THE World Mountain Running Championship took place on Sunday in Bulgaria and Horwich RMI Harriers had fantastic representation with three runners.

Seasoned Ireland internationals Ian Conroy and James Kevan had both raced previously at the worlds – it was Kevan's eighth event – while, in contrast, it was Chris Farrell’s first worlds and his first GB vest just four years since he took up running.

The race profile was a 12.7 per cent average gradient, 7.7 miles and 4,600 feet of climb.

Farrell said: "The race was really warm at the start. It took about 10 minutes before I settled down into a rhythm and felt comfortable.

"The start was fast and the last 1.5k was really tough with a very steep incline.

"Overall I was satisfied with my performance.”

Finishing in 34th place in 1hr 9mins 33secs, Farrell was the fourth counter for the GB team which finished fifth overall out of 22 countries.

Conroy was 46th (1:10:53) and Kevan finished 61st (1:12:49) to help give Ireland a team placing of 12th.

Horwich were just one runner short of having a team of their own in the world championships.

And the ambition to achieve at least as much on the international stage is not beyond the potential of the current crop of Harriers’ juniors who excelled at the North West road relay championships in Delamere Forest.

Two golds, a silver and a bronze was a haul of almost Olympic proportions, and a strong springboard for the northern and national relay championships coming soon.

Coach Glynne Lever said: "It was 43mins 14secs of the best running from an under-13 girls' team I've ever witnessed in a Horwich vest.”

Ella Pendlebury, Isabella Merritt and Milly Lever held off the strong challenge from Salford Harriers for the GM title by only 10 seconds.

But for a late sickness there would have been a B team, too, for the girls at u13 level.

Credit went to Freya Whittle and Lydia Johnson for continuing to compete.

For the boys at u13 level, Cian Healy, Matthew Flatters and Nathan Lancaster in the Harriers’ A team were beaten by only 19 seconds by the Salford Harriers team for the GM title.

The bonus was the B team (Matthew Mair, Toby Middleton and Lucas Milliken) joining the A team on the GM podium with silver and bronze medals.

The challenge was laid down for the u15 boys’ team of Lewis Wilkes, Luke Brindle and Robert Seddon to show what they could do.

They did not let anyone down, taking the gold medal in the Greater Manchester competition.

In the North West competitions of 16 clubs, Horwich finished second, third and fifth.

Julie Williamson took the FV45 prize at Pilling and Josie Greenhalgh the FV40 prize in the Lake District Mountain trial.

In parkrun, Alastair Murray was second home at Keswick in 17:36.

Horwich RMI results: Pilling 10k road race – 31st Julie Williamson 54:27; Lake District Mountain trial race – 10th Mark Seddon 5:00:04, 31st Josie Greenhalgh 5:33:20; Yorkshireman off-road marathon – 88th Colin Wood 5:36:13; Burnsall fell race – 71st Jason Middleton 28:51; Blackleach 5-mile trail race – 49th David Barnes 36:14, 72nd Lawrence Pinnell 28:25, 150th Peter Scott 48:26, 169th Heather Pinnell 57:13.