Wilkinson sets new course best

10:20pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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Victoria Wilkinson produced a course-record time of 16min 48sec to win the first of the John Carr series of 5k races.

This beat the previous women's best by ten seconds and is comparatively the fastest senior performance ever on the course around Yorkshire Water's Esholt estate.

The Bingley Harrier has had her best season over the fells and cross-country, competing internationally with distinction this winter.

Matthew Pierson of Holmfirth was first home in 15:16, ahead of John Cordingley in 15:49 - which, on an age-related basis, was the performance of the day.

Cordingley was thereby Yorkshire veterans' champion in his category, while other champions included Andrea Dennison (Bingley) as first veteran woman.

The second race was taking place this week and the final race of the series, organised by St Bede's with £1,500 proceeds going to local charities, is next Wednesday.

The races have attracted maximum fields of 400 entrants and continue to draw on premier club athletes from across the county.

The weekend heatwave made road and off-road races more difficult, although the multi-terrain RIPON TEN-MILER produced a first-ever category win for St Bede's Mick Brearley, who was 11th finisher overall in 64:36 and first V45 home.

The previous weekend's BLUEBELL TRAIL TEN-MILER near Stainland saw Spenborough's Karen Pickles as first woman home in 75:31.

Chris Loftus (Keighley & Craven), was fifth in 67:38, while Paul Stevenson (Pudsey & Bramley, sixth), Jamie Hutchinson (Ilkley, tenth) Gareth Hey (Baildon, 21st), Duncan Asquith (Skyrac, 27th) and James Clark (Pudsey Pacers, 29th) showed strength across several local clubs.

Sunday's MYTHOLMROYD SEVEN-MILE FELL RACE attracted a good crowd and Calder Valley were the dominant team, with their own Adam Breaks winning in 46:22.

Bradford-Airedale's Gerard Mills was an impressive 15th (54:18), while Skyrac's contingent also featured well: Duncan Asquith (20th in 55:47), Robert Pritchard (28th in 57:39), Graham Breeze (41st in 60:26) and Malcolm Coles (74th in 66:32).

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