This Sunday will see the 50th running of the most famous fell race in Britain, the Three Peaks Race.

The organisers stopped taking entries seven weeks ago having accepted 625 entries, the biggest ever pre-entry for any fell race. Everything is now in place for what promises to be a stupendous day.

The race is an English Championship and Yorkshire Championship event. Around one hundred marshals will be out on the fells to ensure the safety of runners and Yorkshire Television will be filming a documentary of the day.

As a permanent record of this historic day a colour booklet has been produced by Dave Hodgson (Horsforth Fellandale) illustrated with dozens of photographs ranging over the complete history of the race.

This will be presented to all runners and VIP guests and of the many articles there is one by Bill Smith on Fifty Years of Three Peaks Racing. There are quotes from 17 winners on what it feels like to win, a complete 49 year history of winners and those who have completed the race 21 times and a list of all 625 entries for 2004. (Copies are available for £2 from the telephone number below.)

One who needed to fine tune his fell legs before the Peaks was Graham Breeze who travelled to Stair near Keswick for the 11.25 mile/3600 feet Anniversary Waltz race around the Newlands Valley (Robinson-Hindscarth-Dalehead-High Spy-Catbells).

On Saturday, double Three Peaks winner Simon Booth (Borrowdale) won in 1.32.45. Graham finished 77th in 2.13.32.

Those for whom 11 miles was too far journeyed to join 72 runners in Meltham for the six mile West Nab race which was won by Lee Siemaszko (Borrowdale) with Skyrac's Bob Pritchard 45th, Damian Burras 58th and Stephen Burras 69th.

Others from Skyrac could not get to any fell race because their running was restricted to organising the FRA Navigation Skills Course in Kettlewell.

Three Skyrac runners who probably feel as though they never wish to run again were those who finished the London Marathon. First back in 3,416th was London regular Alan Bye in 3.23.54, at 12,085th was Joanne Dennison in 4.06.35 and 15,375th was Peter Wade in 4.22.47

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

Bethany in North East

The Easter weekend was fairly quiet after the hectic clashes of the cross-country season's end and the rush of open meetings of the early track and field season. Nevertheless, there was action to be found.

On Easter Saturday, Bethany Staniland took advantage of being on holiday in the North East and competed on new ground at a cold and windy Clairville Stadium in the Middlesbrough AC Cyril Elliott Memorial Open Meeting.

One silver and three gold medals were won in a variety of events in the under-17 women's category.

The Leeds City AC heptathlete's day began well with a victory in the 300m hurdles in a near personal best time of 46.5s. She then went on to win both the shot and the javelin with 10.53m and 31.31m respectively.

Both performances were some way below her best, but the cold wind was not helping any field eventers in any age group.

Finally, Bethany's day finished with a pleasing silver medal in one of her weaker heptathlon events, the 80m hurdles, in another near PB of 13.1s.

Orienteering

Airienteers held a District Event at Flasby Fell which attracted over 450 runners from all over the north of England.

Flasby Fell comprises the twin peaks of Rough Haw and Sharp Haw just north of Skipton and includes the forested area on the northern and western flanks.

The courses, well-planned by Alistair Wood, made full use of the terrain and provided technical orienteering in the complex wooded areas, plus faster going on the open fells.

Although some juniors were away for squad training sessions, there was a strong showing by local Airienteers which included wins for Sam Wood (M10), Sam Brown (M14), Beth Woodley (W10), Emily Wood (W12), Florence Haines (W10), and Chloe Haines (W14).

Not to be outdone, Joanne Abbott (W21), Joyce Marshall (W40), Ruth Jones (W45), and Patricia Villiers (W55) were all victorious in the longer women's races.

The Long races in the men's events attracted stiff competition and Ian Nixon from Airienteers had a good run to finish second within four minutes of Irish international James Logue in the 10.0km race. Veteran international Peter Haines from Ilkley was the pick of the bunch in winning the 7.2km M50 race in 68.04, whilst Frank Kew, also of Ilkley, was second, just 45 seconds behind Jouko Koivula of Finland, the winner of the M55 race in 50.11.

Other Airienteers who were prominent in their respective races were Ian Marshall (5th in M40), Peter Jones (4th at M45), Michael Cox (5th at M50), Michael Askey (4th at M55), and Jeff Mason (3rd at M65).

Details of up-coming events are to be found on the club web-site at www.aire.org.uk, including details of Wednesday evening informal events during the summer, to encourage those new to orienteering to have a go!

Ilkley Harriers

There were ten Ilkley Harriers running in Sunday's London Marathon with the following results: 1,719th Neil Chapman 3:07:21; 1,804th Dominic O'Hooley 3:08:13; 2,019th Peter Shields 3:10:22; 2,829th Jamie Hutchinson 3:18:01; 3,497th Rob Reynolds-Jones 3:23:38; 3,623rd Suzanne Akeroyd 3:24:40; 4,081st Caroline Howard 3:27:25; 9,167th Richard Midgley 3:52:54; 12,893rd Rebecca O'Hooley 4:07:22; and 14,054th Andrew Sumner in 4:12:19.

The same day others took to the fells. At the West Nab Fell Race the junior races counted towards the English Fell Championships and they were also The Yorkshire Junior Fell Championships.

Several children from Ilkley Harriers and Wharfedale Harriers took part in this prestigious event with some excellent results.

Fiona Jordan won a bronze medal in the U-12 girls' category in the Yorkshire Championships with Jessica Wootton and Harriet Middlebrough running as well.

Harry Liuba-Carmichael won a silver medal in the U-12 boys' category and Marcus Bennett the bronze with Alex Sinclair and Roam Hamilton running too. On Saturday it was a bit windy up top at the Anniversary Waltz fell race, 11.25 miles with 3,600ft of climb. Heather Dawe ran 2h15; Bob Whitehead 2h20; Phil Chappell 2h33; Susie Jollie 2h42. This was a good warm up for the 50th Three Peaks Race on Sunday.

In last Tuesday's Bunny Run Fell Race over three miles with 300ft of climb, Ilkley Harriers had the following positions: 20, Graham Pearce 20:12; 70, Ian Marshall 22:30; 93, Morgan Williams 23:59 (45 seconds quicker than last week).

Ilkley Harriers Runner-of-the- Month for March is Jim Ryder, for consistently good fell results.

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.

Bunny Run success

ON the fells, at the first race of Keighley's Bunny Run series, Horsforth's fifteen year old Alistair Brownlee, of Bingley Harriers, set a new under-16 record as he came fourth in the 3M/300ft senior men's race.

His younger brother, Johnny, won the under-14 race at the same event.