Runners will be getting down to monkey business in York tomorrow when 1,000 competitors line up for the Brass Monkey Run 2000.

The increasingly popular half-marathon, organised by Knavesmire Harriers, will start and finish on York Racecourse taking in Bishopthorpe, Acaster Malbis, Acaster Selby and Appleton Robuck.

Last year's winner Ian Fisher (Otley AC) will be out to break his course record of 66-36 set when the race was run over a new route to keep runners way from flooding dangers posed by the River Ouse.

Competitors bidding to take Fisher's title include local athletes Jonathan Pavis (Knavesmire) and Dave Lancaster (Nestl Rowntree). They face a stiff task against runners from outside the area including Robert Holladay and Ken Harker (Morpeth Harriers), and Paul Welham (New Marske Harriers). Others in the running include Barry Stephenson (Kvaerner Quakers) and a strong team from the host club which includes former Nestl Rowntree man Alan Beavers (7th last year), as well as Dave Chippett, Neil Strange, Andy Booth and Barry Atkinson.

The first runners are expected home at Knavesmire around 11am.

Last year's ladies winner, former international athlete Angela Tooby-Smith, will be looking for a repeat performance. The 39-year-old Knavesmire Harrier won the 1999 ladies race in a time of 82-05. She will be supported by Chris Shouksmith, Jane Shelmerdine, Fiona Strange and Annette Wrigglesworth.

Another top athlete, and former team-mate of Tooby-Smith, is ultra-runner Carolyn Hunter-Rowe who will be wearing the colours of Horwich Harriers.

The former 100k World Champion, who has recently been troubled by a hip injury, will be going for a hat-trick of Brass Monkey victories when she returns to her old stamping ground with the Lancashire club.

Alison Raw (Darlington Harriers & AC), who was second last year, will be hoping to go one better this time in a strong field which includes 1998 winner Sue Carriss (Bingley Harriers), who was fourth in 1999.

The 17th Brass Monkey race, which includes the Yorkshire AAA Championship, starts at 10am and has again attracted a record number of entries. This year's limit was raised from 800 but was still over-subscribed.

Knavesmire's founder member, Brian Hughes, said: "We are sorry if any runner was not able to get into the race this year, but we have had to send back over 200 entries."

Hughes appealed to runners who did not make it to the starting line this year to submit entries earlier for the 2001 race.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.