Ian Holmes won the 19th Soreen Stanbury Splash Fell Race for the eighth time on the trot on Sunday.

Holmes, 36, the British and English Fell Running champion, showed excellent form after finishing 16th in the Northern Cross Country on Saturday and winning Boulsworth Hill last week.

Robert Hope, the last athlete to beat Holmes over the Bronte Moors, managed to stay with him over Sladen Beck, Ponden Beck, and The Kirk.

But during the fast section back from the 1,200ft Stanbury Trig point Holmes upped the tempo to finish in 44:58 to Hope's 45:54. Dave Neill was third in 47:56 and the first veteran. Bradford warehouse worker Steven Oldfield, 45, finished fifth and was the second veteran.

The Locals Trophy went to Ian Ferguson for the eighth time.

Bingley Harrier Pauline Munro retained the Soreen Ladies Oil Painting Trophy for the second year with 5730.

The race is known as the Splash because runners cross four becks as the route tackles seven miles and 1200 feet of climbing over the Haworth Moors.

Elliott Dawson, in his first ever fell race, finished third in the Quarry runs in the under-12s, while in the under-nines Florence Haines of Wharfedale Harriers took the honours.

Results: Men: 1 Ian Holmes (Bingley) 44:58; 2 Robert Hope (Pudsey and Bramley) 45:54; 3 Dave Neill (Staffs) 47:56 V40; 4 Phil Sheard (P&B) 48:32; 5 Steve Oldfield (Bradford Airedale) 48:43 V40; 6 Gary Devine (P&B) 49:18; 7 C Sweeney (Bowland) 49:35; 8 Sean Libsey (Clayton) 49:47; 9 Gary Oldfield (P&B) 50:01; 10 Steve Bottomley (P&B) 50:17; 14th was Ian Ferguson (Bingley) 50:47; Colin Moses (Bingley) 52:56.

Women: Pauline Munro (Bingley) 57:30; 2 Trish Sloan (Salford) 58:48 V35; 3 Alison Rees (Todmorden) 61:00 first V40.

Under 18 women: Sheryl Slater (Skipton) 66:18; Team: 1 Pudsey and Bramley 21; 2 Bingley 81; Women: 1 Todmorden 18; 2 Keighley & Craven 33.

n Pictured top: Alison Rees, Pauline Munro, Stephanie Sammut of Soreen, Tricia Sloan.