BEN Riddell narrowly missed out on scoring an overall race win on one of his first outings for Black Combe Runners at Scout Scar.

He was pipped by 10 seconds by winner Jack Wright (27mins 39secs), of Ambleside AC, in the Kendal Winter League race.

Harvey Lord finished in 31.19 for 33rd overall and John Evason finished in the top 50 as well with his 32.53 posting, just edging out Gavin Lloyd by two seconds.

Another new member, Alex Fairer, was in touch at 39.08, with Steve Wathall closely behind her in 40.31. Rob Sanders got around in 44.01 in a huge field of 323 runners.

There was a podium place for BCR’s Josh Hartley when he finished third in the Montane Grizedale Forest trail marathon, clocking an impressive time of 3hrs 22mins 57secs – just seven minutes down on winner Stephen Hobbs (Kent Thanet Roadrunners).

In the half marathon event, Hollie Orr was first BCR back and finished eighth overall in a great 1:39.44.

However, she was pipped to second lady overall after CFRs Sophie Noon, who clocked 1:38.10.

Elsewhere in the Kendal Winter League, Lord had a good run over the three-mile Barbondale Hill course to finish in the top 10.

His 23.55 clocking was good enough for ninth overall, just 123 seconds down on winner Rob Jebb, of Helm Hill Runners.

At the Giggleswick School fell race, also part of the Winter League, James Harris had a good run over the 6km course, coming back to finish in the top 20 with his time of 27.29, followed by Lord just 15 seconds later.

Rebecca Gledhill had a great run over the 5km course at Birkrigg Common to finish sixth lady and first BCR member home in a cracking time of 28.20. She was 117 seconds ahead of BCRs Steve Wathall, with Ambleside AC’s Matthew Elkington the race winner in 21.00.

With two of the club’s own winter training league races left, Jonathan Bailey leads the men, with James Goffe hot on his heels in a close second.

Beth Ripper is in pole position for the ladies, with Hazel Tayler just behind her, but this may change once this Sunday’s Tottlebank and Giants Grave off-roader and the race up and down Black Combe a week on Sunday have been completed.