Saturday was a day at the races for 22 Ilkley Harriers. Not at Epsom for the Derby but more importantly at a picturesquely sunny Horton-in-Ribblesdale Gala for a British, English and Yorkshire Championships 5.5 mile fell race up and down Pen-y-Ghent.

In accordance with tradition it was ladies first and the Ilkley team had a marvellous result claiming third place.

In a field of 85 Trisha Brindley of Carnethy in Scotland was first (54m 32s), Emma Barclay came in 13th (61. 39), Jane Leather 23 (64.11), Alison Crane 24 (64.20), Alison Weston 28 (66.37.39), Joy Marshall 45 (70.39), Jo Foster 48 (72.06) and Susie Jollie (82.38).

In a men's field of 421 Mark Roberts (Borrowdale) won in 44m 30s but Ilkley dominated the middle order.

Nick Pearce 104th and 5th over 50 (55.08), Geoff Howard 109th (55.26), an injured Billy Kerr 143rd (56.57), Mark Iley 152nd (57.33), Jim Ryder 154th (57.41), Jonathon Sage 203rd (60.26), James Lind 228th (61.41), Ian Johnson 253th (63.11), Norman Bush 262nd (63.58), Ewan Welsh 266th (64.20), Phil Chappell 267th (64.25), Iain Mann 275th (64.37), Ian Marshall 289th (65.42), Morgan Williams 293rd (66.12), Keith Wood 389th (76.18).

Sunday was a day for running through the woods in the inaugrual Middleton Trail Race particularly for Ilkley Harriers Alison Bennett who came first lady, Adrian Hall fifth, Nicky Kline, Andy Kitchen and Barbara Bullock. Prospective Junior Harrier 13 year-old Elinor Kitchen came first lady in the Ilkley Fun Run. Making it a ladies triple success that day, Linda Wright was first over 40 and Amanda Parnaby was first over 45 in the Wharfedale Off The Road Marathon with Neil Chapman and Andrew Wright also competing.

Buckden Pike race

THE Buckden Pike Fell Race, organised this year by Allan Greenwood, will be held on Saturday, June 21, and not this coming weekend as suggested in many places.

Hoping to qualify

SKYRAC AC will have a number of their outstanding young athletes competing in track and field events at the West Yorkshire Schools' trials at Cleckheaton this weekend as they bid to qualify for the England Schools' Championships. This year these will be held in Yorkshire at the Don Valley Stadium in July.

Skyrac have a number of medal prospects with Amy Howard hoping to repeat her success of last year when she gained an English Schools' medal in the discus.

Laura Kirk will be hoping to improve on last year's performance and get among the medals while such as Lewis Blakey, Emma Moutrie, Lucy Foxall, Jenny Hopton, Emma Connolly, Nick Howard and Joel Riley (competing in the North Yorkshire Championships) will all be hoping to qualify for the English Schools' event.

In the third round of the Young Athletes League at Jarrow Laura Kirk won the 300m in 41.8 and the high jump with 1.50m. She was also third in the A 100m in 13.3. Paula Foster won the B 100m in 13.6 and was third in the A 200m in 27.9 and third in the long jump with 4.23m. In the U-17 men newcomer Lewis Blakey won the 400m in 55.6 and the triple jump with 11.89 and was third in the long jump with 5.42. James Murray won the high jump with 1.59 and was third in the discus and shot.