It is quite a drive to the North Yorkshire Moors for a fell race but sometimes the prospect of racing up to 17 miles over Pendle yet again in the wind and the rain makes even the toughest fellrunners look for new pastures, such as the Lordstones race which starts from Kirkby, near Stokesley.

First held in 1993 the race was established by Middlesbrough Mandale Harriers to rank as an 11 mile category A race. However although the route takes in five climbs (including Drake Howe, Carlton Bank, Cold Moor and Wainstones) the record time suggests that the claimed 3,500 feet of ascent was exaggerated to secure A status and last Sunday four Skyrac runners put the race to the test.

Race winner was Morgan Donnelly (NFR) in 1.33.37 from 119 starters, but only 110 finishers and Skyrac had Duncan Asquith doing 1.49.48 for 15th place, Graham Breeze 1.56.44 for 37th, Andy Brear 1.58.04 for 41st and Malcolm Coles 2.17.50 for 73rd.

The Skyrac contingent concluded that the claimed ascent owed more to the ego of the organiser than to his map reading ability but since Malcolm won the Over-60 prize and Over-50 Graham went home with a couple of bottles of wine, no one is complaining.

Scunthorpe Open

IN the Scunthorpe Open Cross- Country meeting at a boggy and wet Quibbel Park Skyrac's Laura Kirk was fifth overall in the combined senior/junior U-17 women's 5.6km race in 22 mins 09s. This gave her first place in the Under-17 section.

In the senior/junior men's 10.7 km race Skyrac's Joel Riley was second in 34 mins.34s.

English Schools

IN the English Schools' Cross- Country Cup Eastern Regional Final at a hilly and wet South Common, Lincoln, Horsforth's Bethany Staniland was 32nd in the Under-15 girls' race representing Bradford Girls Grammar School.

Her team finished second and qualified for the national final in Chester in December.

In the Under-15 boys' race the winner was Horsforth's Alistair Brownlee who led his Bradford Grammar School team into first place and they too will compete in the national final.

His brother Johnny was placed fifth in the Under-13 race and was first counting member of the second placed Bradford GS team which will also compete in the national finals.

Orienteering event

Do you fancy a walk or run in beautiful countryside? Airienteers, the local club for the Leeds and Bradford area, are holding an orienteering event in the beautiful grounds of Temple Newsam on Sunday, November 24.

Courses will be available of various lengths and technical difficulty - for the absolute beginner right up to experts, for children as well as adults, and for runners as well as walkers. Help and guidance will be available for those who want it.

You can choose your own start time from 10.30am to 12.30pm, and the event will be sign-posted from the main gate of Temple Newsam.

If you want more information, visit the Airienteers web-site at www.aire.org.uk.

Otley Athletic Club

Having lost several places in last year's Penmaenmawr Fell Race due to "navigational uncertainties" on a course requiring local knowledge Andrew Robertshaw returned last Saturday determined to do better.

He was rewarded with third place in a time of 75.10, barely a minute behind the winner, on this 11-mile upland course.

On Sunday the Roundhay Five attracted a quality entry which included ten Otley runners. The winner was Darren Bilton, now running for Leeds City, in 25.34, with first Otley runner Mark Hall in eighth place and third veteran in 26.59, not far behind.

Probably the best Otley run of the day was by Beth Massey, showing the benefits of recent quality training, to record 33.56 for the undulating five-mile course.

Other Otley results were: James Cullen, 31.37; Howard Jeffrey, 33.29; Carl Walsh, 34.12; Jack Robertshaw, 34.30; Helen Walsh, 38.46; Anne Atkinson, 40.35; Kath Atkins, 45.00 and Sharron Driver, 47.00. Caroline Marler ran in the three-mile event, finishing first lady over 45.

On Sunday the next West Yorkshire cross-country event takes place, distantly, in Scunthorpe and clashes with the popular local Rivock Edge Fell Race at Silsden. Some Otley runners may attempt both.

Otley Athletic Club currently train from Otley RUFC at 7.15pm on Tuesday and Thursday, with pack runs and other club events most weekends.

Ilkley Harriers

ILKLEY Harrier Neil Chapman ran a PB of 30.29 in Sunday's Roundhay Park Five followed by John Coen 32:16; John Woodward 32:38; Dave Jepson 32:40 and Richard Midgley 39:21.

Richard had also run the earlier three mile race in 23 minutes. Also in this were juniors Simon Chapman in 24:37; and Bradley Chapman in 32:26 - PB's for both.

In the Preston Ten there were some good results from Andy's Thursday night training group with 144th Keith Wood 68:17 and 171st Martin Heath 70:22. Both achieved PB's, with good results also from Andy Wolfenden himself, 220th in 73:26 and Richard Gray 235th in 74:16

Geoff Howard and daughter Caroline ventured south for the Bishop's Stortford ten mile road race. As part of a field of 492, won in 53m 30s by Paralympics 10k gold medallist Paul Thatcher, Caroline was 12th lady of 108 in 70m 50s but actually fourth senior lady showing how good the veteran ladies were (138th overall) and Geoff was fourth Over-50 of 75 in 63m 45s (44th overall).

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club every Tuesday at 7pm.

See www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk .