FORMER Skyrac athlete Ian Mitchell (Tipton Harriers) used his local knowledge to win the Yorkshire Cross-Country Championship over familiar territory at Nunroyd Park, Yeadon, on Saturday.

In a desperately close finish Mitchell deposed title holder Chris Cariss (Bingley Harriers) with Otley AC's Ian Fishes third.

The pattern of the race was much the same as last year when Cariss ran stride for stride with Leeds City's Martin Hilton before sprinting clear in the final stages.

This time Hilton was off the pace and it was the Horsforth-based Mitchell who tracked the defending champion. He ran on his shoulder virtually every stride of the race and then Mitchell, the faster track runner, pitted himself against the strength of marathon runner Cariss and the result was in doubt right to the end.

Mitchell made his effort after seven miles of the demanding course and managed to keep in front over the final 300 metres to win in 35:57. Cariss finished in 35:59 and former champion Fisher in 37.05. This was Mitchell's second senior title over the country.

Fisher was over a minute behind and did well to hang on to third place for a second successive year after running on his own for virtually all the race.

The first nine runners were picked for Yorkshire for the Inter-Counties Championships next month but Cariss declined as he will be training abroad in his bid to qualify for the Olympic marathon.

Several local athletes shared in the tremendous success enjoyed by Leeds City AC at the championships. Out of the nine team titles contested, Leeds City took the gold in four of them: the under-15 boys; the U-20 men; the U-17 women; and the senior women. They were also the silver medallists in the senior men's race and gained two bronze medals in the U-13 boys and the U-15 boys' age groups.

In the U-15 boys' event Guiseley's Robert Hall finished 17th position. Leeds showed their strength in depth in this age group and their B team came home in third place with Yeadon's Alex Davy finishing as the second team counter in 23rd place.

The club's senior women proved that they are now a force to be reckoned with both regionally and nationally and a magnificent run from Yeadon's 34 year-old Gill Keddie won her the title for the first time. With Rachel Woodnut admirably backing her up in 7th place, Leeds City were ensured of another team gold.

Probably the most exciting team race of the day came in the senior men's event. Here, Leeds were just pipped by three points by rivals Bingley Harriers. Nevertheless, local runners Martin Hilton (8th), Andy Beevers (12th) and Greg Hull (16th) each played a key part in a well-earned silver medal for Leeds. There were slightly below par runs from two Menston girls. Jessica Best finished 14th in the U-13 girls' event and Jodie Gregorczyk came 17th in the U-15 girls' race.

There were also excellent performances from four Horsforth athletes. Alistair Brownlee (Bradford GS) was most impressive, making full use of his international fell running experience, to win the U-17 men's race in a sprint finish in 21:16. Teammate, Nick Howard, also showed good form for 9th position in the same event.

Alistair's younger brother, Johnny (also BGS), ran a fine race for 14th in the U-15 boys' category. Horsforth's Elizabeth Spencer (Holmfirth Harriers) produced a gritty run for 26th place in the senior women's event, crossing the line as first placed junior (U-20) lady in 25:23.

Skyrac's placings were: Senior Men - 67, Chris Miller; 101, Alan Bye; 118, Ryan Owen; 158, Jonathan Keith; 192, Malcom Coles. U-20 Men - 6, Joel Riley 29:21. U-13 Boys - 13, Jason Blac. U-13 Girls - 63, Laura Griggs. Riley's run qualified him to run in the Inter-Counties event for Yorkshire.

Ilkley Harriers

Bernie Connor organised three Ilkley Harriers teams in Sunday's Nidd Valley Great Ringway Relay, a friendly relay organised by Nidd Valley Road Runners, with 31 teams this year.

On the first, ladies-only, leg new member Cath Porritt was chased in by Shirley Wood, and Ros Blackburn. On the second leg Paul Wood, and Howard Allen ran. On the third leg, Graham Pearce went off like a rocket - Andy Sarah and Bernie Gibbons in his wake. On leg four, from Harlow Carr, Harriers had Jamie Hutchinson, Norman Blackburn, and Bernie Connor. On the final (glory) leg, there was Nick Pearce, Keith Wood and Andy Sumner running in an Ilkley vest for the first time and gaining two places.

Ilkley were sixth team in 2h25:55; 23rd team in 3h01:03, and 28th team in 3h06:55. The relay raised over £320 for the Bilton Conservation Group for the upkeep of the route including the Nidd Gorge.

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

Airienteers

A TOTAL of 330 runners entered Airienteers first orienteering event of the New Year which was held at Calverley Woods, near Apperley Bridge, last Sunday.

This was billed as a District Event (which allows for competitions across age groups and gender) and attracted runners from all over the north of England and the Midlands.

Occasionally, such an event throws up performances of the highest quality and Sunday was no exception. There were eight courses varying in distance and technical difficulty.

In the longest (Brown) course of 8.5km, Matthew Speake (M21) from York completed the course in 60m 11secs, averaging just over seven minutes per kilometre - an outstanding time given the rocky and uneven terrain, and the navigation required.

Veteran international Peter Haines (M50) of Ilkley, was the first Airienteer, coming in fourth place in 69m 16 secs, beating the current M50 Yorkshire champion, Steve Whitehead from York, by over 13 minutes. There were also good runs by Eddie Winslow (M35) and Joe Mercer (M18) of Skipton, in sixth and eighth places respectively.

The shorter but equally technically-demanding Blue course (7.1km with 18 controls), attracted over 70 runners, and Ben Stevens (M18), of Ilkley, continued his winning form by completing the course in 66m 13 secs outpacing Frank Kew (M55), also of Ilkley, who finished second in 68m 31 secs.

There was a father-and-son battle for fourth spot with father Alistair Wood (M50) beating son Jack (M16) by just over a minute. Mike Cox, also of Airienteers, claimed sixth place in 71m 48 secs.

The 4.9km Green course had the most runners (86) and was won by the excellent Alison O'Neil from NOC in 46m 26 secs. Airienteers Graham Stuart(M50), Ruth Kerr (W35), and George Stevens (M14), were second, third, and fourth respectively. The easiest victory of the day was by Florence Haines (W10) in one of the junior races when she completed the 1.9km Yellow course fully 12 minutes in front of second-placed Andrew Merrell.

Overall, the event illustrated the strength-in-depth of Airienteers which augers well for the first round of the National Club competition to be held in March. Meanwhile, the next major event in this region is the National Event which will be held in the Pennines at Yateholme, near Huddersfield on Sunday, February 1.

Details of this, training with Airienteers, and other up-coming events can be found on the club website at www.aire.org.uk

Skyrac AC

New Years Eve brought the iciest conditions for many years on Penistone Hill for the 10 th annual Auld Lang Syne Fell Race over six miles / 900 foot climb. First home in a remarkable time of 34mins 07secs was Ian Holmes from Bingley Harriers.

Three Skyrac members made the short trip to Howarth and first home was Martin Farrar knocking over five minutes off last year's time in 44mins 50secs, Bob Pritchard was next home forSkyrac followed by Max Wood on one of his fleeting visits from London.