Airedale break their team duck

4:37pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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Airedale Athletics won their first ever team prize at Sunday’s Thorpe Edge 10k. Stephen Broadbent (fourth), Will Kerr (fifth) and Mick Brearley (15th) formed the scoring trio. The race, organised by Eccleshill Road Runners, is one of only two 10k road races in Bradford, and drew 107 runners despite the unseasonal squally conditions.

On the track, also on Sunday, Guiseley-based Skyrac won their first match since returning to senior competition in Division Four of the Northern League. They beat off strong competition from Leeds City, home club Oldham & Royton and Pudsey & Bramley. This now makes them contenders for promotion at the end of the final match in a month’s time.

The Humber Bridge Half Marathon attracted a top-class field of some 1,500 runners. Leeds City’s Andy Hilton won by over two minutes in 68min 31sec and, in a women’s course record, by Jenny Blizzard (Rotherham) in 77min 55sec. Keighley’s Amy Green was a fine third-place finisher in 86min 57sec.

Pudsey Pacers were led home by Andy Hardaker, 60th overall in a fine 88min 29sec, followed by Martin Edwards (112:00), Karen Thrippleton (125:23), Mandy Bannister (126:31), Debra Day (129:13) and Arvinder Saggu in 132:30.

The Yorkshire Vets League held its latest monthly Grand Prix at Holmfirth on the tough Honley course. With half the season completed, Pudsey Pacers remain top of the league above Horsforth, following excellent runs from Ann Francis (third, F40), Diane Wood, Alyson Glover and Karen Thrippleton.

The men’s league remains very tightly fought between Pudsey & Bramley (4,657 pts), Holmfirth (4,359), Horsforth (4,349), Pudsey Pacers (4,331) and Bingley (4,056).

Thorpe Edge results:

Men, first ten: Steven Neill (Pudsey & Bramley) 33min 51sec; David Thompson (Kingstone Runners, Barnsley) 34:39; Tim Midgely (Bingley) 35:21; Stephen Broadbent (Airedale) 36:28; Will Kerr (Airedale) 37:09; William Garrick (Army) 37:40; Martin Firth (Queensbury) 37:44; Shaun Wilkinson (Keighley & Craven) 37:54; Michael Walsh (Ackworth) 38:19; James Clark (Pudsey Pacers) 38:44.

Women top ten: Amy Green (Keighley & Craven) 39:31; Kaeti Mackenzie (Barnsley) 40:26; Fiona Davis (Barnsley) 40:27; Kate Bell (Abbey Runners), 43:23; Denise Frost (Idle) 46:35; Rhea Hawkins (Idle) 46:44; Sue Simpson (Harrogate) 47:15; Denise Johnson (Baildon) 48:37; Victoria Wadsworth (Keighley & Craven) 50:17; Fran Nowell (Stainland) 52:45.