PICKERING Running Club’s men put in another stellar performance at the Saltergate Circuit Challenge event - Steve Watson leading the way with a race victory.

With two route options – 16 or 24 miles – runners and walkers start and finish in Stape, navigating their own way around moors and woodland.

Including sights such as the North York Moors railway, the Bridestones and Dalby Forest, the Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue event is a firm favourite for PRC members, who have done well in it over the last few years. However, the damp conditions this year made parts of the route hard going, with sticky mud and bog to plough through.

In the shorter route, Watson was determined to beat his rival, Nicholas Rigby, last year’s victor by a whisker. After working hard across the boggy moor, Watson was able to open up on the long stretch around the Hole of Horcum, and he managed to beat Rigby by five minutes, finishing first overall in a super two hours eight minutes.

Watson’s training partner, Bob Horsman, also took a spin out on this route. Despite a slight navigational error, he stormed home in 2-30 to finish fourth overall.

Two members also took on the longer route, achieving impressive times and places. Andy Blades suffered on the course last year, running soon after his mammoth New York fire station run. The tables turned this year, though, with Blades coming in second overall in 3-52, beaten only by ultra running legend Neil Ridsdale.

After his marathon debut last year, Richard Todd has been getting faster and stronger, and his first attempt at this challenge demonstrated his hard work. Todd finished in third place overall in 4-00, contributing to a robust PRC team and a fantastic result all round.