PHIL Taylor completed his second road race win in a fortnight in the Rossendale Half Marathon -- and led the home club to the team prize.

Dale had four in the first ten with M45 winner Nigel Gotts 3rd, eighteen year old Chris White 4th and Robell Shahan Siddique 10th.

This year there was £2000 on offer for a course record, but Ron Hill's mark, which has stood since 1972, was never threatened. Ron himself was in the field of 178 which was swelled by the ranks of Todmorden Harriers and Red Rose Road Runners competing in their own club championships. Paul Brannigan was the runner up for Tod and Sue Becconsall and Kay Leigh were 1st and 3rd ladies, while William Garner was the most successful from Red Rose in 8th position. Three Accrington Road Runners recorded personal best times despite the tough course -- Joanne Bramley 1:38, John Allan 1:48 and Maureen Hartley 1:52.

Result: Men: 1 (1st M40) Phil Taylor (R) 1:17:51, 2 Paul Brannigan (T) 1:19:03, 3 (1st M45) Nigel Gotts (R) 1:19:14, 4 Chris White (R) 1:19:32, 5 (1st M50) Graham Smith (u/a) 1:19:53, 6 John Wieczorek (C) 1:20:36, 7 (2nd M45) Peter Butterworth (C) 1:21:25, 8 William Garner (RR) 1:21:38, 9 (2nd M40) Adrian Fearnley (A) 1:24:06, 10 Robell Shahan Siddique (R) 1:24:09 Veterans: 3rd M40 Dave Collins (T) 1:24:26, 2nd M50 Alan Mellor (T) 1:27:34, 3rd M50 Dave Ratcliffe (R) 1:31:39, 2nd M55 Kevin Smith (RR) 1:34:15, 2nd M60 Adrian Batson (BRR) 1:52:43, 1st M65 Richard Packer (RR) 1:52:08 Team: 1st Rossendale Harriers

Ladies: 1 (1st L40) Sue Becconsall (T) 1:28:14, 2 Lucy Whittaker (Saddleworth) 1:29:36, 3 Kay Leigh (T) 1:31:55 Veterans: 2nd L40 Jeannette Coleman (CH) 1:34:17, 1st L45 Maureen Hartley (A) 1:52:35, 2nd L45 Brenda Fullard (BRR) 1:56:01, 1st L55 Pat Collier (T). Rossendale's big cash prize may not have been won, but one Lancastrian in the money was Marine Mark Croasdale, last year's Three Peaks winner.

The Man versus Horse Marathon took place at Llanwrtyd Wells on Saturday in poor weather conditions, and it seems that the rain slowed the horses the most.

Mark became the first man ever to beat the leading horse over the 22 mile course winning him a jackpot of £21000.

The event was witnessed by Darwen Dasher Shane Gudgeon who was watching his wife Sheila compete.

Shane said: "The last river crossing was waist deep, but they made Mark wade across before declaring it unsafe for the other competitors who were allowed to take the bridge. At the finish Mark was well clear with a margin of five minutes."

Sheila Gudgeon completed the course in 3:45 just ahead of former Blackburn Road Runner Sue Finnerty. Sue's partner, Jimmy Nolan took 3:10.

Northern Women's League

HYNDBURN Secretary Mike Grime has praised his club's ladies in the Northern Women's League Match at Deeside. He described their performance as "a brilliant effort with everybody contributing" as they took third place with a team that was depleted with injuries and holiday commitments. Three of the team returned with personal best's, sisters Sam and Hayley Bullen and Mike's daughter Vikki. Lancashire Champion Laura Finucane warmed up for the Lancashire Schools Championships with an 800m personal best of 2:23.6 on her home track at Pendle. Fellow under 15 Nikala Smith, under 17 Naomi Biddle and senior Vicky Haydock also earned PB's as the Pendle squad took 4th place in their Northern Women's League match on Sunday. Vicky, Liz Crawshaw and Kate Franzke were all winners in two events.

Hyndburn -- Northern Women's League, 3rd in Division 4W at Deeside; Under 15's: Charlotte Baron (100m A 2nd, long jump A 3rd, discus B 3rd) Sam Bullen (75m hurdles A 1st, high jump B 1st in PB of 1:20) Kerry Barnes (high jump A 2nd, 75m hurdles B 1st, 200m B 2nd) Lauren Grime (discus A 2nd, shot A 2nd) Claire Mitchell (javelin B 1st, 1500m A 3rd, 100m B 3rd) Saira Shahid (javelin A 2nd, shot B 2nd, long jump B 3rd) Relay: 4x100m 2nd Under 17's: Hayley Bullen (800m A 1st, 300m hurdles A 2nd, discus A 3rd in a PB) Seniors: Vikki Grime (shot A 3rd, discus A 3rd, long jump A 4th with a PB) Sue Grime (shot B 3rd) Elizabeth Oglesby (high jump A 1st=, discus B 2nd, triple jump A 3rd, 100m A 4th)

Pendle AC -- Northern Women's League, 4th in Division 2 W at Pendle: Under 15: Laura Finucane (800m A 1st in a PB of 2:23.6, 75m hurdles B 3rd) Kate Franzke (discus A 1st, shot A 1st) Nikala Smith (75m A 3rd in a PB of 13.0, 200m B 2nd) Sally Targett (100m A 2nd, javelin A 3rd in a PB of 16:31) Jesamine Manning (800m B 1st) Justine Anderton (1500m B 2nd, javelin B 4th in a PB of 13.93) Sam White (long jump A 2nd) Under 17: Laura Dunlop (javelin A 3rd, high jump A 3rd) Charlene Halliday (300m A 3rd) Naomi Biddle (800m A 3rd, 300m B 4th in a PB of 50.0, shot B 2nd) Senior: Kirsty Wilkinson (800m A 1st, 400m B 2nd) Debbie Lund (shot A 1st) Vicky Gorton (discus A 1st) Victoria Rusius (1500m A 2nd) Jane Hancock (long jump A 3rd, triple jump B 2nd) Liz Crawshaw (triple jump A 3rd, 800m B 1st, 1500m B 1st) Jill Reeder (200m B 3rd) Vicky Haydock (discus B 1st, shot B 1st, 400m hurdles B 2nd in a PB of 73.2, 100m hurdles B 2nd) Anita Saunders (long jump B 3rd, high jump B 3rd) Relay: 4x400m 3rd. Northern Champs -- Blackburn Harriers: Three Blackburn Harriers won bronze medals in the first part of the Northern Championships at Cleckheaton last week. The competition was mainly for junior men and women, but there were some under 17 events. Blackburn's medallists were all in the junior age group. Sarah Willimott won her medal in the 1500m where she finished in 4:50.32 despite blustery conditions. Liam Barton struck bronze in the 2000m steeplechase and Ben Fish took 3rd in the 5000m race won by Pendle's Lee McCash (reported last week). Catherine Riley, the former Park High School athlete won a silver in the junior ladies 800m for the Trafford Club.

Junior Women: 800m: 2nd Catherine Riley (Trafford) 2:20.51, 1500m: 3 Sarah Willimott (BH) 4:50.32, Shot: 7 Vikki Grime (H) 30.83 Under 17 Women: 800m: 5 Jennifer Tunstill (PHS) 2:19.38 Junior Men: 110m hurdles: John Paul Clements 8th (also reached semi of 200m), 1500m: 11 Michael Hammer (BH), 5000m: 1 Lee McCash (P) 15:22, 3 Ben Fish (BH) 15:41, 2000m steeplechase: 3 Liam Barton (BH) 6:16.25 Under 17 Men: High Jump: 6 Colin Bailey (B) 1.80, 10 Andrew Gabriel (BH) 1.65, Long Jump: 8 Colin Bailey (B) 5.52

International Calls

RICHARD Thomas has been included in the four man Welsh team for the European Trophy in Poland on July 2nd. The event is fell running's European Championship and Richard expects every country in Europe to be represented.

He has never before been chosen as a senior, but he ran as a junior in 1991 and 1992 when the event was called the World Cup. It will be his first time in Poland as his previous appearances were in Switzerland and Italy. Richard said "I am thrilled to have been selected and I would like to thank my club Darwen Dashers who have been so supportive. Although the trip is subsidised, the athletes have to contribute and the Dashers help has been much appreciated."

English Fell Champion Katie Ingham has been selected to run for England in the Black Forest Teenager Games, to be held in Germany in July.

The fourteen year old Chorley Harrier cut short a family holiday in Holland to run the selection race in Keswick.

She only arrived home at 2am on the morning of the race after the long drive back, and the win was just reward for her drive to be the best. It was a tough race, two miles long, with 900ft of ascent and she was pushed all the way by Bingley's Helen Glover eventually pulling away in the last 150 metres to win by 11 seconds.

Round Up

COMPETITORS in the Pendle and Burnley Grand Prix had a busy weekend with races in successive days. County Fell Runner Simon Thompson won the Kelbrook Fell race on Saturday from Clayton team mate Anthony Waterworth, with Steve Sweeney of Bowland Fell Runners third.

Vanessa Peacock of Clayton was first lady, with Peter Butterworth the leading veteran. In the junior race Anne Smith of Park High School was the winning girl while Sam Holden of Darwen Dashers and Callum Fitzpatrick of Hyndburn were age group winners.

A visitor to the area, Alan Barnes of Aldershot, won the Burnley Boys 10K on Sunday. Second was former Pendle athlete Aaron Hargreaves and Blackpool policeman Darren Hale took third. Darren had dashed over from the Bolton Le Sands 10K when it was cancelled because the course was 2ft underwater. Defending champion Gary Wilkinson was 4th. David Riley of Pendle was 1st junior and John Hartley from Clayton was top veteran. Dany Robson of Clayton was 2nd lady with Janet Kelly of Trawden in 3rd winning the veteran class.

Neil Holding of West Pennine Runners was 2nd in the Pen y Ghent Fell Race while Lee Passco of Clayton was 4th in the Desert Orchid Dash at Norden. Lee Leishman of Rossendale was first junior and Tina Lewis was 2nd lady.

Tina was the winning lady in the Haigh Hall 10K where Blackburn Road Runner Bernie Johnson took 7th place. The Road Runners club champion Sandra Snape ran her fastest time for 5 years in the Tam O'Shanter 10K at Ayr, and also in Scotland, Tony Chew of Clayton was 6th in the Kirkudbright Half Marathon. Scot Jim Munn of Chorley AC has completed all 18 Kirkudbright races.

What's on

THE Whalley Nab Race is tomorrow at 7:15pm. Registration is from 6pm at Whalley Primary School, Church Lane. The race is seven miles but a junior one mile race starts at 6:30pm.

Rochdale Harriers have a mini-series of races over the weekend. On Friday night there is a road race at 7:30pm, on Saturday at 2pm a multi-terrain event and on Sunday at 11am there is the Knowl Hill Fell Race.

Each event is six miles and starts from the Brown Cow, Norden, Rochdale. You can enter races individually or complete the series.

The Rishton 10K Multi-Terrain Race is on Sunday at 11am and there is a two mile fun run at 10:30am. Registration and start is Norden School, Rishton. Mike Platt of Darwen Dashers is the organiser of the Top O'Leach Hill Race and Walk which is in memory of local runner Harry Aspinall.

It will be held as part of the Stacksteads Summer Fair. 3.5 miles, it climbs to the highest point in the Borough of Rossendale. It is on Sunday at 11:15am.

The Holcombe Two Towers Fell Race on Wednedsay starts at 7:15pm. It is 5.2 miles long, climbs 1000' and begins at the Hare and Hounds pub in Holcombe Brook.

The second of the Horwich Jubilee 4 mile road races on Wednesday starts from Rivington Bowling Club. This is a change of venue from the first race. Start time remains 7:30pm.

Race Calendar

June

Fri 9th Whalley Nab 7M + Junior 1M Multi Terrain

Norden 6M (3 day event) Road

Sat 10th Norden 6M (3 day event) Multi Terrain; Ennerdale 23M/7500' (English 4/British 3) Fell

Sun 11th Norden Knowle Hill 6M/1800' (3 day event) Fell; Rishton 10K Multi Terrain; Top O'Leach Hill Race 3.5M/800' (Stacksteads) Fell

Tues 13th Sheepstones Relay 3x3M/1000' Hebden Bridge Fell

Wed 14th Holcombe 2 Towers 5.2M/1000' Fell; Horwich Jubilee Series (Race 2) 4M Road Fri 16th Barley Fell 6M (Pendle GP 5) Road/Fell

Sat 17th A Hulme Great Hill 5.75M/1300'(Millennium GP5) Fell; Bacup Fire Station (provisional date) Road

Sun 18th Freckleton 1/2 Mar Road

Wed 21st Haigh Hall 5M Series (Race 2) Road; Tintwistle "Round the Resers"; Mytholmroyd Fell Race 7M/1350' Fell

Fri 23rd Barrowford Fell 6M (Pendle GP 6) Road/Fell/Towpath; Park Series 5K (Race 3) (Chorley) Park

Sat 24th Tom Tittiman 4M/600' Wadsworth (S Penn GP5); Charles Saer 10K (Fleetwood) Road

Sun 25th Settle Hills 7M/1750' (Junior English 4) Fell

Tues 27th British Olympic Appeal 4.3M (Rochdale) Road

Wed 28th Race for Life Blackburn (Ladies only) Park; Woodend 4M (Chorley) Road

July

Sat 1st Erringden Moor 8.5M/1900' (S Penn GP 6) Fell; Sheephouse Lane 6M/1400' (Junior English 5) Fell

Sun 2nd Viga Thirsty Three 3M (Heapey) Multi Terrain; Twenty Barriers Challenge (Carnforth) Multi Terrain

Sun 2nd Rossendale 12M/2800' Fell

Tues 4th Rochdale 10K Road

Wed 5th Four Mile Night Race (Race 3) Chorley Road

Thur 6th Aggies Staircase 4M/900' (Darwen) Fell

Fri 7th Park Series 5K (No 3) Chorley (Millennium GP6) Park

Sat 8th Tockholes Gala Fell Race (provisional) Fell

Sun 9th Ron Hill Leyland 10M Road; Preston Women's 10K Road