FELL RUNNING: Close finishes were a feature of the second of the Kendal Winter League series of races at a wind and rainswept Firbank, near Sedbergh, on Sunday.

There was a last-minute switch of venue because Gallaber Farm, at Burton-in-Lonsdale, was still waterlogged following the previous week's storms but there was still a large turn-out of runners.

Bowland's Shaun Bolland was a comfortable winner of the four-mile senior men's race with veterans Billy Procter (Helm Hill) and Quentin Harding (Bowland) in hot pursuit. First V50 was Kendal's Mike Walsh in tenth while Harvey Gott of Levens was first V60 in 33rd place.

Kirkby Stephen international Sarah Tunstall won the women's race in 25-13, beating Ilkley's Helen Sedgwick.

The close finishes came in all three of the boys' races with the most exciting being in the Under-17s race where Settle's David Shepherd got the better of Helm Hill's Tom Addison by one second.

Helm Hill runners Rory Addison and Tom Doyle were locked together in an intriguing battle for first place in the Under-12s. Addison overtook Doyle on the climb but could not break away and just a few metres separated them all the way to the finish line.

In the Under-14s race Settle's Matthew Fretwell and Helm Hill's Jos Addison were involved in a fascinating tussle all the way round. Fretwell proved the stronger in the race for the line as Addison's challenge faded over the last 100 metres.

The winner of the girls' Under-12 race was Melanie Hyder, who headed Jessica Shaw, while Jenny Addison won the girls' Under 14 event with 28 seconds to spare over Bury's Andrea Baker.

Dallam's Bethany Crewe held off Helm Hill's Lauren Campbell by a margin of 15 seconds to win the Under-17s girls' race.

RESULTS: Senior Men: 1 S Bolland, Bowland, 22-08; 2 B Procter, Helm Hill, 22-53; 3 Q Harding, Bowland, 22-59; 4 A Pilkington, Settle, 23-14; 5 C Rhodes, West/Tri, 23-17; 6 P Targett, Clayton, 23-35; 7 S Addison, Helm Hill, 24-06; 8 M Addison, Helm Hill, 24-25; 9 B Kennedy, Settle, 24-28; 10 M Walsh, Kendal, 24-29. Senior Women: 1 S Tunstall, Nestle/Row, 25-13; 2 H Sedgwick, Ilkley, 26-26; 3 A Carrington, Settle, 29-06. Boys U17: 1 D Shepherd, Settle, 11-48; 2 T Addison, Helm Hill, 11-49; 3 J Livesey, Howgill, 12-33. Girls U17: 1 B Crewe, Dallam, 15-45; 2 L Campbell, Helm Hill, 16-00; 3 K Robinson, Helm Hill, 17-25. Boys U14: 1 M Fretwell, Settle, 9-17; 2 J Addison, Helm Hill, 9-20; 3 N Till, Helm Hill, 10-07. Girls U14: 1 J Addison, Helm Hill, 10-10; 2 A Baker, Bury, 10-38; 3 B Van Hinsibergh, Helm Hill, 11-06. Boys U12: 1 R Addison, Helm Hill, 7-09; 2 T Doyle, Helm Hill, 7-16; 3 J Knox, Helm Hill, 7-30. Girls U12: 1 M Hyder, 7-52; 2 J Shaw, 8-24; 3 A Fretwell, Settle, 8-39.