MARTIN STURDY and Graham Sykes relied on their local knowledge to win Meltham AC’s annual point to point race.
Sturdy and Sykes won after out-sprinting second-placed Ruth Thomas and Richard Beaumont in the finish up Mean Lane.
Sturdy commented that it was his best run in years and was encouraged around the course by club captain Sykes.
Pre-race favourites Mel Sykes and Mick Lunn had to settle for third place, while husband and wife team Ray and Fiona McArthur finished fourth.
The competitors set off in pairs, choosing the quickest route between the cattle grids near Deer Hill Reservoir and Wessenden Head Road.
Setting off at intervals, each pairing was handicapped on the slower runner.
Results: 1 Graham Sykes and Martin Sturdy, finish time 48-20, handicap 6-00, actual time 42-20; 2 Ruth Thomas and Richard Beaumont, 48-35, 3-30, 45-05; 3 Mel Sykes and Mick Lunn, 49-15, 4-00, 45-15; 4 Ray McArthur and Fiona McArthur, 49-30, 2-00, 47-30; 5 Andy Whitworth and Wendy Sykes, 50-45, 3-00, 47-45; 6 Pat Coombs and John Hobbs, 53-23, 0-00, 53-23; 7 Andy Hargreaves and Nigel Thomas, 54-25, 10-00, 44-25, 8 Mike Harrison and Barry Tyas (DNF), 54-42, 12-00, 42-42, 9 Jeff Taylor and Matt Dillingham, 58-40, 7-00, 51-40.
Longwood’s Andrew Pearson made it two wins out of two in the West Yorkshire Cross Country League as he took the senior race in Leeds.
The Under 15 girls team finished fifth overall, with Freya Williams leading the way with a 16th place finish. In the Under 13 boys race, Luke Penbrose was disqualified after being given the wrong number on the day, meaning that the club failed to finish a team.
However, Longwood hope that this will be rectified in the final results published at a later date.
Longwood results: Under 11 Boys, Thomas Schofield 23rd; U13 Girls, Rebecca Morris 26th, Nell Harris 63rd; U13 Boys, Lewis Cranie 15th; Harry Mallinson 36th, Nathan Stock 46th, Luke Penbrose DNF; U15 Girls, Freya Williams 16th, Kirsty Leih 19th, Ama Williams 21st; U15 Boys, Robert Morris 30th; U17 Girls Jordane Alison 13th; U17 Boys, Sven Burluraux 18th; Senior Men, Andrew Pearson 1st, Donald Kennedy 84th, Leighton Medley 169th, Richard Hardcastle 203rd, Ian Simpson 208th.
Two Longwood Harriers picked up County medals in the Holmfirth 15-mile Road Race, which included the Yorkshire championship.
Donald Kennedy, who finished 17th overall, picked up a bronze as third quickest Over 45 Vet with a time of 1-34.26.
Michael Proctor went one better, finishing second in the Over 60 category with a finishing time of 1-55.51.
