MARK BUCKINGHAM ran the fastest time of the Northern Road Relays to lead Holmfirth into the nationals on April 17.

No-one bettered Buckingham’s time of 21min 58sec for one of the six longer 4.6-mile legs of the race (there are also six shorter legs of three miles in the men’s.

Buckingham (pictured above) enabled the Harriers to claim one of 25 qualifying places, even though the team dropped away to finish 15th.

Dave Turnbull, on the first short leg, returned in third and Jake Rowlands, on leg three, kept the Harriers in the top five.

But from then on the team slipped down the field, though Alistair Langron and Matthew Johnson ran particularly well. Bill Stewart also filled in admirably.

Leeds finished top team with Sale second.

Holmfirth results – 1 M Buckingham 21-58, 1st; 2 Dave Turnbull 16-24, 3rd; 3 Jake Rowlands 24-04, 5th; 4 Richard Smith 18-08, 12th; 5 Dave Watson 23-55, 10th; 6 Alistair Langron 15-55, 10th; 7 Bill Stewart 26-36, 12th; 8 Nigel Moran 17-11, 13th; 9 Matthew Johnson 24-56, 12th; 10 James Dewhirst 17-53, 14th; 11 Julian Rose 26-12, 15th; 12 Gary Graham 17-25, 15th.

Holmfirth Ladies finished sixth out of 26 for their best result in the event, just over a minute outside the medal positions.

Junior coach, Kath Farquhar got the team off to a solid start in 12th position from 34 runners in a time of 18-05 for her three-mile leg, before heading straight off to support the junior duathlon.

On leg two, Claire Leaver improved one position, handing over in 11th place (18-41). Helen Berry ran strongly to gain three places in a time of 18-21 (third fastest on leg three), moving the team up to eighth position, ahead of rivals Leeds and Wakefield.

Lucy Griffiths, returning from a knee injury, ran well to hold 8th in 19-35 before late replacement and veteran Lesley Ewart gave her valued support and completed leg five in 20-22, handing over in 11th place.

Katie Walshaw had another excellent run in the final leg, clocking the second fastest time in 17-39 and bringing the team home sixth, in an overall time of 1-52.42.

The ladies event was won by Chester-Le-Street.