What kind of weather does it take to cancel a fell race? Particularly one which describes itself as 'a tough winter challenge'. Well, more than gale force winds and driving rain and hail that closed down the Ovenden Moor wind turbines.

Yorkshire Water refused Allan Greenwood, organiser of the Ovenden Race near Ogden Reservoir, permission to take the runners on the normal race route past trees because the winds were hurling wood debris across the race route and earlier that morning someone had been blown into Ogden Reservoir off the parapet. So Allan just re-routed the race.

And Allan's reward for his troubles in the tenth year of the event? He got a record turnout with 142 runners finishing the race!

Race winner was Lloyd Taggart (Dark Peak) in 41.30 and first lady was 36th Sharon Taylor (Bingley) in 52.00. Sharon stunned the macho males by running the race in her Bingley vest, baring arms and all, whilst most of the male runners wore two layers plus a cagoule. No wonder the cry of 'wimps' was echoing over the moor!

For Skyrac Duncan Asquith was 35th in 51.48 followed by 57th Martin Farrar (54.41), 90th Graham Breeze (59.51), 115th Robert Asquith (66.04) and 136th Malcolm Coles (76.04).

As fell races go Ovenden Moor is not particularly interesting but add some wild weather and everyone could go home feeling a couple of inches taller and very superior to those who had spent the day reading the newspapers and gazing at the awful weather from behind the double glazing.

Skyrac can be contacted via www.skyrac.org.uk or 01943 874046

Otley Athletic Club

The first monthly Otley AC handicap race of 2005 took place from the Square and Compass at North Rigton. There was some doubt over whether the race would have to be cancelled following the gale force winds as much debris was lying around.

Conditions were still nasty with strong winds and sleet on the six mile route around Almscliffe Crag.

Thirteen hardy souls participated with eventual winner Phil Robinson managing 50.25 (44.25 net), ten seconds ahead of last year's winner Tom Hannah. Third was Sam Gardner in 50.54 (44.54 net) despite wearing apparel more suited to a day's sunbathing in tropical temperatures!

Antonio Cardinale took advantage of a more generous handicap than he has recently received to finish fourth in 50.56 (48.56 net) whilst Graham Stead struggled home in 51.33 (45.33 net).

Mick Jeffrey produced the day's fastest net time of 41.14 whilst Hannah Peacock, who started off on scratch, managed a creditable 52.00 to finish seventh.

The other participants Ray Hawksby, Kath Robertshaw, Tony Allen, David Hainsworth, Don Buffham and Andrew Sumner, were simply relieved to get out of the buffeting wind and into some warm clothing.

This coming weekend sees the Yorkshire Cross-Country Championships at Skipton and several Otley runners will be taking part.

Otley AC is a small but friendly club who welcome runners of all abilities to their training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.15 pm at Otley RUFC, Cross Green. Contact Chris Carver on 01943 468109 for further details or visit the club's website at www.otleyac.co.uk

Orienteering

Over 280 runners of all ages converged on Buck Wood, near Shipley, for the Airienteers first District Event of the new year - an event which attracted orienteers from Lancashire, the Lakes, and North-East, as well as the Yorkshire clubs.

Buck Wood is a heavily-wooded, steep-sided forest on the southern banks of the Leeds-Liverpool canal which offered Mark Selby (the course planner) plenty of scope to devise courses of various length and technical difficulty. Local runners were to the fore in four of the races.

Juniors Isobel Fale (W12) and Florence Haines (W12) won the Yellow and Light Green courses respectively, Florence doing particularly well to beat a field of 45 containing many adult runners!

Steve Watkins (M35) ran away with the spoils on the Green course, whilst Ian Nixon (M21) continued his impressive series of wins on the longest and most technical Brown course completing the 8.0km in 56.06 - seven minutes average per km being an excellent speed for orienteering.

The top five Airienteers per course were:

White course (1.1km) - Scott Marshall (M10), Gemma King (W8), Laura Hulley (W7), Chris Hulley (M5), Hannah Patterson (W10).

Yellow course (1.7km) - Isobel Fale (W12), Joe Woodley (M10), Beth Woodley (W12), Robert Skilleter (M12), Madeleine Fale (W10).

Orange course (2.4km) - Cerys Jones (W12), Arthur Phillips (M12), Daniel Calvert (M10), Katie Wood (W16), Roewan Ramsden (M12).

Light Green course (3.4km) - Florence Haines (W12), Will Patterson (M50), Helen Woodley (W40), Alex Watkins (W40), Valerie Gilliard (W45).

Green course (4.6km) - Steve Watkins (M35), Victoria Stevens (W16), Dave Shelley (M50), Graham Stuart (M50), Robert Ker (M65).

Blue course (5.9km) - Maurice Calvert (M45), Hector Haines (M16), Peter Jones (M45), Robert King (M45), David Alcock (M21).

Brown course (8.0km) - Ian Nixon (M21), Ben Stevens (M18), Eddie Winslow (M35), Ian Marshall (M40), Jack Wood (M16).

Next Sunday, Airienteers travel to Allerthorpe for a District event organised by EBOR, the York-based club, and then prepare for the Regional Event to be held at Ogden Water, near Halifax, on Sunday, January 23. Details of these and other events at this friendly club are to found at www.aire.org.uk.

Ilkley Harriers

A magnificent seven Ilkley Harriers braved the gale force winds at the Ovenden Fell Race near Halifax on Saturday. The route was shortened by a mile or so as a walker had been blown into Ogden Reservoir prior to the race, so the runners were not allowed across the embankment.

There was certainly a stiff breeze on the outward journey up Ogden Clough towards Leeming but the winds were easing down slightly as the runners skipped back across the top of Nab Hill to return by the outward route. First Harrier was Steve Turland in an excellent 20th place in 50.30. Next was Emma Barclay 54th and second lady in 54.23.

Kevin Gooch continued his good run of form at middle distance in 56th place with 54.34 followed by Ian Marshall 60th in 55.22 and Ashley Hardwell 69th in 56.20.

Ilkley's ladies team was completed by Jo Foster 77th in 59.45 and Rachael Gooch 116th and second LV50 in 67.01 to take the ladies' team prize.

Two Harriers ran the Pennine 10k on a testing and slightly over-distance course in exceptionally good conditions, given the recent weather. Neil Chapman ran 41.25, with Pete Shields not far behind in 43.48.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club every Tuesday at 7pm. See their web site www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk for more information.