With the end of the track and field season just four weeks away there was good news for Skyrac AC as they learned of the final team and individual positions in the 2002 West Yorkshire Track and Field League. These are a result of the seven meetings that stretched from April to August.

Skyrac finished second in the men's league behind Wakefield Harriers. Leading positions: 1, Wakefield Harriers & AC 445 points; 2, Skyrac AC 388; 3, Bingley Harriers 345; 4, Spenborough AC 275 ; 5, Pudsey & Bramley AC 271; 6, Halifax Harriers 261.

In the Ladies' championship Skyrac were third. Leading positions:1, Wakefield Harriers & AC 619 points; 2, Leeds City AC 372; 3, Skyrac AC 296; 4, Spenborough AC 291; 5, Bingley Harriers 268; 6, Nestle Rowntrees AC, York 133.

Skyrac's individual league placings saw Matthew Clay win the senior men's title with Fiona Thomas winning the senior women's title.

Andrew Staniland was second in the Under-17 men's championship and Hannah Podlewska third in the under-13 girls.

N of E AA 3000m Championships

The latest of the popular Trafford AC Grand Prix meetings at Stretford's Longford Park Stadium also doubled as the North of England AA Championships for this season's Under 20 3000m races. Both Elizabeth and Robert Spencer of Horsforth and Holmfirth Harriers took part.

Elizabeth was just outside the medals in fourth place in the women's event but recorded the fine time of 10 mins.29.67s.

Robert, who has achieved some excellent 800m times this season, stepped up a considerable distance to finish in twelfth place in the men's race in 9 mins.10.61s.

On the same evening, there were two impressive performances in the senior men's throwing events from Pudsey and Bramley AC's Marcus Goldbourne. He won the discus (2kg) with a superb 48.78m throw and then came second in the shot (7.26kg) with 14.60m.

His club-mate, Danny Hermann, also enjoyed success at Trafford AC's August Bank Holiday Open Meeting where he took second place in the senior men's 400m in 49.6s. Both these promising young senior men train at Becket Park Athletics Centre, Headingley.

Young Athletes Finals

Another Horsforth athlete enjoyed some recent top class competition. Bethany Staniland was a valuable member of the Kingston upon Hull AC girls' team that competed in the UK Athletics Young Athletes League National Finals at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.

Here she achieved a hat-trick of gold, silver and bronze medals in the under-15 girls' throwing events. The gold medal was achieved in the discus (1kg) with an excellent last throw of 29.75m.

Her silver medal came with a personal best performance of 10.77m in the shot (3.25kg), and then she launched the javelin (600g) a distance of 27.46m for the bronze medal.

Bronte Way

Entries are now being taken for this year's Bronte Way nine-miler on

Sunday, October 13.

Says organiser Kevin Hopkinson: "We have always tried to keep the strong social element to a race which once brought down the curtain on the summer season for the old Keighley Hillrunners.

"I like to think it is a special little race and that is why we seek to limit the entry to a manageable 120 runners. For years we used to give gnomes to finishers - a sort of dig at the tourist trade but this practice died out when our supplier went bust. Nowadays all competitors get a bottle of Taylor's champion Landlord beer.

"It is a race that gives all standards a chance to run over a true multi-terrain course of farm-track, moor, bog and road and then get together over a pint at the new-look Fleece in Haworth. For the best it's a beat-the-hour challenge and for some it's a take-as-long-as-you-like.

"But because it's a point-to-point race and we bus competitors to the start at Wycoller I do need to know who requires transport," said Kevin.

He can be contacted on kevinhopkinson@regentcres.freeserve.co.uk or by

ringing 01756 794979.

Race entry fee is £4. There is a limited entry on the day at the start but no transport can be arranged on race-day. For more details log onto www.keighleyandcravenac.co.uk

Ilkley Harriers

On Sunday, the runners in the 12th Leeds Country Way Relay, enjoyed wall to wall sunshine as teams of 12 ran in pairs to cover the 60-odd miles of the Leeds Country Way in six legs.

Ilkley fielded two teams, one men's and one ladies. There was one moment of drama when the ladies just beat the leg five mass start. Unofficial times are:

Ladies - Bridget Doherty and Janet Hebbert 116m;Joyce Marshall and Rachael Gooch 92;Jane Bryant and Karen Page tbc; Cath Wolfenden and Jane Leather 00; Sally Malir and Julie Harvey 71;Heather Duke and Amanda Parnaby 105.

Men - Ian Marshall and Phil Chappell 87; Pete Shields and Neil Chapman 86;Dennis Ackroyd and Lloyd Best 80;Nick Pearce and Mike Baldwin 92;Andy Sarah and Norman Blackburn 94;Dave Ibbotson and Keith Wood 76. The men were 17th team in 8h40m

Meanwhile, in the Bradley Fell Race over 3.5M with 750ft of climb, Mark Iley was 9th in 28.02; and Norman Bush 12th in 28.56.

Earlier in the week, the season of country shows with fell races continued with the Kilnsey Show. Second-claim Harrier Kirstin Bailey was first lady in 11.30; Norman Bush ran about the same time; and Dennis Ackroyd ran 13m.

In the Hebden Sports race Dave Matthews ran about 15 minutes, Jane Leather 16m, and Bernie Connor 18m And Bernie, partnered with Wharfedale Harriers' Bob Hamilton in a splendid show of inter-club co-operation, finished second in the egg-throwing competition!

l Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club every Tuesday at 7pm. Web site www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk

A question of athletics

UK Athletics is currently on the road for its third annual tour of the UK, holding 15 A question of athletics forums around the country.

The tour starts this month and will run through to the end of November.

On Monday, September 9, the second 'A question of athletics' forum takes place at the Horsfall Stadium in Bradford at 7-9pm.

The panel will be made up of UK Athletics Chief Executive David Moorcroft; Development Director and Deputy Chief Executive Adam Walker and Performance Director Max Jones.

The forums are an opportunity for all those involved in and with an interest in athletics to ask questions of those who run the sport in the UK. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take part in UK Athletics' biggest ever National Opinion Survey.

UK Athletics Chief Executive David Moorcroft said: "Going around the UK and hearing the views of those involved in the sport is vital. We are

currently developing detailed proposals for investing the £41m Sport England/Government funding for athletics and it is important that our

plans address the issues being raised by the athletics community. The forums will allow us to test and refine our thinking to ensure that our proposals are on track."