IT proved worth the wait for Chris Holdsworth as he stormed to victory in Sunday’s rain-hit Ron Hill Accrington 10k.

Twelve months ago Holdsworth had to settle for second spot in the popular annual race.

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But one year on there was no stopping the Clayton-le-Moors Harriers ace as he crossed the line in an unbeatable time of 34 minutes and 26 seconds.

Northern Veterans AC’s Matthew Rushbrook was second in 35mins 21secs with Holdsworth’s clubmate Danny Collinge third in 35mins 44secs and Accrington Road Runners’ Chris Walton fourth in 37mins 10secs.

Making up the rest of the top 10 were the unattached Steven Henderson (fifth in 37mins 28secs), Haslingden High School sixth form student James Robinson (sixth in 37mins 56secs), Clayton-le-Moors Harriers Jake Watson (seventh in 37mins 57secs), Accrington Road Runners’ Graham Morris (fastest MV50 and eighth overall in 38mins 1sec), Blackburn Road Runners’ David Birtwistle (ninth in 38mins 10secs) and the unattached Thomas Fletcher (10th in 38mins 23secs).

Darwen Dashers star Joanne Nelson was the fastest female, and therefore the fastest FV40, in 39mins 24secs, making her 19th overall.

Meanwhile the legendary Ron Hill, 76, whom the race is named after, finished 415th in the 487-strong field, meaning he claimed the MV75 prize.

Male age group titles also went to Trawden AC’s Chris Quigley (fastest MV45 and 11th overall in 38mins 30secs) and Kevin Salter (fastest MV40 and 14th overall in 38mins 52secs), Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ John Hartley (fastest MV55 and 16th overall in 39mins 16secs), Horwich RMI’s Rudolf Maciejkowicz (fastest MV60 and 64th overall in 42mins 4secs), Darwen Dashers’ David Shorrock (fastest MV65 and 260th overall in 54mins 14secs) and Ilkley Harriers’ Geoffrey Howard (fastest MV70 and 108th overall in 44mins 58secs).

The other female age group titles went to Blackburn Road Runners’ Jeanette Richards (fastest FV45 and 110th overall in 45mins 8secs), Accrington Road Runners’ Nancy Bailey (fastest FV50 and 168th overall in 48mins 43secs) and Joyce Hill (fastest FV60 and 156th overall in 48mins 19secs), and Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ Irene Roche (fastest FV55 and 149th overall in 48mins).

Paul Gallagher, of Accrington Road Runners, was 18th in 39mins 19secs.