished ninth in 20.56 and Helen Wood 17th overall in 21.52 and first female.

The Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon (SLMM) is a two-day mountain navigation competition (or race) that is held annually in the Lake District for pairs and experienced solo entrants.

Kate Archer and Outi Kamarainen had selected the Kirkfell class which requires that at least one participant must have previous experience of several long distance mountain navigation or similar event. Starting at Grasmere they were given eight control points to visit before reaching the overnight camp.

The next morning they started again with a new list of control points to take them finally back to Grasmere.

It was Archer's first event and she at times found the going tough and questioned her judgement in selecting such a long class.

It was also difficult to estimate the amount of food required as it was a delicate balance between carrying extra weight or not having enough to eat.

When they reached the reached the overnight camp the pair was pleased to discover they were 16th in their class and the only female team to have completed the day.

The course for day two was a little easier though their legs were weary. The navigation went well and they found all the control points and on reaching the finish were delighted to find they had become 13th of 22 teams to finish, in a finishing time of 14 hours 45 minutes.

In the popular 5k Parkruns, Sally Malir was the second female.

Bradford: 1 Martin Soszka (Saltaire Striders) 17.01, 25 Sally Malir second female 21.17, 119 Will Worboys 25.58, 140 Paula Reynier 27.11, 146 Stephanie Fox 27.23.

Skipton: 1 Lee Athersmith (RAF AC) 18.15, 14 Adrian Bastow 21.14, 105 Alison Weston 30.38.