FIFTY six intrepid runners took on the challenge of the 17-mile Black Mountains Fell Race, with a brutal total ascent of 5,200 ft.

Local Mynydd Du runner Wyndham Turner came home third in two hours 49 minutes and nine seconds, exactly two minutes behind fastest man Tom Wood of Eryri Harriers.

Joel Gomes of Run Free Fell runners placed second in 2.47.58, with a gap then from Turner to fourth-placed Ed Bailey who crossed in 3.00.26.

Josh Tremblay of Beacons fell club Mynydd De Cymru was fifth home in 3.05.59 with Tom Turner of the Black Mountains-based Mynydd Du sixth in 3.07.32, followed in eighth by club mate Brett Mahoney in 3.12.25.

Fastest woman in 12th overall was MDC’s Katie Ironside in 3.15.01, followed by Ceri Merwood of Cardiff’s CDF Runners in 3.34.27 and Mynydd Du’s Emma McWilliams, who was fastest over-40 woman in 3.39.23.

There was plenty of mist on high ground as well to make the conditions even more challenging on the circular route, which started and finished in Llanbedr and included four major peaks.

MDC’s Simon Darke was second over-60 home in 3.35.06, just over two minutes behind category winner Dave Powell of Aberystwyth AC.

Meanwhile, MD’s Bethan Logan was crowned South Wales Series women’s champion, with club mate Emma McWilliams second overall and first over-40 woman, and Daniela Gormley over-50 woman’s winner.

Wyndham Turner and Tom Turner also took second and third in the men’s series behind Run Free Fell Club’s Joel Gomes.

Elsewhere, MD’s Rhian Probert finished second woman overall and fastest-over-50 in the North Wales Peris 17-mile horseshoe fell race, which included nearly 10,000 ft of ascent, crossing in 4.24.14.

Club mate Emma McWilliams finished in 5.06.22 to take second in the over-40 class, while Matt Farrer crossed in 5.14.14.