MORE than 300 runners braved snowy conditions on Haworth Moor as Tom Adams won his third Soreen Stanbury Splash title on Sunday.

Keighley's 16-time race winner Ian Holmes (Bingley Harriers) was once again to the fore as he was first over-40 veteran for the seventh occasion in finishing third overall behind runner-up Simon Bailey.

There was also a superb turnout in the junior races as 135 youngsters refused to let the winter weather put them off, with Keighley & Craven's Zak Dimitrijevic among the winners.

Thirty-two-year-old Adams, of Ilkley Harriers, got his tactics spot on in the battle with Mercia Fell Runners' Bailey.

On a course switched to the Stoop route due to the conditions, Adams allowed Bailey to break the snowy trail, which was knee deep in parts.

He said: "We both turned at the standing stone together and Simon took the lead into the virgin snow. Simon took a real tumble which I took advantage of.

"On the way back from the beck I could hear him chasing, but Ian Holmes has always said never look back. It's a weakness and encourages the chaser, so I just raced hard

and it wasn't until the final climb I knew I had it."

Showing how difficult the conditions were on the five-mile race, featuring 800 feet of climb, Adams' winning time of 36min 06secs was nearly seven minutes outside Andi Jones' record.

The first local winner of the race – known as the Soreen Malt Loaf Run – was Christian Holmes, of Silsden-based Wharfedale Harriers, in eighth spot, while first local lady was Keighley & Craven's Helen Glover.

The leading female, in a fantastic 19th place overall, was Lindsey Brindle (Horwich), who finished only just over three minutes behind Adams.

Kim Spence (Valley Striders) finished second with Rachel Pilling (Pudsey & Bramley) 20 seconds behind in third.

Pudsey & Bramley won the men's team event, with Lucy Needham leading Wharfedale to the ladies' team prize.

The junior courses had to be slightly altered because of the snow but kept the character of

the race with the snowy descent in to the quarry being a thrilling experience.

The large turnout of youngsters shocked the organisers, with Zak Dimitrijevic winning the under-8s race and fellow Keighley & Craven runner Evan Mills the under-10s.

Also among the local winners were Wharfedale's Alexander Thompson (under-12s), Alice Jones (under-12 girls) and Hattie Bishop (under-10 girls), and Bingley Harriers' Reuben Mantle (under-14s).

Top ten overall finishers: 1 Tom Adams (Ilkley) 36.06, 2 Simon Bailey (Mercia) 36.22, 3 Ian Holmes (Bingley) 37.35, 4 Jack Wood (Ilkley) 37.55, 5 Chris Miller (Harrogate) 37.59, 6 Graham Pearce (Pudsey & Bramley) 38.02, 7 Neal Crampton (Pudsey & Bramley) 38.11,

8 Christian Holmes (Wharfedale) 38.15, 9 Chris Loftus (Keighley & Craven) 38.18, 10 Nicholas Charlesworth (Wharfedale) 38.26.