A RAIDING party of Helm Hill runners travelled over the Scottish border at the weekend and came home with the much-coveted Carnethy 5 Hill Race Claymore.

The large sword is given to the top-placed team in the 9.1 kilometre (250 metres of climbing) race from Penicuik, which starts and finishes on the site of The Battle of Roslin, one of the most important battles of the First War of Scottish Independence, which took place in February 1303.

If the weather had allowed then several of the Scottish athletes would have run in kilts but Saturday's conditions were atrocious and runners were ordered by the organisers to cover up and wear long-sleeved tops and over trousers.

Snow and sleet whipped by extremely strong winds led to eye-stinging conditions out on the course and runners found the unforgiving weather tough as they attempted to find the five Pentland Hill summits.

The race, which attracted a field of 472 runners, was won by Lochaber's Finlay Wild (52-50), who finished 47 seconds in front of Helm Hill's Tom Addison (53-37). Tom had been chasing Finlay and Inverclyde's Andrew Douglas over the first four summits but on the last one he found himself out on his own as the Scottish pair took another line to the top.

Wild shook off Douglas on the ascent of the last summit and joined Tom at the top before pushing on to the finish. Five times race winner, Rob Jebb of Staveley, who runs for Bingley AC, moved through the field to finish fourth and win the first V40 prize.

Helm Hill won the team prize with Tom's cousin, Mark Addison (55-29) finishing eighth and Adam Perry (56-17) and Josh Jardine (56-45) placing 14th and 15th. It is the second time in the Kendal club's short history that it has won the Claymore.

But, not to be outdone, the Helm Hill ladies also won team honours and were led home by the fast-improving Hannah Russell (1-02-30),who found the conditions very testing. She turned in a gutsy performance to finish 42nd overall as she outpaced Charlotte Morgan (1-02-54), of Carnethy, who had to settle for the O40 prize. Hannah was supported by Sharon Taylor (58th in 1-04-08) and Catherine Niblock (155th in 1-13-36).

Milnthorpe's Wendy Dodds, who runs for Clayton-le-Mooors, was the first lady V60, finishing 281st in 1-22-11.

The following day Hannah Russell underlined her improving form when she won the ladies' Kendal Winter League race over the demanding Barbondale course.