OTLEY Athletic Club held their traditional Christmas Handicap race last Sunday in the Timble area.

The glorious sunny morning was ideal for running but major earthworks on Swinsty Dam required a revision to the usual route and this caused minor navigational problems for a few of the 22 starters.

One such was Bridget Barr but her small deviation from the official route was deemed not to have affected the result, especially as she was over half a minute clear of the second finisher, so she was awarded the Ken Dixon Trophy for 2002.

Jennie McKenzie was also well clear in second place with Tom Hannah the best of the rest in third place.

Fastest time of the day was by Ian Fisher, finishing in tenth place despite having started almost 20 minutes after the first runner.

This was the last of the 12 races for the annually awarded Eric Smith Trophy and this was won for 2002 by Phil Robinson with Kath Robertshaw holding on to second place and Carl Walsh coming through to third.

Ilkley Harriers

Cold, misty, boggy. but the runners love it. The Stoop Fell Race (five miles with 800 feet of climb) is a perennial favourite.

Like all of Dave Woodhead's races, the senior fell race was preceded by junior races.

Ilkley Harrier Sam Wood raced in the under-8s race, a sprint around the quarry (but climbing the quarry face twice), and was third boy in 2:30.

In the longer under-10s race Emily Wood was sixth girl under-10 in 9:43.

The main race was won by Pudsey and Bramley's Rob Hope in 28:51, just clear of normal winner of these Penistone races, Bingley Harrier Ian Holmes.

Second-claim Ilkley Harriers Jason Hemsley and Stefan Macina (both Pudsey and Bramley) were 8th and 9th in 32:09 and 32:19 respectively.

For Ilkley Harriers Jim Ryder was 33rd in 35:40; Graham Pearce 38th in 36:19; Mike Baldwin 61st in 37:45; Neil Chapman 108th in 41:11; Sally Malir 109th and fourth lady in 41:13; Ian Marshall 111th in 41:26; Bob Wightman 112th in 41:31; Rachael Gooch 175th in 45:28; Shirley Wood 215th in 49:25; Claire Macina 256th in 56:55; and Ros Leach 266th in 66:18.

Places in the London Marathon have been given to Andy Wolfenden, Richard Stoddart, and Jane Leather.

The next race in the Sports Direct Cross-Country League is hosted by Abbey Runners on January 12.

Richard Gray organised the Predictor Race, a 9.2 km race over the pink handicap route. Clive Smith, won the prize of a bottle of fine wine for finishing closest to his predicted time. Jason Hemsley and Stefan Macina ran fastest, finishing together in 33:04).

Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club will close at 6.30pm on Tuesday, December 31, so don't turn up expecting a run. The club will be closed on New Year's Day.

There will be no Thursday training (Andy or Pete's) today (Boxing Day) or January 2.

Circuit training sessions will start again on January 6.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club. They next meet at Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club at 7pm on Tuesday, January 7. Meet them there, or check out www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk for more information.