REPORT BY: JEAN SULLIVAN

DESPITE the warm and humid conditions, Ilkley Harriers continued to accumulate more great race results this week.

The longest day of the year saw the staging of the popular Solstice Saunter, organised by the Airedale Dodgers as a fund-raising event for Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice.  This five-mile event involves running on the trails of the breathtaking Bolton Abbey Estate.

The event was popular with 11 Harriers taking part.  Leo Graham led the Ilkley Harriers home, as he completed the course in a great time of 36:53.  Tony Pye was the second Harrier to cross the line, in a time of 39:19.  Yasmin Cunningham was the third Harrier to finish,  and she took an impressive third place in her age category.

Also on the longest day of the year, five Harriers took part in the June Leeds Evensplits race, monthly 5km races held at the University of Leeds Brownlee Centre.   Archie Budding led the Harriers home, finishing in a superb fourth place overall in a speedy time of 16:51.  He was followed by Kyle Bethell in 18:37, with Justin Pierce the third Harrier over the line in 19:17.  Steve Murray and Mike Williams also had great runs at this event, with Mike taking second MV60 prize.

The fourth race in the Harrogate and District Summer Race League took place this week.  This series of summer evening races are hosted by different running clubs in Yorkshire and this week it was the turn of Wetherby Runners AC.  This week’s six-mile route, mainly on road, started and finished in Sicklinghall village.

Ten Harriers took part in fine and dry conditions.  There were some excellent results; Matthew Thackwray continued his fine form in this series to finish in an impressive third place overall, with Thackwray completing the course in a great time of 33:47.  Michael Abrams-Cohen was the second Harrier over the line, with David Singleton the third Harrier home.  Dawn Turner was the first Ilkley lady to finish.  This series concludes with a handicap race in July.

Building on her ultra success, Petra Bijsterveld took part in the Hardmoors 40, a 47-mile race with 4,300 ft of elevation, with runners going from Beverley to Malton, largely on the Yorkshire Wolds Way.  Petra had an incredible run, despite the very hot and humid conditions.  She finished first in her age category and was the eighth lady out of the 41 who took part, to finish, in a great time of 10:58.

Further afield in Cumbria, this weekend saw the staging of the Kirkby Gala fell race, a summer race in the British Open Fell Running Association (BOFRA) calendar.   This 3.5-mile race, with 750ft of climbing, starts and finishes at the sport’s field in Kirkby-in-Furness in Cumbria.  The Carter family took part, with mum Rachel the fifth lady to finish in the senior race in a great time of 29.46.  The U17 race was won by Harrier, Oscar Shinn, with Oscar completing the course in an impressive 18:55.  Rachel’s son Alexander also took part in the U17 race, with Alexander finishing in third place overall.  Rachel’s other son Robert took part in the U12 race with Robert also having a great run and finishing in second place overall.

Also in Cumbria, five Harriers took part in the Darren Holloway Buttermere Memorial Race.  In memory of Pennine Fell Runner Darren Holloway, this race is based on the original Buttermere Horseshoe. The route is flagged to the fells at Lanthwaite Green, but once on the tops runners can choose their own route between checkpoints.  The race starts and finished at the village hall in Cockermouth.

Conditions were challenging, with rain and mist to contend with.  Harrier Steve Turland took part in the ‘long’ route, a 22.1-mile course with 2515m of climbing, with Harriers Alison Weston, Nick Helliwell, Gavin Lamb and Simon Bell taking part in the ‘short’ 12.9-mile course, with 1518m of climbing.

Steve Turland had a great run in the long race, finishing in a time of 6 hours 3 minutes and in 33rd place overall.  On the shorter, but still very challenging course, Simon Bell finished in an impressive sixth place, with Simon completing the course in 3hrs 29 mins.  Gavin Lamb finished in 12th place, in another great time of 3hrs 44 mins, with Gavin taking third place in his age category.   Nick Helliwell and Alison Weston both managed impressive sub-3:45 finishes.

Despite the warm and humid conditions, 26 Harriers turned out to take part in various parkruns around the UK.   Tom Adams was the first finisher at the Chevin Forest parkrun, with Tom completing the course in an impressive time of 16.30, taking the new age graded record for this course.  Beth Massey was the first lady to finish at the Bradford parkrun, in a great time of 20:48.  Congratulations to William Wood and Florence Haines, both of whom completed their 50th parkrun this week, William at the Woodhouse Moor parkrun and Florence in the Newborough Forest parkrun.  Rachel Corrigan had a great run also at the Chevin Forest parkrun, completing the course in her personal best time.