Athletics: Yorkshire county titles are up for grabs this weekend. The Senior Men's and women's Cross-Country Championships take place at Valley Park, Rotherham on Saturday, and the 22nd Veterans' Championships will be decided at Graves Park, Sheffield on Sunday.

Colin Moore will be leading Bingley men's team at Rotherham, and has formed a powerful squad in the quest for medals.

He will have inform fell-running specialists Ian Holmes, Matt Whitfield, Rob Jebb and John Taylor in support, plus the Peace brothers Martin and Andrew.

Holmes and Jebb have both been in winning form over the festive period, and Whitfield transformed his international fell running ability on to the roads in the Leeds Abbey 10km Dash early in December. He clocked a superb 29-57 for fourth place, only two seconds behind Moore.

Martin Horbury and Adrian Jones will be spearheading Keighley & Craven's attempt for honours, although they have yet to finalise their line-up.

In the junior races preceding the main event, Bingley's under-15 girls' team should make an impression.

Rebecca Smith - daughter of Mike - Grace Bendle, Victoria Stainburn and Naomi Johnson recently took the team award in the Bradford & Halifax District Championship, and currently lie second in the West Yorkshire League.

Keighley & Craven have assembled their strongest women's team for Sunday's veterans' event.

Jo Prowse will be back in action after a bad fall in the Rivock Edge Hill race at the end of November.

The English veteran fell champion will be well supported by Karen Slater, Liz Tomes and Freda Tate.

Two other local women should feature - Sue Carriss of Bingley and Bradford Airedale's Andrea Dennison.

Jonnie Butler will lead a large contingent of Keighley & Craven men and, although Steve Hornby is listed to run, he is still serving the nine-month qualifying period, and will not score for his new club after leaving Bradford Airedale.

St Bede's are also well represented, and Jack Verity has been in fine form in the over-40s category.

Bingley have 22 runners listed, but top veteran John Cordingley is a notable absentee with a chest infection.

Medal prospects are alive in the over-50s section, where Baildon-based Neil Robson will have aspirations of an individual medal, as will Les Hayes in the over-55s. Terry Lonergan may run and Peter Probin should also feature.

The over-60s trio of Fred Gibbs, Gerry Spink and John Smithurst will start as hot favourites for the team gold.

The event is hosted by Hallamshire Harriers, and proceedings get under way at 1pm with the over-50s and women, the over-40s race starting at 2pm. There are no entries on the day.

Peter Wilkinson of Skipton - a recent over-50s winner at Todmorden - will represent his club in a West Yorkshire Winter League clash at Baildon, also on Sunday.

Pudsey Pacers hold the advantage after the first race at Dewsbury in the team event.

Also on Sunday at 10am in Myrtle Park, Bingley, there is a junior multi-terrain event.

Bradford athletics development officer John Woodcock, with combined help from Bradford Airedale, Keighley & Craven and Bingley Harriers, will host a series of four events aimed at encouraging local youngsters into athletics.

The under-nines will run a one-kilometre cross-country course, followed by mile races for under-11s, under-13s, under-15s and under-17s.

Medals sponsored by McDonalds will be awarded to every finisher.

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