Sam Jones and Nikki Arthur remained unbeaten in the 2026 Callin Wild-sponsored Manx Fell League after individual successes at Carraghan on Saturday morning.

Approaching four kilometres in length, it is the shortest race of the series, but the gradient is among the steepest with a fairly brutal climb up through the trees onto the open moorland towards the cairn.

Jones led from the word go on the gradual ascent into the plantation. Midway up the climb he was 10 or 15 metres ahead of under-17 Harry Stennett, with Dan Richmond a similar distance back in third, followed by veterans Orran Smith and Lloyd Taggart.

At the top, Jones had opened up a 49s advantage over former Ramsey rugby player Richmond, with Stennett demoted to third a further five seconds down. Next were Smith, Taggart, Joey Bond and Chris Reynolds.

Leading woman Arthur was 14th to the cairn in 18min 10sec, the time illustrating how tough the climb is covering less than 2km (1.24 miles). Second female at that point was multiple former league champion Jackie Lee in 20th spot (19m 21s), then ever-improving Katherine Cubbon in 24th at another 22s.

Bond descended almost as quickly as namesake James Bond dropped down the side of Verzasca Dam in Golden Eye, and was the only one of the 102 runners to complete the return leg in under six minutes.

Richmond was next best, slashing 12s off Jones’s lead, but the latter could afford to take it slightly more leisurely - crossing the bridge to the finish line in a winning time of 21.09, a fairly comfortable 37s ahead.

Throwing caution to the wind, Bond leap-frogged his way up from sixth to third at the close, only 14s off Richmond.

Newly-crowned Isle of Man Coach of the Year Smith also got the better of leading junior Stennett on the descent to grab fourth, with Taggart fifth and Reynolds sixth. Liam Parker and first u15 Jonah Graham were close behind, while Tom Cringle completed the top 10 in front of fellow vet-40s Andy Cannell and first female Arthur. Corrie Brogan was second u15 in 13th.

Leading over-50s were Andy Watson and Tim Dunne (14th and 16th), Paul Kneen (20th) and second female Lee (22nd). Third woman was Eleanor Miklos in 34th. John Norrey was the best over-60 in 40th spot, not far in front of Jock Waddington and Jan Gledhill.

Westerners Ian Callister and Moira Hall were the only over-70s in 82nd and 97th respectively.

Carraghan Fell Race (4km), round four Callin Wild League, Saturday: 1, Sam Jones 21min 09sec; 2, Dan Richmond 21:46; 3, Joey Bond 22:00; 4, Orran Smith 22:17; 5, Harry Stennett (Junior) 22:51; 6, Lloyd Taggart 23:11; 7, Chris Reynolds 23:36; 8, Liam Parker 23:40; 9, Jonah Graham (Jnr) 23:44; 10, Tom Cringle 24:12; 11, Andy Cannell 24:44; 12, Nikki Arthur (Female) 25:15; 13, Corrie Brogan (Jnr) 25:44; 14, Andy Watson 25:58; 15, Danny Roberts 26:46; 16, Tim Dunne 26:52; 17, Gary Kelly 26:53; 18, Stephen Kelly 26:56; 19, James Fisher (Jnr) 27:11; 20, Paul Kneen 27:13. Other leading females: 22, Jackie Lee 27:21; 29, Katherine Cubbon 29:09; 34, Eleanor Miklos 29:43; 41, Caroline Caren 31:05; 42, Piper Withington 31:11. 102 finishers.