Athletics: After a confidence boosting win in the Reebok Cross Challenge in Glasgow two weeks ago, Bingley's Andrew Pearson will tackle the televised Great North Cross Country Run at Durham Racecourse on Saturday.

Pearson showed a return to form in Scotland, when edging out National Champion Dominic Bannister in a sprint finish, both being credited with the same time - 26mins 47secs for the 8 km course.

The former Longwood man has been running 90 miles a week in training and will go into Saturday's race in a positive mood. Jon Brown and Richard Nerurkar are other Englishmen listed to run, but will face stiff international competition.

Locally, on Saturday, Allan Greenwood is promoting the Tor Ovenden fell race from Ogden Reservoir, off the Keighley-Halifax Road. This race is the first in the South Pennines Grand Prix series and covers eight miles on rough tracks and exposed moorland with 1,200 feet of climbing involved. All competitors must be over 14 years of age, and the race starts at 11am.

Last Monday's race at Shelf Hall Park, the seven mile Coley Centre wasn't for the faint of heart. Competitors endured an icy wind with sleet over an arduous course. Abbey Runner's Joe Gonzales came out on top although he was pushed all the way by Bradford Airedale veteran Richard Crossland.

Mark Mason of Halifax finished third ahead of Dave Woodhead of Harwich, who took the veterans runners-up award.

There were top ten finishes from Steve Bottomley and Stefan Macina of Eccleshill and St Bede's runner Simon Gelsthorpe.

Carol Greenwood was a runaway winner of the ladies race despite a pending operation to cure her back problem.

Spenborough's rising star Amy Green was runner-up for the second time in 24 hours after her splendid performance in the Hot Toddy Six the day before. Andrea Dennison of Bradford Airedale was third, a further minute behind.

Results: Coley Canter Seven Miles Cross Country - Men 1 Joe Gonzales, Abbey 45.48; 2 R Crossland, Bradford Airedale 46.10 (v 40); 3 M Mason, Halifax 46.25; 4 D Woodhead, Harwich 46.43 (v40); 5 S Bottomley, Eccleshill 46.57; 6 D Clarke, Abbey 47.21. Ladies - 1 C Greenwood, Bingley 48.57; 2 A Green, Spen 56.08; 3 A Dennison, Bradford A 57.06 (v 35); 4 L Hayles, Halifax 61.10; 5 J Sanderson, Bradford A 61.48 (v 45).

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.