Rochdale 10k joy for Road Runners

BIG SMILES . . . first two Royton female finishers Jen Bloor (234) and Kirsty White (233) celebrate with fellow team members Lee Higginbottom (98) and Ian Dale (210) at the Rochdale 10k road event

ROYTON Road Runners claimed victory in the men's and women's races at the popular Rochdale 10K road event.

Leading 69 Royton athletes home, Rob James continued his excellent run of form to finish in 33:52 and win by almost half a minute.

James' success was achieved despite the presence of a strong Salford Harriers line-up which provided the next four to finish.

Royton were more dominant in the women's race, claiming a one-two finish for the third race in a row through Jen Bloor (40:03) and Kirsty White (42:11).

These two were joined by Debbie Shaw (first FV50, 44:12) to comfortably take the team prize, with Shaw closely followed by Janet Jobey (second FV40, 44:50).

HAUL

The club also claimed a big haul of age-category prizes through Chris Lowe (first V45, 37:56), Dave Hall (first V55, 42:03), Val Kilburn (first FV45, 46:16), Sheila Phillips (first FV65, 1:13:03), Ian Dale (second V50, 39:48), Ronnie Quinn (second V60, 45:50), Natalie Fitzpatrick (second FV35, 47:27), Diane Allingan (second FV55, 48:20), Dave Phillips (second V70, 49:19), Rob Battye (third V40, 37:42), Bernie Goodwin (third V45, 40:17) and David Emanuel (third V50, 40:22).

Another prize-winner was Debbie Fiddling (second FV50, 45:09), one of several Royton members producing fine performances at Rochdale just two days after competing in the Southport Half Marathon.

Rob Fairbanks (38:42), Richard Fiddling (42:48), Rob Marsden (43:45), Garry Bower (45:49), Margaret Bluer (52:17), Jillian Heywood (57:54) and Southport pacer Stacey Andrew (1:02:07) all demonstrated fine recovery powers.

New club member Gail Shaw made her second club appearance, clocking an impressive 58:58 to finish as seventh FV50.

Other Royton finishers -

Angela Rogowskyj (1:16:39), Eloise Bartlett (1:09:18), Amanda Lane (1:07:36), Karen Stuttard (1:07:11), Bernadette Ball (1:03:31), Jenny O'Callaghan (smashing the 60-minute barrier for the first time in 59:07), Liz Phillips (56:56, also a new 10K best), Teresa Hollins (54:55), Lisa Cummins (53:49), Adrian Bowcock (53:33), Dave Watt (53:17), Ben Ruscillo (52:33), Simon Howard (50:31), Ray Williams (49:48), Becky Mercer (48:40), Stephen Rogowskyj (48:38), Selina McLean (48:30), Vikki Smith (48:17), Paul Cooke (47:55), Steve Shaw (47:38), Damian Mercer (47:32), Rochelle Evans (47:12), Nick Mallon (47:11), Bernie Cassidy (45:32), Adrian Marshall (45:04), Andy Schofield (43:58), Matt Kilburn (43:54), Stuart Hulme (43:49), Jarrod Gritt (43:36), Lee Higginbottom (43:28), Mark Brynes (43:21), Michael Wildbore (43:18), Bryan Lawton (42:47), Carl O'Callaghan (42:16), Matt Kershaw (41:46), Elliot Stone (41:17), Eamonn Nolan (41:11), Michael Fleming (40:44), Brad Howard (40:33), Shaun Armstrong (39:28), Shane Reading (39:16), Danny McManus (38:54) and Nick Cuff (38:13).

Attention now turns to the club's 'home' race, the Royton Trail on Wednesday, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Enter online at: www.active.com/manchester-greatermanchester/running/trail-run-races/the-10th-royton-trail-2016.

Organisers have stated that there will be no entries on the day.