Steve Rankin posted the fastest net time at the Harrier League opener in Thornley, while results also came in from the Yorkshire Veterans' Championships and North Staffs League — plus rising junior talent on show across the country.

START FITNESS NORTH EAST HARRIER LEAGUE, Thornley, County Durham, September 26

Veteran Steve Rankin was first home and also posted the fastest net time of 31:46 from the M pack as he beat a trio of S pack starters to the line.

2023 Masters International Alex Sneddon, from the S pack, was the first woman to finish, 20 seconds clear of Amy Fuller, in 27:01. However, third home Kate Storey, who started in the M pack, was faster overall with a 26:38 clocking.

The newly named young athletes races saw George Hunter win the under-18 event by 20 seconds from Alastair Johnson to build on his two under-15 wins at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Jacob Hopper was the fastest of the graded runners in the final under-13 race of last winter and here comfortably won the under-14 event.

Martha Carr was the first under-13 home in that final fixture in March and here graduated to take the under-16 girls race by two minutes from Evie Kleiser.

Overall: 1 S Rankin (Gate, M40) 34:17; 2 S Capewell (Gate) 35:07; 3 M Anderson (Blay, M40) 36:26

M40: 3 M Hope (W’end) 36:44

M45: 1 L Daglish (Heat) 38:59

M50: 1 M Littlewood (Elvet) 39:51

M55: 1 S Johnson (Hought) 42:15

M60: 1 J O’Reilly (T’dale) 42;18

U20: 1 J Moore (Durh) 38:40

Alternative start

M65: 1 S Everett (Durh) 30:46

M70: 1 J James (P’land) 33:26

Fastest (net time): 1 S Rankin (Gate, M40)/31:46; L McConnell Birtley) 34:16; D Green (NSP, M40) 34:17

M45: M Barker (Sund Str)/G Duke (NSP) 38:37

M50: Littlewood 39:51

M55: Johnson 42:15

M60: O’Reilly 42:18

U20: Moore/C Reid (Gate) 38:40

Alternative start

M65: 1 S Everett (Durh) 30:46

M70: 1 J James (P’land) 33:26

U18: 1 G Hunter (T’dale) 33:13; 2 A Johnston (Blyth) 33:23; 3 N Williamson (NE Proj) 33:34

U16: 1 H Englehart (Durh) 19:44

U14: 1 J Hopper (J&H) 15:20

Women: 1 A Sneddon (J&H, W35) 27:01; 2 A Fuller (Elsw) 27:22; 3 K Storey (Crook) 28:59

W40: 1 S Olson (Gosf) 31:54

W45: 1 J Allison (Derw) 31;57

W50: 1 L Wilson (Sedge) 31:20

W55: 1 L Hayes (NSP) 32:13

W60: 1 J Cross (C’mont) 34:30

U20: 1 A Sillence (NSP) 31:22

Fastest: 1 Storey 26:38; 2 Sneddon 27:01; 3 A Pigford Hought) 27:06

W40: 1 E Reid (Heaton) 29:47

W45: 1 J Heslop (Elsw) 27:35

W50: T Imber (Elvet) 31:17

W55: A Taylor (Crook) 31:49

W60: Cross 34;30

U20: Sillence 29:01

U18: 1 E Dickie (T’dale) 29:35; 2 I Christie (Durh) 30:01; 3 E Proctor (Durh) 30:12

U16: 1 M Carr (Prudoe) 21:05

U14: 1 C De Lucas Gate) 19:35

YORKSHIRE VETERANS’ CHAMPIONSHIPS, Penistone, September 27

Overall 10km (M35+): 1 M Bolland-Cage (York) 36:21; 2 C Miller (Wharf, M40) 37:20; 3 M Tuckett (Hallam, M45) 38:32

M45: 2 J Hood (Skip) 38:41

M50: 1 A Glossop (Hallam) 39;27

M55: 1 A Sunderland (Holmf) 44:02

M60: 1 J Hornby (Bail) 42:24

M65: 1 R Samuels (Pudsey) 44:26

M35 TEAM: 1 Baildon 37

M40 TEAM: 1 Denby Dale 42

M50 TEAM: 1 St Teresa’s 37

M60 TEAM: 1 Pudsey 92

Men 5km (M70+): 1 R Burn (Thirsk, M70) 24:39

M75: 1 B Parkinson (Bing) 25:59

M80: 1 L Haynes (Bing) 29:04

M70 TEAM: 1 Bingley 92

Women (W35+): 1 M Kaye (Kimber) 48:47; 2 A Roper-Bryce (Kimber, W40) 49:25; 3

TEAM: 1 Kimberworth 137

Women 5km (W45+): 1 H Hsaig (Holmf, W50) 19:20; 2 M Beavor (S’land, W45) 19:48; 3 V Shaw (Barns, W45) 21:19

W55: 1 S cumber (Hali) 21:31

W60: 1 P Barton (Valley St) 22:31

W65: 1 D Johnson (Bail) 30:42

W70: 1 L Rowley (Steel) 28:42

W80: 1 K Bedford (Pudsey) 34;14

W45 TEAM: 1 Holmforth 21

W55 TEAM: 1 Stainland 55

W65 TEAM: 1 Baildon 132

NORTH STAFFS LEAGUE, Inc England Masters Trials, Betley, Staffordshire, September 26

For our full report on this meeting, see here.

Overall: 1 L Gratton (Ruge, M40) 25:08; 2 A Wood (Staffs M) 25:22; 3 J Arnold (Stoke, M50) 26:57; 4 C Ferris (Stoke) 27:01; 5 H Bond (Staffs M) 27:09; 6 J Read (Ruge, M35) 27:26

M40: 2 M Costello (Harts) 27:34

M45: 1 D Perry (Tip) 28:30; 2 M Piano 28:54; 3 C Moulton (Boalloy) 28:17

M50: 1 J Pringle (S’dale) 30:40; 2 J Stuart (Shrews) 30:51; 3 S Burgess (Staffs M) 31:01

M55: 1 M Dalkins (Cheadle) 31:41; 2 D Wilde (C&S) 31:45; 3 A walker (newc St) 32:07

M60: 1 T Twentyman (Newc St) 32;46; 2 J Gifford (W Chesh) 34:12

M65: 1 C Thorley (Staffs M) 39:09

U18: 1 C Brown (Newc St) 16:14; 2 C Cresswell (C&S) 16:52; 3 H Brown (Vale R) 17:16

U16: 1 O Adams (Shrews) 11:19; 2 L Dutton (Shrews) 11:28; 3 F Stanton (C&S) 11:32

U14: 1 L Rhead (Shrews) 12:43; 2 L Furness (Macc) 13:07; 3 L Tideswell (Staffs M) 13:21

Women: 1 K Latham (Vale R, W40) 19:17; 2 E Baines (Keele U) 18:33; 3 R Bourne (Staffs M, W35) 18:37; 4 E Leonard (Shrews) 19:15; 5 K Clay (Staffs M, W40) 19:32; 6 A Hollingworth (Newc St, W40) 19:34

W45: 1 D Sherwin (Stoke) 19:42; 2 G Gilbody (Telf) 20:34; 3 D Thomas (Trenth) 20:38

W50: 1 C Martin (Telf) 20:34; 2 J Dalkins (Cheadle) 21:29; 3 J Donnelly (Stoke) 21;35

W55: 1 R Coupe (Telf) 21:38; 2 M Vernon (Stoke) 22:07; 3 S Taylor (Trenth) 22;29

W60: 1 G Bellairs (Nant) 24:18; 2 C Skellern (Staff H) 24:35

W65: 1 P Barber (Tip) 24:45’ 2 H Gibson (Cheadle) 26:26

W70: 1 A Jones 27:42

U18: 1 L Dundas (Stoke) 12:59

U16: 1 L Hardcastle (Shrews) 12:56; 2 E Scott (C&N) 13:08; 3 E Drake (Vale R) 13:14

U14: 1 L Farr (Macc) 6:48; 2 G Phillips (Stoke) 6:58; 3 L Gibson (Stoke) 7:02