RADCLIFFE Athletic Club staged their annual club presentation last week, and while there was plenty on which to congratulate the club's members, club chairman Tom West also harked back to a year which threw up unprecedented difficulties for the club.

The 2001 foot and mouth outbreak caused lots of road races and most of last season's fell calendar to be cancelled often at short notice.

The winter cross-country season was made part of the club championship after many summer races were lost. New arrival Barbara Allen was best senior lady over the four cross-country races, with Linda McDonagh pipping Kath Gethin in the over-40s section.

Linda was also victorious over Maria Mycock and Glenda Garry in the road championships, where Sara Hopkins took the over-35 prize.

Eileen Sharman won her section in the cross-country as did Eileen Royle who is now a very fit lady in her 50's.

David Bartlett was best senior man on the roads, but was relegated to second over the country by Gareth Wilson, who will surely make an impact in the 2002 championships.

Among the over-40s, Mark Emnett took the road title, but was second to Mike Howard in the cross-country. Mike was Radcliffe's best fell runner in 2001 and this year is going better than ever and will be looking to achieve more success.

Colin McDonagh kept plugging away last year and wound up second on the roads and third overall cross country runner.

Similarly Tony Meakin was third on the road and fourth over the country.

John Agg, a man in love with hills, was second to Mike on the fells.

Adrian Harris is respected in the running community as a runner who gives 100 per cent when he competes, and he was first over-45 on the road and in cross country.

Adrian also took the Norman Schofield Trophy which commemorates a former club member who succumbed to illness several years ago.

Norman was in the over-45s and loved road running, so when his wife presented a trophy in his memory it was natural to give it each year to the club's over-45 road champion.

Brian Booth was second over-45 in the cross country races, and was unfortunate in not being able to get to enough of the other championship races last year.

Forward planning was very difficult with races being cancelled or re-arranged at short notice.

Among the over-50s, Alec Steele took the road and fell titles, followed into second place by the persistent and determined Iain Harris.

Arthur Warren managed some decent training between his junior coaching duties to go well for second place on the fells and first in the cross country, and it was in the latter that Bill Armstrong got running again after a year of niggling injuries to take second.

The club's golden oldies are Alan Sumner and Tom West. Alan was over-55 winner on the roads and Tom got enough cross country races in to win the over 60s section after a difficult year for him.

Tom congratulated not just those who won prizes, but all the club members who continue to support Radcliffe AC's own races.

It became impossible to plan ahead and several revisions of the basis of the club championship had to be made. Despite all this, the club could now look back on a year when its members participated in many events and organised four trail races and a road race.

Several other runners got out to relays and team events, some did marathons, and generally the level of commitment has stayed high.

Tom's last duty was to award the President's Shield, which he decides each year. Mike Howard was the recipient, a fitting reward for a guy whose enthusiasm is an inspiration to others.

Members are pictured with trophies at the presentation.