YOUNGSTERS Sam Smith and Alex Thompson showed the seniors how it is done at the Cowling Fun Day.

Smith won in 18 minutes 53 seconds and Thompson was second in 19.37 in the joint under-17 and senior fell race at the event.

Third place went to senior runner, Barlick’s Nick Treitl (19.40). Thompson led the race out but Smith overtook him towards the summit and never looked back, maintaining his lead for a convincing win.

During the race Trietl inched up into third place behind Keighley and Craven’s Eric Beaumont, pushing Thompson back to fourth.

In a thrilling battle for second and third places, Thompson overtook Beaumont and chased Treitl to the wall where he hurdled it like a professional, out-sprinted his rival and took second place.

To add to the drama of the day, the long hot summer of 2018 began it’s mid-term break as heavy rain and storms were forecast.

They did threaten to appear before the races commenced but, the rain held off and the races were run in cooler if rather windy conditions.

All races start with a mad sprint across the field to reach either the narrow stile or, for the more agile, a tall wall to be scaled in order to reach the road crossing and route to the fell.

Once on the fell, runners clamber over rocks to the summit at Salt Pot, or Wainman’s Pinnacle.

The race then becomes a skyline run along Earl Crag to the Pepper Pot, or Lund’s Tower. Runners round the tower before returning the way they came to the finish line.

However, high winds on the day made the skyline run tough going as gusts blew runners around and took their breath away on the return leg.

To make the going tougher, the return skyline run has a very slight incline which slows even the fastest of runners.

Keighley & Craven’s Zoe Smith won the ladies race in 30.45 with the Wharfedale duo of Lynda Hargreaves (34.29) and Su Thompson (37.16) second and third respectively.

To further upset racing norms, the under-14 race was won by Otley’s Charlotte Rawstron (11.33) with Wharfedale’s Amelie Lane (12.26). The third girl was Keighley’s Scarlett Metcalfe (12.45), who was fourth overall.

The boys’ winner, and third overall, was Wharfedale’s Matthew Bradley (12.35) ahead of Skyrac’s Liam Beaumont (13.07) and Wharfedale’s Benji Grundy (16.55).

Bingley Harriers’ Logan Walker won the under-12 race (9.52) from Toby Lucas (10.05) and Barlick’s Harley Treitl (10.22).

The girls race was a Wharfedale hat-trick as Emily Anderson won in 10.48 from Olivia Aldham (10.53) and Layla Kirkley (11.03).

Continuing his winning form, Jamie Dent won the under-nines race (6.17) from Calder Valley’s Harry Cliff (6.18).

Dent’s younger brother Josh proved that racing prowess runs in the family as he crossed the line in third place in 6.25.

The girls’ race was another family affair as under-12 girls’ race winner’s younger sister, Wharfedale’s Jessica Anderson won in 7.11 from sisters Scarlett (8.39) and Isabella Wearmouth (8.40).