Whilst sensible people were tucked up indoors watching the Six Nations Rugby runners from Airienteers had to cope with gale force winds and driving rain at the British Orienteering Championships last Saturday.

The championships were held on the fells of Simonside, near Rothbury in Northumberland, and the start was fully 50 minutes walk from the Somme-like conditions which prevailed in the car-parking fields, which meant that runners were soaked before they even began their courses!

Most of the longer courses had the first few controls in the steep-sided forests before emerging onto the wind-swept fell-tops, where long legs provided some interesting route choices for those who still had their wits about them.

Running against the wind was like treading water, running with the wind was like bowling along under sail. Nevertheless, many Airienteers had good runs in highly competitive age-group classes, with two juniors becoming British champions.

Florence Haines won at W10 level, whilst George Stevens won the M14 class by almost six minutes. Meanwhile, Ruth Jones (W45) and Peter Haines (M50) just missed out on victory, both coming second in their respective classes.

The full results for Airienteers runners were: M12 (3.5km) - 9, Robert Kelly. M14 (5.6km) - 1, George Stevens 40.26; 15, Ben Gill (70.58). M16 (7.9km) - 4,Hector Haines (61.20);10,Jack Wood (68.05); 20,Alistair Everett (78.51). M18 (9.3km) - 5,Joe Mercer (68.45); 7,Ben Stevens (69.00);27,Daniel Holmes (86.53). M21 (12.6km) - 19, Matthew Burden (123.11). M35 (11.5km) - 21,Steve Watkins (93.22). M40 (10.6km) - 11, Steve Webb (78.42); 28, Ian Marshall (97.49); 31,Tim Boden (99.37). M45 (9.2km) - 31, Nicholas Jones (82.59);37, Peter Jones (87.33);48, Chris Wales (98.37); 55, Robert King (106.40).

M50 (8.9km) - 2, Peter Haines (64.12); 34, Tony Carlyle (84.39); 35, Martin Gill (85.01); 41st Graham Stuart (88.01); 43rd Dave Chapman (88.51); 55, Ken Patterson (97.57); 58, Gerry van Hee (99.44). M55 (8.0km) - 11, Frank Kew (75.11); 20, Tony Thornley (77.58); 42, Ian Hill (84.55); 64, Chris Burden (99.02). M65 (6.1km) - 16, Tom Crowther (72.52); 29, Jeff Mason (86.34). W10 (2.9km) - 1, Florence Haines (21.11). W12 (3.5km) - 17, Cerys Jones (74.55).W14 (4.0km) - 13,Chloe Haines (43.18); 17,Katie Wood (49.32). W16 (5.1km) - 4,Victoria Stevens (40.12). W18 (6.4km) - 25,Elizabeth van Hee (103.50);W40 (7.1km) - 22, Joyce Marshall (86.31);27, Lindsay King (97.16). W45 (6.1km) - 2, Ruth Jones (58.42); 5, Sarah Haines (60.06);15,Shirley Wood (65.43);29, Wendy Carlyle (74.35). W50 (5.8km) - 18,Susan Stevens (78.12). W55 (5.4km) - 14,Hilary Allen (60.48); 30, Jo Thornley (68.31); 35,Patricia Villiers (73.55);46, Gill Ross (84.11).

Next Sunday, Airienteers travel to Market Weighton for a Regional Event which counts towards an individual's national ranking. Details of this and other events are to be found on the club website at www.aire.org.uk.

Steve Webb has attained 'Championship Standard' in orienteering.

Ilkley Harriers

Jo Foster and Jim Ryder ran the Midgley Moor Fell Race in Calderdale (five miles, 1250ft) on Saturday. A total of 49 hardy competitors set off to battle with the weather, which at times made it difficult to stand upright let alone run and led to slower times than previous years!

Having only just made it on time after navigational challenges on Calderdale's country lanes, JCBs and tractors in the way, the Harriers discovered that there was a choice of route as long as six checkpoints were visited.

After such a display of navigational skill in the car Jo elected to follow the man in front! Jim finished 5th in 46.20 and Jo was 24th and first lady in 55.17.

The first of the English Junior Fell Championship races of the season was at Pendle on Saturday. Well done to all the Junior Ilkley Harriers and Wharfedale Harriers who ran in the Under-12 race.

Known results are: U-12 girls - 3, Fiona Jordan, 7, Emily Kerr, Poppy Liuba-Carmichael, Harriet Middlebrough.

In the boys' U-12 race: 4, Nathan Proctor in 10 mins; 6, Harry Liuba-Carmichael 10.16; 11th Marcus Bennett 11.05; 14th Alex Sinclair 11.18; and 24th Roam Hamilton 12.50.

There were Harriers running in the Half Tour senior race but no results are yet available.

On Sunday, Harriers ran in a range of races, all windy! In the Trimpell 20 at Morecambe on a flat course (but a windy day) they had: 109, Suzanne Akeroyd 2h30:03; 178, Richard Midgley 2h45:03.

Although Roy Ruddle and Geoff Howard received a battering from the elements in the final stages of the Edale Skyline (21 miles, 4500ft) they finished 41st (3h 36m 58s) and 51st (3h 41m 29s - first O-60) respectively in a field of about 150.

Terry Lonergan, running his 78th half marathon at the Wilmslow, finished 152nd out of 3241; 4th of 273 in the 50/59 age category; time being 84.57, averaging 6.29 per mile. Andy Wiggans was 514th in 1:35:04, Bob Wightman 746th in 1:40:00 - there were 3241 finishers.

In another Half Marathon race, at Doncaster, Jamie Hutchinson was 114th in 92:39; Andy Wolfenden 186th in 101:40.

Chris Porritt ran 43:08 at the South Leeds Stadium five mile race.

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.

Skyrac Fellrunners

Winds of up to 75mph were recorded last Saturday and no one running in the nine mile Pendle Half Tour race would challenge the Met Office given that the gales experienced by runners coming down from the trig point to the Nick of Pendle were as severe as anyone could remember.

Even Andy Schofield (Borrowdale) was heard to say: "It was a hard man's race out there today," and this from the man who came second in the 2002 Three Peaks Race after which 57 people suffered from hypothermia with three people going to hospital.

Perhaps the slight frame of Ian Holmes (Bingley) does not catch the wind unlike lesser mortals for he cruised home to win in 1.06.16, ahead of team-mate Andy Peace (1.06.26). Third was Gary Devine (Pudsey and Bramley) adrift in 1.08.37.