York-based Kim Critchley won the Yorkshire Cross Country title at Rotherham in a thrilling sprint finish.

The Kenyan, a former Rowntree AC runner, was matched all the way over the final 200m of the 11,000m course at Heringthorpe Valley Park on Saturday by Ian Mitchell, of Huddersfield.

Both men clocked the same time of 36min 59sec, but Critchley, currently with Sale Harriers, took the title by a fraction of an inch.

The lead changed hands several times during the course of the race, but reigning joint West Yorkshire titleholder Critchley nicked it on the line.

Bingley's Colin Moore, took bronze 16 seconds behind the front two, with Bradford's Ian Fisher taking fourth place ahead of Bingley's Andy Peace to claim a county vest for next month's Inter-Counties event in Nottingham.

York Acorn's Steve Edison was forced to withdraw with an injury after two laps, but Steve Simpson finished 39th and was backed up buy Martin Kirby 65th, Jerry Barnes 94th, Mike Raynes 98th, and Ged Hemblade 101st.

The women's race over 6,000m was won by international fell runner Carol Greenwood, of Bingley Harriers, who took her fifth Yorkshire cross country title in 23-33. Hallamshire's Penny Thackray was second 48 seconds behind, Pudsey's Jane Clark third in 24-24, and Harrogate's Lisa Mawer fourth.

Acorn's women's team finished 12th with Helen Barnes 42nd leading home Joanne Simpson 57th, and Catherine Fleming 59th.

York Acorn's chairman John Tattersall and club colleague Sandra Hood both recorded 47 minutes 31 seconds in the Bolsover 10K Road Race.

Nottingham-based Sue Jones, who was Acorn's top veteran woman runner last year, finished the race in 40-37.

Steve Simpson won the Acorn clubman of the year award with Martin Kirby runner-up and Martin Lawn third.

Helen Barnes was clubwoman of the year, with Joanne Simpson second and Sandra Hood third.

Graham Thresh was the veterans' men's champion and club coach Pete Scofield and Winnie Lawn took the senior veterans' trophies.

The TSB League award went to Jim Cowen with Johan Tattersall second and John Hegarty third.

Julie Hills won the TSB most improved woman runner of the year award, Sue Jones was first veteran, and Pat Cole took the senior veteran title.

Long distance awards were presented to ultra specialists Gerry Orchard and Julie Bushell.

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