Durham City Harriers - Ron Hand, the flying doctor from Durham City, continued his superb string of victories since becoming a veteran athlete in January with a commanding victory in the Redcar half-marathon which incorporated the North-East Counties Championship.

Ron became the first veteran athlete to win the title and this was on the back of a 100-mile training week for his preparation for next month's London Marathon. It was the second time he has won the title at Redcar his first triumph was three years ago. His excellent run of 67.55 was a personal best time in his defeat of the defending champion by over a minute.

Other Harriers: Peter Clarke 98th 1.28.03; Ian Hessler 155th 1.32.17; Alisdair Adams O-50 175th 1.33.44; Joe Harker O-60 326th 1.43.20; Tony Lawson 609th 2.05.34.

At the Durham Pine North-Eastern Harriers League Cross country at Tynedale the very much in-form female section of the club had two great team victories, firstly the senior women's section led by Louise Trainor who had another fine run finishing second in 23.27, with great support by Debbie Hales fourth 24.11 and veteran Val Hancock 11th 25.51. The team were victorious with 17 points and won the senior overall trophy.

Secondly the Under-13 girls led by the equally in-form Samantha Coleby finishing third in 12.14 with Kate Rose fifth 12.29. followed closely by Rebecca Shield sixth 12.44. The team were victorious with 14 points. Briony Rose also ran well to finish 22nd in 14.16.

In the Under-17 men's race Shaun Moralee making his debut for the Harriers had a great run to finish second despite losing a shoe on the muddy part of this very testing course in a time of 30.46.0.

In the senior men's race veteran Geoff Davis finished 22nd in 36.55, from the slow pack and will run from the medium pack next season. Veteran Ted Tait from the medium finished just behind in 23rd 34.26 followed by Peter Clarke 57th in 38.16, Geoff Watson 104th 37.32, Gary Shield 131 in 51.40, Brian Brown 150th 44.51, Glen Malvern 163 51.39. The team finished seventh on the day but finished third overall in Division One in the competition.

Middlesbrough AC

The renamed club, formerly Mandale Harriers, staged the Northern Runner White Horse Wander fell race from Sutton Bank, near Thirsk, last Sunday. Charles Stead, from Northumberland Fell Runners, put his local knowledge to good use to win by more than two minutes.

Results - Men (7.5 miles/1,250 ft): 1 C Stead (Northumb FR) 42:39; 2 M Burn (Thirsk) 44:43; 3 A Bissell (Knavesmire) 44:44; 4 B Grant (Harrogate, M50) 44:55; 5 W Busutill (Thirsk) 45:05; 6 R Burn (Thirsk, M40) 45:28; 7 R Hall (Richmond) 45:32; 8 M Smith 45:35; 9 A Normandale (York Acorn, M40) 45:59; 10 M Wynne (Middlesbrough AC M60) 46:23. 11 N Bush (Ilkley) 55:17. Team: 1 Thirsk & Sowerby 20.

Women: 1 A Raw (Darlington) 53:53; 2 A Hayward (Thirsk, W40) 56:03; 3 M Gibbs (Thirsk, W50) 62:17; 4 P Kirby (Thirsk, W40) 66:51; 5 V Bell (Scarborough, W50) 67:15.

Other results - KJ Tyres Lamplight 5, Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham, March 19 - Men: 1 M Slesser (Jarrow) 25:24; 2 J Orange (Richmond) 25:37; 3 M Price (Salford) 26:13; 4 I Monkman (Newton Aycliffe) 26:35; 5 M Grainger (Darliington) 27:24; 6 I Tulloch (Durham Univ) 28:43; 7 M Ingram (Crook, M45) 29:12; 8 P Kelly (Darlington, M40) 29:16; 9 K Gordon (Richmond) 30:07; 10 T Colmer (M40) 30:16. Series winner: J Orange (Richmond).

Women: 1 A Raw (Darlington) 30:32; 2 R Robinson (Richmond) 31:10; 3 S Gayter (New Marske) 32:47. Series winner: S Gayter (New

Marske).

Thirsk and

Sowerby Harriers

The Harriers were represented in the Spen 20 by John Yates who had a wonderful result, coming in eight place in a time of 2.07.52. The winner was D Brooksbank of Barnsley in a time of 1.58.23.

The course is undulating, starting at the very nice Spenborough Athletics Club in Bradford Road and the day was calm and mild, ideal for running.

John managed to stay 20 metres or so off the leading pack until about seven miles from home when the pace picked up and the pack were split.

It was a very good pre-London warm-up in what was a low key event with only a few marshalls and up to 200 runners, and, given the contours, a very satisfactory result. A Boots voucher rounded off the event nicely