A BUMPER festive field of 149 runners took on the annual Christmas Skirrid Fell Race to the summit and back.

The superb turn out was headed by Rhys Goodrick of Vegan Runners who finished in 25.20, just 20 seconds ahead of Jonathan Ford of Abergavenny's Mynydd Du.

MD's Wyndham Turner was third (26.42) over the 3.3-mile race, organised by Andy Creber, which started and finished near Llanfihangel Crucorney’s historic Skirrid pub, and included 1476ft of ascent.

Josh Tremblay of Beacons club Mynyddwyr de Cymru was fourth (27.00), closely followed by Chepstow Harriers' James Blore only six seconds back.

Cardiff Runners' Wilf Evans placed sixth (27.43), followed by Harriers’ Paul Murrin in seventh and fastest over-50 (27.58), who pipped eighth-placed MD runner Jon Like by nine seconds.

Cardiff‘s Matt O'Keefe took the over-40 class just three seconds further back, and rounding out the top-10 was MD's Tom Mollekin six seconds behind.

Other MD finishers included Billy Jackson in 11th (28.28), Ian Whistance 18th (29.49), Joe Rumer 20th (30.05), Steven Hepton in 21st (30.07), just squeezing out former Wales rower Matt Stott by two seconds, followed by Wes Sheldon in 23rd (30.16) and Dale Meek 25th (30.29).

First woman home in 30th in 30.11 was MD's Bethan Logan, followed by club mate Lucy Williamson in 31.36 (34th) and MDC's Katie Ironside in 33.00 (46th).

Other class winners were Chepstow’s Matthew Lawson (over-55, 32.56), MD’s Stephen Priestnall (over-60, 33.30), MDC’s Simon Darke (over-65, 34.32), MD’s Emma McWilliams (women’s over-40, 35.10), Chepstow’s Niki Morgan (women’s over-55, 35.41), MD’s Debbie Stenner (women’s over-50, 36.34), MD’s Hilary Keogh (women’s over-60, 39.23), Forest of Dean’s Owen McLaughlin (over-75, 42.50), Basingstoke’s Don Powell (over-70, 44.20), MD’s Sharon Woods (women’s over-65, 49.00), Chepstow’s Brenda Avery (women’s over-75, 53.05), and Chepstow’s Jane Bayliss (women’s over-70, 61.29).