Earlier this year, the Young Athletes Leagues for Boys and Girls were amalgamated and, because the Girls had previously competed in the younger age groups of the Northern Women's League, Richmond and Zetland Harriers were "demoted" to Division 2 North.

The fourth and last fixture in this season's YAL was at the Riverside Stadium, Chester-le-Street on Sunday 20th, the Club finished 2nd and earned promotion, back to Division 1.

Among the many season's best performances from the 20 athletes who competed, there were seven A-string wins: Leanne Shaw hit double-top with wins in the Under 13 Girls 75m and long jump plus a second in the 150m; Sam Stanislaus matched this with wins in the Under 17 Boys high jump and javelin plus a second in the long jump; Rosie Adams won the Under 13 Girls shot, Katie Roberts won the Under 15 Girls discus and Nick Zissler won the Under 17 Boys 800m.

Additionally, new girl Ruth Hill had to be persuaded to make her debut for the Club and surprised everyone (including herself) with her runs in the 75m, 150m and 4x100m relay. RZH results: Under 13 Girls - Rosie Adams 800m 2:42.8 & shot 5m97; Ruth Hill 75m 12.4 & 150m 23.6; Leanne Shaw 75m 10.9, 150m 20.7 & long jump 3m79; Jane Thornton 1200m 4:59.0, long jump 3m02 & shot 4m27; Under 13 Boys - James Askew 800m 2:48.2, 200m 33.1 & long jump 3m09; Tom Osborn 100m 16.6, 1500m 5:20.9 & long jump 3m54; Rory Wadsworth 100m 16.1, 1500m 5:57.7 & shot 3m94; James Wallace 800m 3:25 .3, 200m 35.3 & shot 6m05; Under 15 Girls - Jo Adams 1500m 5:17.1, shot 5m99 & javelin 12m92; Sophie Broadway 100m 13.8, 200m 28.1 & long jump 3m70; Jessica Gray 800m 2:36.6, javelin 8m53 & discus 11m 27; Scarlett Gray 100m 15.5, 800m 2:41.2 & long jump 3m66; Becky Rennison 75m hurdles 14.9, 200m 30.1 & high jump 1m35; Katie Roberts 75m hurdles 16.2, shot 5m53 & discus 16m42; Under 15 Boys - Marcus Clark 100m 13.5, 200m 27.9 & long jump 4m11; Shane Darby 100m 13.3, 200m 26.2 & long jump 4m69; - Under 17 Girls Georgina Zissler 100m 13.5, 300m 45.1 & 1500m 5:35.2; Under 17 Boys - Philip Fitzpatrick 1500m steeplechase 5:20.0, long jump 4m76 & shot 7m10; Sam Stanislaus high jump 1m70, long jump 5m49 & javelin 30m54; Nick Zissler 800m 2:04.9, 1500m 4:47.0 & javelin 4m17.

Meanwhile, Gary Bastow's BOFRA Fell Running season and defence of his Veteran's bronze medal is well under way. Since placing 2nd Vet in his opening race on 8th June at Coniston - on what was for him an ideal course, straight into a craggy gully and back down the next on the scree - he has competed in six more races with mixed results. Gary's strengths are his climbing and descending but he lacks the pace of Nottingham's Mark Selkild, who is presently leading the Vets category.

The season is going well: he says he "is stronger than last year and is able to run off the climbs, his running is better and he is recovering faster." Gary's second race was at Helm Hill, on rolling hillsides near Kendall, three climbs to the trig-point and a long run-in - not his favourite course; he was 13th overall and 5th Vet. Two weeks later, on Sunday 29th June, he ran at Kettlewell, a great venue that takes over the village centre, starting from outside the Bluebell pub, across the river, up the crag and back.

Ian Holmes of Bingley (the best fellrunner in Britain) turned up and flew round; Gary had a fast climb-out and took two on the way down to claim 7th and 1st Vet. Kirkby Gala, near Ulverston on Saturday 5th July was a longer race, 4 miles, a long drag out,up to the first trig-point and out across open moor to the next.

The heather had overgrown the paths and it was murder trying to keep any sort of pace. Gary had a hell of a tussle down the hill with a Scotsman, who just pipped him to the finish in the Showground. Gary's stepdaughter, Rachael, ran her first race at Kirby, as an Under 9 Girl, and she came second!

Gary made the 500 mile round-trip to Scotland on Saturday 12th July to compete in the Alva Games Fell Race and the following weekend journeyed to Farleton Knott; near Lupton in Cumbria. Gary had a great race at Farleton; he was straight into his running, into 6th at the start and held-in as the track wound around the hill and back over the top.

At one point on the sheer descent Gary caught Mark Selkild, but there was a lot of running in the Nottingham man - he hung in to beat Gary into 4th place & 2nd vet by 20 seconds. Gary rested-up rather than compete two days later in the DuPont/Roseberry Topping Fell Race, with a full agenda for the next few weeks. The Cracoe Fell Race on Sunday 27th July was race number seven for Gary.

The course swoops up to a stone stoop and back down; there was a large contingent from Bingley and Gary was about 12th on the fast start, he reined-in three runners on the rough terrain and the even rougher climb; the leader fell and turned his ankle which gave him another place; Mark Selkild was again in his sights, but not close enough to catch, and Gary finished one behind again, 8th overall and 3rd Veteran. Gary's plans to compete in the Ambleside Sports Fell Race on Thursday 31st against all the top lads, the big prize money boys, the most talented runners like Ian Holmes and the Blands and Mark Roberts, were dashed by family commitments and he will also miss the Grassington Fell Race due to holidays, so the Hawkswick Dash on Sunday is his next race.

The James Herriot Trail Race at Castle Bolton on Sunday 27th July saw Shane Gray first home of the three Harriers who competed, finishing the tough 9 mile course in 64 minutes for 27th place out of 152 finishers. Colin Sewell was close behind, also finishing in 64 minutes something and Ian Hepworth finished in about 70 minutes.

The fifth match in the NYSD T&F League was at Eastbourne Track on the Sunday afternoon and although Shane Gray was on hand to watch his daughters compete, he declined the opportunity. Numbers were down for the afternoon fixture but unofficially the Harriers did just enough to hang on to top spot. Once again it was the usual suspects who shared top billing: Leanne Shaw won the Under 13 Girls 200m, Sam Stanislaus won the Under 17 Boys 100m hurdles and the long jump and Jon Orange, running barefoot as he had mislaid his spikes, won the Senior Men's 1500m in a fast-for-a-Vet time of 4:13.7. The match also saw Club Coach Fiona Hughes make her first T&F appearance for 2003 and, with a win in the Senior Ladies shot plus 2nd places in the 200m and 400m, she helped the females to maintain their lead and the Club to a 1 point lead over Billingham Marsh House Harriers.

RZH results: Under 13 Girls - Leanne Shaw 200m 29.5; Under 15 Girls - Scarlett Gray 1500m 5:26.9; Under 17 Girls - Leah Jackson 1500m 5:36.1; Senior Ladies - Fiona Hughes 200m 35.2, 400m 78.9 & shot 5m64; Louise Jackson 1500m 4:49.7; Andrea Woodvine 3000m 10:59.0; Under 17 Boys - Sam Stanislaus 400m 57.1, 100m hurdles 16.8 & long jump 5m29; Senior/Veteran Men - Mike Brooks (V55) 5000m 18:36.1; Chris Peacock (V40) 400m 60.6 & 1500m 4:42.7; Jon Orange (V40) 1500m 4:13.7.

This Sunday Club Captain Shaun Purkiss-McEndoo makes his debut as a Veteran in the Sherwoods/Darlington 10K Road Race, with a sizeable number from the Club helping him celebrate. There is a Fun Run at 9.15 am, a 3.5K Junior Road Race at 9.45 am and the 10K starts at 10.30 am. Entries will be taken on the day. Of equal importance, the sixth and last match in the NYSD T&F League is at Clairville Stadium, Middlesbrough on Tuesday 12th and a good turnout is needed.