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Skyrac's Jaye Riley and Rebecca Harrison

Last Sunday saw around 40 athletes from Skyrac Athletic Club compete in the Barton and District Open Cross- Country Meeting at Baysgarth Park, Barton upon Humber.

This open cross-country meeting incorporated Skyrac Athletic Club's Cross- Country Championships.

On a cold blustery afternoon Skyrac came home with three team gold medals and two teams won silver. Skyrac's U-11 Girls consisting of Georgina Bentley, Milly Crump, Rachel Turner, Sophie Robinson and Alex Oglesby won the team gold medal with Georgina Bentley winning an individual bronze medal.

Lewis Turner ran well to finish 12th in U-11 Boys' race.

Skyrac U-13 Girls' team also collected the team gold. The team of Jaye Riley, Molly Keefe, Liz Ritchens and Beth Stephens all ran extremely well. Jaye Riley won an individual silver medal.

Skyrac U-15 Girls' team of Grace Goodall, Katie Oglesby and Ellie English finished a creditable fourth team.

Skyrac's U-15 Boys' team ran extremely well in winning comfortably the team gold with Michael Hincliffe the individual winner, Daniel Harrison in second place collecting silver with Adam Brooks placing sixth.

In the U-17 Women's race combined with the Junior/Senior Women's race Rebecca Harrison finished third with an excellent performance after a long lay off through injury. Her twin sister Bethany was 16th closely followed by Laura Griggs and Julia Turner. This performance by the girls earned them team silver medals.

In the Senior Men's race Skyrac's middle distance athletes Nic Howard was in excellent form collecting the silver medal closely followed by Chris Bryan fourth with Russell Turner running well to secure the team silver medal.

Any young athletes in the area, including fitness runners or joggers, who are interested in the sport of athletics are welcome to the club's main training nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at Nunroyd Park, Yeadon, meeting in the Clubhouse at 7.20pm.

Whatever your standard of fitness you are welcome at Skyrac.

For further information on Skyrac Athletic Club, including training sessions, coaching and racing, please view skyrac.org.uk or telephone 01943 466320.

Skyrac Fellrunners The nine mile Noon Stone Race from Lumbutts near Todmorden is notoriously tough, not least because one section traverses private land over Turley Holes and Higher House Moor which has no paths but plenty of bog.

Nevertheless the prospect of points in the 2008 Derek Emsley Trophy overcame the prospect of lots of mud and eight Skyrac members joined the large field of 213 runners.

The race winner was ex-international John Brown (Salford) in 1.10.35 and first lady and 23rd overall was English and British Fell Champion Janet McIver (Dark Peak) in 1.21.48.

Skyrac finished: 50, Rob Weston (1.28.14); 56, Duncan Asquith (1.29.23); 70, Martin Farrar (1.33.01); 82, Graham Breeze (1.35.30); 134, Malcolm Coles (1.42.53); 148, Stephen Batley (1.46.08); 181, Max Wood (1.54.08); 200, Peter Wade (1.58.24).

Skyrac, who organise the forthcoming Guiseley Gallop, can be contacted via skyrac.org.uk Otley Athletic Club Strong and blustery winds over the weekend made for difficult racing. On Saturday members of Otley AC took part in the club handicap race on trails and roads around Eccup reservoir.

Phil Robinson made a welcome return from a leg injury to finish first in 54.20 closely followed by Antonio Cardinale (54.25) and Paul Clifford (54.36). Phil had overtaken Antonio with about half a mile to run but Antonio fought back to regain the lead. Perhaps his effort was too early as Phil outsprinted him in the last 100 yards.

The first three home were followed by David Cattanach (54.53), David Brocklehurst (54.59), guest Andy Wheeler (55.31), David Fox (55.34), Bridget Barr (55.50), Colin Best (56.16) Michael Pickard (56.21), John Dade (56.28) and Peter McGouran (56.54).

The same day on the fells Huw Illingworth and second claim member Jamie Noon took part in the Noon Stone Fell Race, a tough nine miler with 2,300 ft of climbing which was made all the more difficult by the weather conditions. Jamie finished an excellent 20th in 81.26 and Huw was 77th in 94.57.

On the roads Ian Fisher travelled to Doncaster to run in the Norton 9 which he duly won in a time of 46.55 beating second placed Chris Birchall (Leeds City AC) by over a minute.

Otley's other representative Howard Jeffrey finished 88th (61.49).

As part of his preparation for the London Marathon Tom Hannah drove to Morecambe to participate in the Trimpell 20, a 20 mile course he describes as being flat as a pancake mainly on a tarmac cycle track but with a bit of a breeze in the last eight miles'.

Tom was pleased to finish with a time of 2:29:34. Perhaps he was inspired by looking at Eric Morecambe's statue under which many of his catchphrases are listed.

Otley AC meet at 7.15pm on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the rugby club on Cross Green, Otley. The club caters for all standards of runners. Coached sessions are available on Tuesday nights. Otley Juniors start training at 6.30pm on April 9 at the Otley RUFC rugby pitches behind Stephen Smith's Garden Centre.

Ilkley Harriers A fantastic day was had by all as 33 Ilkley Harriers participated in running the 82 mile Dales Way from Bowness to Ilkley as a relay.

Dave Wilby and Dan Goodey set off at 5am from the shores of Lake Windermere and 13 hours 48 minutes later Kelly Harrison, Adrian Hall, Rob King and others finished at the Old Bridge in Ilkley.

The atmosphere was great as pairs or groups of runners arrived at each change over point and everyone was close to their predicted time.

More than £150 was raised during the day for the Gemma King Memorial Fund. A full report and photos are on the Ilkley Harriers website.

There was a clear, cold morning in the Dales for this year's Trollers Trot (24 miles). A strong headwind made for tired legs, a challenging final four miles up the Wharfe Valley.

Ilkley Harriers times were: Eddie Winslow 3h35, Neil Smith 3h50, Bob Hamilton 4h15.

In the Noon Stone Fell Race on Saturday, over nine miles with 2300 ft of climbing, Paul Davidson was 59th in 90:29.

Victoria helps England Victoria Stevens running for England in an international event in Holland against clubs from Belgium, Germany and Holland helped England win the event with an excellent run finishing fourth in her class.

With no major local orienteering events on during the weekend members of Airienteers had the opportunity of competing in a local informal event on Saturday at Esholt Woods.

There were four courses on offer from 1.4km for beginners and children to a technical course of 3.5km.

Just under 60 runners competed including club members and some new to the sport.

A winning time of 31 minutes was clocked by Andy Kelly on the longest, Green, course closely followed by Greg Hull in 33 mins and Kelvin Dawson and Paul Moore who finished in 37 minutes.

On the shorter Orange course the winner was Ania Sroker with a fast time of 22 minutes followed by Laurence Smith on 24 minutes and Daniel Calvert 28 minutes.

The club's next event will be a Regional Event at the Valley of Desolation above Bolton Abbey on Sunday, March 16.

Details of this and other events can be found at aire.org.uk.

8:51am Thursday 6th March 2008

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