There is only a fortnight between the Three Peaks race and the nine mile Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside which is the next English Championship race and so most Skyrac fellrunners used last weekend for recuperative training and planning for the Tuesday evening Jack Bloor race over Ilkley Moor.

Meanwhile Graham Breeze decided to build on his good performance in the Peaks with two races.

First was the mid-week four mile Flower Scar race from Todmorden which is a counter in the South Pennines Grand Prix and where he finished faster than last year in 36min 11sec (58th out of 148) but some way behind winner Andy Peace on 28.19.

Andy Peace is, of course, rather special having won the Three Peaks race three consecutive times as a fellrunner before winning it as a cyclist.

Then last weekend Graham and Nigel Kirkbright tackled the nine mile Buttermere Sailbeck race which, with a climb of 4200 feet, is renowned as the most arduous medium length fell race in the calendar.

In searing heat Jim Davies (Borrowdale) won in the slow time of 1hr 30min 42sec with Nigel Kirkbright 14th out of a field of only 56 finishers in 2.00.34 and Graham Breeze 26th in 2.11.44.

In Yorkshire the inaugural race of the 2000 Black Sheep Series was the Fountains multi-terrain 10K from Grantley near Ripon where Skyrac's Peter Rawnsley, after a year of picking up Over 50 veteran prizes, could only manage 5th Vet50 in 40 min 14 sec.

This week's Jack Bloor race which starts from outside the old Ilkley College is always a popular event with local club runners.

Although run over well known terrain the siting of the checkpoints allows plenty of opportunity for navigational errors and in the past many front runners have found to their cost that poor judgement in identifying the best lines has cost them a place on the podium. Results for the event will be reported next week.

With the Three Peaks race being the third counter in the Skyrac Fellrunning

Championship there are two new names in the leading three places which are now Ralph Warman ( who has won the trophy four times), Graham Breeze (current Champion) and Nigel Kirkbright (a winner twice), all of whom would argue that it is the long hard fellraces, rather than the short up and down sprints, that capture the essence of fellrunning.

Skyrac fellrunners are part of the broadest based athletics club in Wharfedale.

Call Neil Clayton on 0113-229-0924 to see how the Skyrac yellow vest can improve your quality of life.

Ilkley Harriers

Last Tuesday Ilkley Harriers hosted the first race in the Harrogate District Summer Road League with 143 runners from eight local clubs enjoyed the testing 5.6 mile course on a perfect night for running.

Otley's Ian Fisher shaved a few more seconds off his own course record with 27.53 and helped Otley to top the points rankings, but Ilkley were only a few points behind and were first team in most categories.

Billy Kerr (6th 31.26), Malcolm Pickering (11th 32.43) and Dave Goldesborough (13th 32.49) gave us third elite team. And with Ken Souyave and Geoff Paget they were first vets' team.

Good runs from Chris Gale, John Coen, Ewan Welsh, Clive Smith, Juan Ruiz, and Nick Mapstone helped give Ilkley second overall team place.

Sally Malir (36.46) was second lady, and with Johanne Kerr (49.12), Sarah Atkinson (39.25), Di Kitchen (39.55), and Alison Bennett (42.17) gave Ilkley first ladies' team. Sally, Di, and Alison also made up the leading lady vets' team.

In total there were 36 Harriers running, every one helped displace other clubs' runners to improve the overall position. After a great competition Ilkley had a slap-up tea back at Ben Rhydding Sports Club.

The next race in the League is Tuesday, May 16, meet before 6.15pm at the clubhouse to share transport. Let's have a good turnout in Richmond to keep these hard-won positions.

At the weekend, Andy Wade continued his blitz of the 10km road race scene, beating nearly 99.9 per cent of the 3,500 runners when he finished 5th in the Blackpool 10km with 34.45 - a little outside his PB, but in the 73 degree heat the winner could only manage 32.58.

Tonight, (Thursday) the 'Talk by a Nutritionist' has been postponed, so training will be on Ilkley Moor and at the sports club.

To find out more about Harriers, visit their website at www.daisyhill.demon.co.uk/ilkleyharriers, or contact Club Captain Ken Souyave on 01943 862096.

Otley Athletic Club

OTLEY Athletic Club mens' and ladies' teams both recorded excellent team results at the first of this year's five evening Harrogate League races held on Tuesday, May 2, at Ilkley.

Ian Fisher led the field home over the 5.6-mile course in a new record (27.53) followed by his team mate Neil Cayton in second place (28.17). Other counting positions and times included Julian Mawson (fifth in 30.59), Duncan Burgess (seventh in 31.42), Andrew Robertshaw (10th in 32.21), Chris Carver (16th in 33.06), Mick Jeffrey (51st in 36.57), Graham Stead (52nd in 36.58), John Straiton (56th in 36.36) and Neil O'Brien (57th in 37.41).

Otley lead the series overall with 1,183 points followed closely by Ilkley Harriers with 1,172 points and Harrogate AC with 1,132 points.

In the ladies' race, Zoe Pears was the first Otley lady back in seventh position in 40.01 followed by Jane Crapper (10th in 41.02), Sam Cartwright (11th in 41.37), Carol Armitstead (13th in 42.05), Mary Hampshire (14th in 42.14), Laura Martin (22nd in 43.45) and Cath Robertshaw (24th in 44.30).

Otley are second overall with 140 points behind Ilkley with 166 points and Ripon Runners third with 85 points.

The next race takes place at Richmond on Tuesday and members are asked to meet at Cross Green by no later than 6.00pm.

On Saturday, Otley member Neil Eccles ran an 800m at Wigan Track winning his race in an impressive 2.04, albeit slightly down on his excellent personal best of 1.59.

The following day club president Tom Hannah competed in the challenging but scenic Keswick Half Marathon but suffered like most of the competitors in the warm sunshine to finish in a 'disappointing' 1hr 41min.

Also on Sunday, at Grantley, near Ripon, three members took part in the partly off-road Fountains 10k race. Julian Mawson finished in seventh place (36.35) and Phil Robinson recorded 43.44 and Dave Hainsworth 49.02.

The Otley Ford Motors 10-mile Road Race draws closer on Wednesday, May 24, and entry forms are still available on club training nights each Tuesday and Thursday evenings from Cross Green at 7.15pm, or alternatively from Otley Ford Motors reception.

It is anticipated that some of Otley Ford's employees will be participating in the fun by competing in this year's event which is also kindly supported by Otley Town Council, Lynx and Up and Running.

Wharfedale Harriers

THE finale to the Bunny Run Series on Harden Moor last Tuesday was the relay event involving three runners per team each covering 2.5 miles.

The competition at the front end was extremely intense with Mick Hawkins running a record breaking final leg in 12.13 to take over a minute out of Gary Devine of Pudsey and Bramley to snatch victory for his ad hoc 'Triple-T' team with brother Steve Hawkins and Robert Husdon.

Although attracting many international runners this is still very much a fun event with the emphasis on participation.

Holding to that tradition, Wharfedale chose to enter by family and managed to put out no less than four teams.

Dave Woodhead also added a little zest to the occasion by providing a fresh egg for each team to carry as their baton.

The Wadsworths (Sam, Richard and James) finished a highly competitive 7th overall in 42.49 and comprehensively beat the family record. The Hownslows (Steve, Sam and Martin), previous family record holders, also bettered that mark to finish 13th in 45.48.

The Rogans (Kevin, Kate and Paul) were next home 17th in 50.30 with the Hamiltons (Bob, Forrest and Roam) finishing up 43rd in 68.21.

Fastest leg of the night for Wharfedale was James Wadsworth in 14.03.

The following evening saw a small club contingent head to Todmorden for the attractive Flower Scar Fell Race over four miles and 1100 ft of climb, the third leg of this year's South Pennines Grand Prix Series.

The winner from a record field of 150 runners was Andy Peace of Bingley in a time of 28.19.

Andy Holden was first home for Wharfedale, 9th in 30.46, closely followed by Bob Hamilton 12th in 31.17 and then Damien Scholes 28th in 33.45, both

enjoying strong runs. With the previous leaders in the series opting out of this event, Bob now heads the Grand Prix on points after the first three races.

On Saturday Kate Rogan targeted the West Nab Fell Race at Meltham, an English Junior Championship Race, finishing an excellent second in the Under 18s event and proving that she is beginning to peak at just the right time of the season.

Sunday saw a strong club turnout for the Hare and Hounds Fell Race from Lothersdale.

In the senior race Bob Hamilton was first home for the club, fifth in 25.47 behind Keighley and Craven's Ian Taylor who won in 23.31. Bob picked up the trophy for first Veteran, just ahead of Steve Hounslow sixth in 26.11.

Continuing his good run of form, Damien Scholes was next home, seventh in 26.46 with Peter Mallalieu 22nd, 30.50; Sam Hounslow, now running as a senior, 26th, 32.24; Kevin Rogan 27th, 34.48 and Lynn Whittaker 39th, 39.18. In the Under 17s race Wharfedale dominated affairs with Martin Hounslow coming home the winner in 13.14 ahead of Ross Whitaker 2nd in 13.30.

In the Under 9s both Kyle Rogan and cousin James Rogan ran well to finish third and 4th in their race.

This coming Wednesday the weekly social run will start from the Ilkley Moor Vaults (The Taps) to run the route of the White Wells Fell Race taking place the following Sunday, May 21, at 2pm. Meet at the pub at 6.45 for a 7pm start. All runners are very welcome to join us.

Wharfedale Harriers is a family oriented club aiming to promote fell and cross-country running across all ages and abilities. Training takes place on Monday and Tuesday evenings from Silsden, and Thursday evening from Ilkley.For more details please contact David Hird on 01535 653826 or visit the website at www.wharfedaleharriers.org.uk.

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