York Acorn Running Club secretary Nick Ford and team-mate Jim Benson were well placed in the first of the Wild Races series held at Homsterley Forest near Bishop Auckland.

Ford was 33rd in a time of 1 hour, 05 minutes 05 seconds, while Benson finished 42nd in 1-06-23 out of a field of more than 150 runners over a rough seven-and-a-half-mile multi-terrain descent.

The event was won by Pocklington Runners Club's Mike Siddall in 52 mins 32 secs.

The next race in the series will be held at Newthead, Cumbria on October 14, followed by Kielder Forest on November 4. Both will be organised by 'All Terrain Events'.

Meanwhile, York Acorn provided another good performance in the Yorkshire Veterans' League at Bramley Fall to edge closer to second team place with three remaining fixtures.

The event was marred, however, by the leading quartet of runners taking the wrong turn at the three mile mark. The group included championship leader Neil Strange and Andy Normandale of York Acorn. This allowed Acorn captain Jerry Barnes to take second place, with Strange fourth and Normandale fifth. Phil Lewis (24th) and Les Burton (34th) completed the Acorn team.

Mike Hetherton was first in York Acorn's annual club handicap 8kilometre Road Race with Mark Dowson second and Jim Cowan third. Win Lawn was first female and Julie Bushell second. Starting and finishing at the York Acorn Rugby League Club, Paul Goble ran the fastest time over the two lap course in 27 mins 8 secs and women's captain Joanne Simpson was fastest woman in 36-50. Dave Paver, second overall, took the veteran trophy and Val Burton the women's veteran trophy.

Ten men and ten women from Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers entered the Tholthorpe 10k.

It was a cloudy, muggy day but the rain held off until after the race had finished. The winner was Alan Simpson from New Marske Harriers in a time of 31-28.

The first Thirsk and Sowerby runner home was Peter Wragg in a time of 34-57. Richard Hall was in 23rd place in a time of 35-57, closely followed by Rob Burn in 36-02.

Jonathan Gregory was 65th in 40-24 and David Grainger was 82nd in 41-34.

Angela Hayward was first Thirsk and Sowerby lady home in 108th place in 42-25 and, along with Maureen Gibbs (46-02) and Pat Kirby (49-31), won the Ladies Team event.

Times for the remaining Thirsk and Sowerby runners were Geoff Bullock in 43-34, Paul Knight in 44-50, Alan Wikely in 45-47, Nigel Morgan in 46-41, Karen Hudson in 52-20, Judith Seaton in 54-52, Kaye Mechie in 55-00, Kirsty Watts in 55-38, Nicola Thorpe in 58-58, Pamela Sherlock in 62-10 and Marian Codling in 65-11.

There were 323 finishers in all.

Updated: 11:54 Thursday, August 30, 2001