ILKLEY-based Airienteers starred in the British Orienteering Championships, which were held in Yorkshire at the weekend.

Airienteers hosted runners from the rest of the UK at events in Bradford, Leeds and the Yorkshire Dales, and home advantage paid off, giving club runners an edge, as they notched up some top results.

The weekend opened with the mixed sprint relay at Bradford University. The best Aire performance there was by the Ilkley veteran team of Sue Stevens, Peter Haines and Tony Thornley, who finished second to a team from South London.

On Sunday, the classic long distance race took place at Kilnsey and Arncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales.

On testing limestone moorland, Airienteers had some stunning results.

Gold medals were won by Ali McLeod in the men’s elite, Evie Conway in the women’s 18 elite and Peter Haines in the M65.

Other Aire medal winners were Guiseley’s Tom Crowther, who was third in M80 and Carey Martin, third in W60.

McLeod’s win marks him as a favourite for the GB team in the coming World Championships.

The final race, the national Relay Championships, was held at South Leeds Stadium and in Middleton Park.

Airienteers’ elite men won the Premier relay for the first time, with Dane Blomqvist, Joe Woodley and Ali McLeod taking the gold by less than a minute from teams from Forth Valley and Nottingham.

In the women’s race, Alice Leake, Evie Conway and Bryony McLeod were narrowly beaten to gold medals by a team from South Yorkshire.

The weekend was a triumph of organisation for Airienteers, who provided all the maps and courses and co-ordinated the many volunteers from Yorkshire clubs, which is needed to host events on this scale.

Airienteers' next events are small scale races in local woods and parks.

Visit aire.org.uk for details.