Tom Addison and Holly Page bec-ame king and queen at the 20th Daleside Brewery Auld Lang Syne race on Haworth Moor.

Tom triumphed in 42min 09sec, 30 seconds ahead of his cousin Mark Addison as 426 runners – many of them competing in fancy dress – braved wet and windy conditions, which included standing water in many places and two crossings of the gushing Sladen Beck.

Eleven-time winner Ian Holmes, the veteran 40 record holder from Keighley, finished third a minute behind, which shows even at 48 years old, he can still hold his own with the best and is a true legend of fell running.

Tom, aged 24, was second last year to Olympic triathlete Jonny Brownlee, who was not competing this time round, but the Helm Hill runner wasn’t to be denied on this occasion.

After his triumph in the 9.6km race, featuring 300 metres of climb, he said: “I forgot about the race because it became a personal battle with Mark and we switched the lead into the wind.

“Mark set a fierce pace on the climb to Top Withins ruin.

“I was really hanging on there but, on the run to the trig point, I recovered and knew I had to make my move on the descent, knowing that Mark is a very strong finisher the nearer it gets to the end.

“Keeping myself upright on the boggy descent into the beck was fun and, on the final climb where Jonathan had got me last year, I knew I had to keep it together.

“I was buzzing after wards. What a way to end a year, there can’t be a better one.”

GB orienteer Joe Mercer finished fourth, English and Yorkshire U-16 fells champion Lewis Byram came fifth to finish first under-18 and former junior international Adam Peers was in sixth.

The V50 title went to John Mason, while Rob Taylor and Malcolm Coles took the V60 and V70 titles.

Bingley Harriers, with Holmes, Tim Midgeley (ninth) and Paul Tiffany (18th), won the men’s team event.

First female Page, from Calder Valley Fell Runners, thrived in the tough conditions and relished the slippery challenging descents to cross the line in 39th overall in 50.41.

Like winner Addison, she served her apprenticeship by competing in the junior Quarry Runs.

Just nine seconds separated second and third ladies, with Caitlin Rice (Glossopdale) proving the stronger in the closing stages ahead of Pudsey and Bramley’s Claire Green.

Sally Morley won the Female Vet 40 crown and English and British champion Gill Myers (Wharfedale Harriers) the FV50.

Despite the conditions, 62-year-old Aileen Baldwin (Stainland Lions) set a new V60 record, beating Margaret Jagan’s 2008 time by 18 seconds.

The FU18 race was won by 16-year old Bronwen Jenkinson, from the North Wales club Eryri, while Wharfedale ladies, with Emma Hopkinson, (fifth), Claire Pearson (11th) and Myers (12th), won the ladies team prize.

Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee, the 2009 and 2011 winner, started the race and decided to run the course as a training run.

He set off last, having taken time out after the runners had left West End Quarry to sign a few books and t-shirts, before storming through the field. “It was like having a Ferrari pass you,” was the comment made by several runners.

Alistair also judged the fancy dress competition, with winners receiving a gift pack of Daleside beer.

FANCY DRESS WINNERS: Sam Watson, Richard Horner, Mark McGoldrick, Chris Barnes, Emma Dodd, Jill Buckley, Mick Green, Michael Flaherty, Andy Nicoll, Jonathan Sykes, Lisa Holmes, Sally Robinson, Paul Carmen, Shane Ewen, Craig Stansfield, Julian Goudge, Sharon Williams, Victoria Hague, Catriona Purdy, Sharon Hague, Leanne Hague, Steve Boom.