Ilkley Harriers

Ilkley Harriers have won the Harrogate and District Summer Road Race League, for the first time, with a strong final performance at Thirsk last Wednesday evening.

Many got there just in time, after battling through Yorkshire Show traffic. But all that was forgotten once the five mile two-lap race started. Nick Pearce was unlucky to collide with a traffic bollard but ran on bravely to just hold on to his place in the Vet-50 rankings.

Ilkley had more or less the A team of men out on the night, with ten in the top 40 and others just outside that. By quirks of fate, they only had three ladies out but they ran well to keep the overall lead in the Ladies' team competition.

As they were all Vets they had another winning Lady Vets team performance. The male Vets were third team on the night against strong competition, and their consistency gives them second place overall in the League.

There will be individual prizes for Ilkley Harriers too - more details after this week's prizegiving

Friday night's Washburn Valley Relays, organised by Otley AC this year, was a rather more relaxed affair, with six teams from three clubs all cheering each other on. The relay was in a cloverleaf style, with legs of 3-4 miles, based at Swinsty Moor car park and amongst some stunning scenery.

Ilkley's first team was led off by Angela Srivastava 27:58; then Phil Atkinson 26:36; Ian Marshall 23:21; Ken Souyave 36; and Clive Smith 26:00.

The second team was led off by Amanda Parnaby 33:32; then Bernie Connor 35:38; Shirley Wood 28:40; Paul Wood 23:05; and Keith Wood 30:55

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

Otley Athletic Club

IN the last counting race in the Harrogate League Series at Thirsk it was very muggy. The course was a 5.2 mile two lapper. One or two of the Otley's best runners were not available on the night.

Ian Fisher, who has had a groin strain since just prior to doing the London Marathon back in April, was there to help out. He led the race from the start, and finished ahead of the next runner with a 1minute, 15 second lead.

Otley's next counter Julian Mawson finished third, ten seconds behind the Richmond runner. Julian was robbed of second as he was leading the Richmond runner up until 500 metres to go.

Dale Foster was Otley's third counter (14th). Dale knew he had to give his best performance as they were only 30 seconds ahead off the next club. All three runners achieved their aim and increased their Elite lead by almost two minutes. The Elite trophy was theirs.

Next Wednesday it will be the league's non-counting handicap race/presentation night at Ripon.

On Friday an enjoyable club event was resurrected. The Washburn Relay, started out back in 1993 by the late Phil Dean. For the first few years it was an 18.5 mile, five stage loop around Washburn area which started and finished at Timble Inn.

This event lasted for a few more year's and now it is back with a new five loop stage, each leg being around four to five miles long.

The event is meant to be fun event for all standards. Once everyone has done a necessary recce it should be a breeze. This time is started at Swinsty car park.

Five Otley, two Ilkley and two Harrogate teams entered this illustrious event. Otley C were first back on leg one beating Harrogate A by 30 seconds.

On stage two Otley C lost time and Harrogate A took control despite getting a little lost. On stage three Otley B were making a determined effort and took the lead.

On stage four Harrogate A caught Otley B up on time but they were still in front at the end of the leg, Harrogate B becoming Otley's main threat. Otley B finished first on the final leg five, with four minutes over Harrogate.

Beamsley Fell Race

With last year's winner Jason Hemsley absent on road-running duty for Ilkley Harriers, this year's race was definitely up for grabs.

The first three to the top of the beacon represented an interesting mix of youth, experience and local knowledge in the form of Shane Green, Adrian Pickles and Bob Hamilton. While local knowledge won out for a while it was youth that came through to keep the trophy in Pudsey and Bramley's hands.

Results:

1, Shane Green, Pudsey & Bramley, 40.04; 2,Adrian Pickles (V45), Settle Harriers 40.19; 3, Bob Hamilton (V45), Wharfedale Harriers, 41.06; 4, Duncan Burgess Otley AC, 41.30; 5, Jonnie Butler (V45) Keighley & C 42.08; 6, Damien Scholes Keighley & C 42.55; 7, Andrew Cutts (V40), Valley S 44.19; 8, Ralph Tench 44.40; 9, Mike Baldwin (V45) Ilkley H 45.00;10, Paul Burnett Leeds City, 45.40;11, Neil Bland (V50) Wharfedale H 45.50;12, Robert Bumstead Valley S 45.56;13, Andy Holden Wharfedale H 46.36;14, James Lind Ilkley H 46.42; 15, Rob Grillo 46.59;16, Karen Slater (LV45) Settle H 47.20;17, Sam Watson (U18) Wharfedale H 48.15;18, Iain Mann Ilkley Harriers 48.21;19,Graham Breeze (V55) Skyrac 48.29; 20, Sarah Glover (L) Fellandale 48.32; 21, Ashley Hardwell (V40) Ilkley H 48.51; 22, Neil Taylor (V40) Bingley AC, 49.06; 23, Dave Hird (V50) Wharfedale H 49.37; 24,Malcolm Coles (V60) Skyrac 50.01; 25, Barry Scholes (V50) Settle 50.18; 26, John Forsyth (V45, Skyrac 51.02; 27, Barry Slater (V45) Settle 52.22; 28, Bob Pritchard (V45) Skyrac 52.25; 29, David Swinton (V45) 52.59; 30, Jo Foster (L) Ilkley H 53.30; 31, John Wootton (V40) Wharfedale H 53.43; 32, Sharron Smith (L) Bingley AC, 54.00; 33, Chris Brown (V45) 54.01; 34, Sheryl Slater (LU18) Settle 63.52; 35, Roger Dawson (V55) Skyrac 64.11; 36, Paul Buckley (V50) 69.09.