Ilkley Harriers U-13 girls team completed a fantastic first season of cross-country with a team placing in the National Cross-Country Championships in Birmingham on Saturday.

Over a testing 3km course, Ruth Kitchen was 179th in 14:38; just pipping Jenny Dybeck 182nd in 14:39, Emily Kerr was 254th in 15:26, and Fiona Jordan 298th in 16:12. The Ilkley team was 36th.

In the senior ladies' race, Di Kitchen was 266th in 38:48.

The next day, four Harriers took part with 550 others in the Pocklington Snake Lane Ten won by David Watson of Holmfirth in 51.21 Neil Chapman was first Harrier 68th in 63.48 with Terry Lonergan close behind in 77th and fourth V55 in 64.32. Pete Shields continues to improve his times finishing 112th in 66.34 and Andy Wolfenden with injury problems was happy with his 255th place in 76.36.

Ilkley also had enough to make up a team that was placed a respectable 17th out of 67.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club every Tuesday at 7pm. As the dark nights draw in, come and run in one of their friendly groups. See their web site www.ilkleyharriers.org.uk for more information.

Otley Athletic Club

LAST Saturday members of Otley Athletic Club travelled to South Birmingham for the English National Cross-Country Championships. On the following day a group travelled to Pocklington, in East Yorkshire, for the Snake Lane Ten Mile Road Race.

The National goes back 129 years and is a spectacular event requiring extensive terrain as there are up to 1,400 runners in the senior men's 12k event.

The venue in Cofton Park, close to the MG Rover factory, provided a hilly 4k lap over soft grassland. Though incorporating a number of climbs and gentle descents it proved a faster course than last year's event at Temple Newsam. The weather was crisp and fine but a cold head wind was encountered at the top end of the course.

Hayley Yelling, of Windsor SE and H, won the ladies' 8k race impressively. Otley's Kath Robertshaw was pleased with her time of 40.39 in 319th position.

The senior men's 12k race was also impressively won by Glynn Tromans of Coventry Godiva repeating his previous wins in this event in Leeds 2004 and London 2003.

The positions and times of the Otley AC squad were: 24th, Ian Fisher 40.01; 166th, Andrew Robertshaw 43.15; 212th, Neil Cayton 43.55; 444th, Dale Foster 47.02; 658th, Hugh Pearson 49.33; 726th, Howard Jeffrey 50.25; and 1229th, Don Buffham 61.11.

Six of the seven turned in higher positions than at the 2004 Leeds Championships. At the time of writing the team positions have not been finalised but it is looking as if Otley AC will be third or fourth finishing West Yorkshire team with Leeds City and Bingley Harriers to the fore.

It also looks like Otley AC will be well ahead of last year's 49th team position.

The Snake Lane Ten lived up to its wintry reputation. The race conditions mirrored those of the 2004 race. A cold breeze with snow flurries was encountered in the first half.

The change in direction at Bishop Wilton brought a welcome relief from the wind.

Dave Watson, Holmfirth, won the race in 51.21. Otley's Neil Cayton was third in 54.04. Howard Jeffrey was 70th in 63.53. Both ran excellently for the second time in the weekend.

Next in was Tom Hannah, 137th in 69.04, with Peter McGouran 184th in 72.21; Dave Hainsworth 238th in 75.32; and Ursula McGouran 312th in 80.33.

On Sunday members are reminded that there is a Sports Direct fixture at Middleton Park Woods starting at 11am above South Leeds Stadium. Registration is at the stadium. The start is some distance from these facilities so arrive at the stadium a little after 10am.

Otley AC train out of Otley Rugby Club, Cross Green, on a Tuesday and Thursday. They meet at 7.10pm.

If you have a place in the London Marathon, or you are making the Great North Run your target, come down and join one of the groups with similar aspirations. You can find out more about them on otleyac.co.uk

Stanilands are back

Following a winter's training and an early competitive indoor season that has been frustrated by a series of injuries, Horsforth's brother and sister pairing of Andrew and Bethany Staniland (Leeds City AC) were both able to get back on the junior international and championship trail at Sale Harriers Indoor Open Meeting at Manchester's Sports City.

Here Andrew, who has represented the Great Britain junior decathlon team, won both the under-20 men's 60m and shot.

He was a little disappointed with 7.30s for the 60m but was pleased to set a personal best in the shot (6kg) with a putt of 13.30m.

His younger sister, Bethany, new to the under-20 age group, after representing England in the under-17 category in 2004, was in sparkling form. She won the shot (4kg) with a PB and new club record putt of 11.80m and then took the 300m with an indoor best of 42.45s.

This good run of form was then carried over by both Andrew and Bethany to the weekend's AAA's of England Indoor Junior Championships at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.