Marc and Tracy take top titles

4:17pm Thursday 28th August 2008

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The summer-long Pendle and Burnley Grand Prix has reached its climax with the presentation evening at Barrowford Civic Hall.

The series comprises of 11 races over a mix of road, fell and trail with distances from three to more than 13 miles, testing the competitors to the limit.

Student Marc Hartley, from Burnley, and Clayton Harrier Tracy Mitchell proved to be worthy winners by taking the men’s and women’s titles even before the last round had been run.

Hartley won the Buoyant Trophy for his endeavours while Mitchell was awarded the Pendle Fort Lift Trophy.

Tracy was also declared the veteran women’s winner as she is over 35 and Andrew Stubbs, also from Clayton, took the veteran men’s title.

Dave Scott, the President of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, presented them with the AXA Life Trophies.

There was a generous prize list which included medals for the 14 athletes who had supported the Grand Prix by competing in all 11 events.

Among them were father and son Marc and Stuart Hartley and husband and wife team Dean and Molly Ralphson, from Trawden. Neil Worswick, another who completed the series, was this year’s recipient of the Roger Hargreaves Award for service to athletics.

Prize Winners (Clayton unless stated): Men: - Overall: 1 Marc Hartley (Staffs Moorlands), 2 Paul Guinan (Blackburn Harriers), 3 Andrew Stubbs, 4 Gary Shaw, 5 Andrew Orr, 6 Brian Horrocks. Veteran: M40 Andrew Stubbs, M45 Brian Horrocks, M50 Jeff Pickup, M55 Robert Russell, M60 Ron Chappell, M65 Brian Leathley, M70 Ross Jaques Junior: Daniel Ashworth Women - Overall: 1 Tracy Mitchell, 2 Sue Burns, 3 Molly Ralphson (Trawden) Veteran: F35 Tracy Mitchell, F40 Sue Burns, F45 Yvonne Wickham, F50 Karin Goss, F55 Christine Leathley, F60 Kitty Garnett.

Completed Every Race: Rachel Corteen (u/a), Christine Leathley, Molly Ralphson (Trawden), Yvonne Wickham, Anthony Hall (Trawden), Marc Hartley (Staffs Moorlands), Stuart Hartley (Burnley), Michael Herrett (Burnley), Ian Hollas (u/a), Brian Leathley, Dean Ralphson (Trawden), Jamie Southworth (u/a), Kieron Woodward, Neil Worswick.