A glorious rainbow appeared over Nunroyd Park, home of Skyrac AC, on Sunday afternoon just before the starting gun sounded for the final race in the second round of the West Yorkshire Cross-Country League sponsored by The Complete Runner.

And why not? Skyrac also managed the Yorkshire Cross-Country Champ-ionship in January and the combination of the club's superb organisation and the challenge of the finest cross-country course in West Yorkshire means Skyrac has been asked to host the Yorkshire Championship again in January 2004.

Last Sunday nearly 500 runners converged on Nunroyd Park and the day went well.

In the senior men's race Simon Deakin of Leeds City AC edged out Otley AC's Ian Fisher by an eight second margin. Deakin finished the course in 30.23.

Senior results were: Men: 1, S Deakin (Leeds City) 30.23; 2, I Fisher (Otley) 30.31; 3, M Roscoe (Leeds City) 31.00; 4, R Burney (Nestle Rowntree) 31.05; 5, W Smith (Keighley and Craven) 31.07. Teams: 1, Leeds City 58; 2, Pudsey and Bramley 133; 3, Nestle Rowntree 213.

Ladies: 1, A Hoban (Wakefield) 23.05; 2, P Thackray (Wakefield) 24.24; 3, D Daly (Scunthorpe) 24.27; 4, C de Maria (Leeds City) 24.40; 5, S Beevers (Wakefield) 24.48. Teams: 1, Holmfirth 52; 2, Spenborough 79; 3, Keighley and Craven 101.

U-13 Boys: 1, E Mason (Spenborough) 11.57; 2, J Fieldhouse (Spenborough) 12.02; 3, S Bradley (Nestle Rowntree) 12.18. Team: Nestle Rowntree.

U-15 Boys: 1, J Townsend (Leeds City) 18.19; 2, M Jones (Holmfirth) 18.39; 3, J Harman (Holmfirth) 18.40. Other placings: 13, Robert Hall (Guiseley).Team: Holmfirth.

U-17 Boys: 1, S Hunn (Skipton) 22.32; 2, T Bean (Nestle Rowntree) 22.50; 3, D Darbyshire (Pudsey & Bramley) 22.52. Team: Halifax.

U-13 Girls: 1, A McGivern (Holmfirth) 12.36; 2, R Hackney (Wakefield) 12.41; 3, H Mayho (Bingley) 12.47. Other placings: 9, Jessica Best (Menston).Team: Holmfirth.

U-15 Girls: 1, A Fulton (Bingley) 17.09; 2, R Fisk (Scunthorpe) 17.15; 3, R McGivern (Holmfirth) 17.26. Other placings: 6, Elizabeth Hall (Guiseley); 7, Jodie Gregorczyk (Menston St Mary's); 9, Eleanor Hall (Guiseley).Team: Leeds City.

U-17 Girls: 1, L Mayho (Bingley) 20.42; 2, J Kerry (Wakefield) 20.47; 3, E Claxton (Scunthorpe) 20.51. Team: Leeds City.

Ilkley Harriers

Ilkley Harriers were racing in no fewer than four events last Sunday. The big team event was the second race in the West Yorkshire Cross-Country League, at Nunroyd Park, a muddy and enjoyable race.

They had 75, Jim Ryder 36:03; 101, Billy Kerr 37:22; 117, Terry Lonergan 38:19; 141, Phil Chappell 40:04; 157, Neil Chapman 41:12 (in his second race of the day!); 189, Andy Kitchen 45:17 - 17th team

Ilkley ladies results were:19, Alison Bennett 26:43; 29, Sally Malir 27:52; 41 ,Di Kitchen 29:34; 44, Bridget Doherty 30:17 - 7th team

Ruth Kitchen was the first Junior Ilkley Harrier to run in a West Yorkshire League race, finishing 38th on her 3km course in 15:37

On the roads, the Guy Fawkes Ten attracted Geoff Howard 66:20; Neil Chapman 67:28; Rob Pawson 74; Linda Wright 83; Bernie Gibbons 90; Andrew Wright 96; and Amanda Parnaby 107.

In the Snowdon Marathon, Suzanne Akeroyd ran 3h52. Roy Ruddle was 95th (out of 1015) in 34:30 at the Dovedale Dash, a 4.75 mile race with 500' of climb.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash club every Tuesday at 7pm. For more info, see www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk

Lakeland Classic

The annual Lakeland Classics Trophy is based on a series of long Lakeland fell races of up to 23 miles in length including up to 9,000 feet of climb.

The series was conceived by Skyrac Chairman Graham Breeze and FRA Statistician Brian Martin and they sponsor the trophy to raise the profile and ensure the survival of the most arduous fell races in the FRA Calendar.

Fewer than 40 runners completed the series in 2002 and 2003 and in both years only two were women. Outright winners of the mounted slate trophies in 2003 were giants in the world of fellrunning: Rob Jebb (Bingley) who has also won the 2003 British Fell Championship was the male winner and the prodigious Wendy Dodds (Clayton), although a Vet 50, again won the women's prize. Ambleside won the team prize.

Of local interest was that an Ilkley Harrier has taken the women's runner-up prize in both 2002 and 2003 with Alison Weston and Jane Leather respectively.

The role of the series in securing the future of the long Lakeland classic races has been recognised by the FRA which has agreed to incorporate the award of the major prizes into the FRA Presentation Evening which is held in November primarily to award the English and British Championship medals.

Jane is now travelling in New Zealand for several months but last week before she left Kendal where she now lives, Ilkley Harrier Ashley Hardwell made contact with her to arrange the presentation of her limited edition Bentham Pottery Lakeland Classics 2003 mug to recognise her success.

Details of the 2004 Lakeland Classics trophy can be obtained via 01943 874046 or www.Breezeuplands@aol.com

Otley AC

Sunday saw members taking part in two major events. The Guy Fawkes Ten was run from Ripley Castle.

This race is one of the toughest ten mile courses in the region, featuring mixed terrain and many steep hills, though conditions were described as dry. Over 600 runners completed the course.

The race was won by Darren Bilton of Leeds in the excellent time of 53.06. First home for Otley was Julian Mawson (5th in 60.03) followed by Howard Jeffrey (72nd), Jack Robertshaw (122nd), Phil Robinson (178th), Kath Robertshaw (234th) and Don Buffham (235th). Kath was first lady in her age category and husband Jack was third in his.

Next Sunday the club will be entering at least one team in the Aaron Cross-Country Relays to be held at Middleton Park in Leeds.

Otley AC meets for training at Otley Rugby Club at 7.15pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings; new members are always welcome.

Shepherds' Skyline Race

The Shepherds Skyline race may evoke the romance of fell runners silhouetted against the setting sun but prosaically it is named after the pub from which the race starts in the shadow of Stoodley Pike.

Even so it is some time since a smock-clad shepherd, crook in arm wandered into the bar of the Shepherds Rest with a lamb under his arm.

Nevertheless the race is challenging taking in two short severe climbs both around 500 feet, some tricky technical descents and a route that makes runners run for a mile or so through mud at best and standing water at worst.

For 2003 on a whim the race organiser had decided to reverse the loop up to the Pike but he was left in no doubt after the race that runners viewed this as a mistake.

The race always attracts a quality field, not least because at this time of year events become thinner on the ground and if Ian Holmes (Bingley) turns up he usually wins. Last Saturday Holmes turned up and won in 39.59.

Skyrac were also there and from 169 finishers Duncan Asquith was 32nd in 50.08 followed by 52nd Bob Pritchard (52.59) and 63rd Graham Breeze (53.55) who as third Veteran 55 won some chocolate goodies for grandchildren Emma, Tim and Alice.