BLACK Combe Runners scored third place in the ladies open category at the British fells and hills relay in Grasmere.

The team of Lynn Murray, Alice Forster, Rebecca Gledhill, Hollie Orr, Anna Lupton and Jess Lawrence completed the course in a total time of 4hrs 52mins 56secs to take a podium place in their category and finish 69th overall.

BCRs open men’s team did very well to finish in 38th position overall and 31st in class as Josh Hartley, John Evason, Edward Gleadowe, Tim Ripper, James Harris and Matt Rooke clocked a total of 4:31.28.

This time and placing would have been around 15 minutes quicker had it not been for leg one solo runner Evason stopping to help another runner who had fallen and injured himself, as he waited with him until more help arrived before he carried on.

The male V40 team finished 88th overall, clocking a total time of 5:03.11, with Martin Currie, Simon Rodger, Dan Hartley, Peter Tayler, William Ross and Pete Coupe comprising the team.

The V50 team scored well by finishing 153rd overall, clocking 5:42.12, with James Goffe, Phil Clayton, Nick Sebley, Mike Jewell, Steve Wathall and Chris Roberts participating.

And a mixed BCR team (any age and combination) ran well to finished in 169th overall, clocking a time of 5:51.09. Hazel Tayler, Sue Ross, Jackie Casey, Simon Austin, Rob Browne and Matthew Allen all took part for them.

BCR enjoyed their strongest showing at the Hodgson Brothers Mountain Relay for several years when the club’s open men’s team finished 13th in class and 15th overall.

The 25-mile, 8,400-foot ascent four-legged relay route from Patterdale saw the team of Evason and Hartley (leg one), Hartley and Gleadowe (leg two, 1:12.01), Rooke and Gavin Lloyd (leg three, 1:03.13), and Ripper and Harris (leg four, 1:16.50) record a very respectable total time of 4:16.43in poor conditions.

Black Combe fielded a ladies open category team too, who finished in 55th position in 5:15.27. The team comprised Gledhill and Sophie Roberts (leg one, 1:02.47), Ross and Lawrence (leg two, 1:42.53), Alice Forster and Sarah Pike (leg three, 1:07.26), and Orr and Lupton (leg four, 1:22:21).

Elsewhere, Harris scored an impressive ninth-place finish out of a field of 242 runners at the Langdale Horseshoe, which covered 14 miles and 4,600-plus feet of ascent from the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

Despite the torrential rain and strong winds, Harris got around the course in 2:37.45. However, clubmate William Ross was disqualified for missing a checkpoint and Steve Wathall was one of 62 runners to retire.

Karl Fursey was the sole BCR to take part in the Langdale half marathon road race recently in poor weather conditions, over the infamous tough and hilly route taking in minor lanes around Little Langdale, Skelwith Fold, Elterwater and Chapel Stile, returning to Sticklebarn Tavern finish in 2:29.32.

Phil Clayton was the only Black Combe member to tackle the Bronte Way fell race in Haworth, North Yorkshire, finishing 88th in a field of 175 runners with his 1:18.43 clocking.

The penultimate club road champs counter race is the Allithwaite-8 from the village hall, this Saturday, at 11am, with entry in advance or on the day.

Trail shoes are recommended as there is 950ft ascent off road involved en-route.

BCR’s final fell race club champs counter event is the Arnside Knott six-mile run on November 18, while the club’s own organised Kirkby Moor 6.5-mile, 1,650ft ascent event on November 24 takes place from Beckside village hall, Kirkby-in-Furness. Entry is only available on the day.