HOSTS Blackburn Harriers scooped the major prizes at the Ribble Valley 10K on the penultimate day of last century.

Michael Green and Pauline Powell were the race winners at Clitheroe, while a strong supporting cast of Scott Monk, Michael Hammer, Nikki Dean and Sarah Willimott ensured that the club's men and women also won team honours.

From the start at Edisford Bridge and around the gently rolling countryside, a large leading group stayed together until the four-mile mark when Aaron Hargreaves, previously unbeaten in 1999, initiated a break which took three men clear. With just over a mile to go, Michael Green injected a further change of pace to break the resistance of Hargreaves and Bolton's Andy Parker who won the battle for second.

Clayton Harrier Roger Brewster in fifth place was first veteran, claiming the notable scalp of veteran international Alex Rowe (Wesham RR) while Blackburn Harriers Michael Hammer (21st) and Robert Barton (22nd) were second and third juniors.

Pauline Powell led the ladies race from start to finish, even running with the leading men in the early stages. Pauline's time of 35.10 placed her 28th of over 350 runners and gave her a winning margin of nearly three minutes over team mate Nikki Dean. The Harriers won three of the first four places as 18-year-old Sarah Willimott completed the winning team.

Local clubs fielded around 125 runners, among them former Blackburn Harriers Tom Ellacott of Edinburgh (11th overall) and Bill Atkinson of Northern Vets (1st M60). Current Harrier Eric Wilson and Clayton's Steve Green also finished in the prizes placing second and third M45s. Katie Trickett of Pendle beat Hyndburn's Hayley Bullen to win the junior ladies category while among the veterans there were wins for Janet Pound of Chorley AC (L40) and Clayton Harrier Katy Thompson (L45). Main sponsors Forbes Solicitors had several runners taking part, and co-sponsor Terry Longergan, owner of The Complete Runner shop in Nelson was second M50.

Results - Men: 1 Michael Green (Blackburn Harriers) 31.06, 2 Andy Parker (Bolton) 31.15, 3 Aaron Hargreaves (Trafford) 31.26, 5 (first M40) Roger Brewster (Clayton) 31.56, 11 Tom Ellacott (Edinburgh) 32.45, 12 Andrew Brindle (Chorley AC), 14 Scott Monk (Blackburn Harriers) 33.44, 15 Steve Sweeney (Bowland FR) 33.51, 17 Mike Wallis (Clayton) 34.07, 21 (second junior) Michael Hammer (Blackburn Harriers) 34.22, 22 (third junior) Rob Barton (Blackburn Harriers) 34.47. Team: 1 Blackburn Harriers (Green, Monk, Hammer).

Ladies: 1 (28th overall) Pauline Powell (Blackburn Harriers) 35.10, 2 (59th) Nikki Dean (Blackburn Harriers) 37.51, 3 (61st/1stL35) Philippa Walsh (Preston) 38.06, 4 (63rd) Sarah Willimott (Blackburn Harriers) 38.11, 8 (104th/2nd L35) Alison Martin (Clayton) 40.47, 10 (126th/1st L40) Janet Pound (Chorley AC) 41.54. Team: 1 Blackburn Harriers (Powell, Dean, Willimott).

EAST LANCS (good for age) - Clayton: 23 John Wieczorek 34.54, 39 (3rd M45) Steve Green 36.10, 53 Neil Worswick 37.24, 78 Stephen White 39.00, 82 Ian Ramsay 39.19, 110 Jeffrey Pickup 40.58, 125 Peter Atkinson 41.54, 140 (1st L45) Katy Thompson 42.40, 153 Richard Lawson 43.28, 155 Ben Brown 43.32, 189 John Blackall 45.33, 213 Carol Life 47.02, 220 (3rd L50) Christine Leathley 47.28, 275 Val Roberts 51.38, 284 Val Lawson 52.13. Darwen Dashers: 24 Nev Rickard 35.00, 41 Andrew Smith 36.16, 58 Pete O'Callaghan 37.41, 69 Tony Hurn 38.30, 103 John Sirkett 40.46, 161 Dave Shorrock 43.55, 234 (3rd L40) Sheila Gudgeon 48.12, 348 (2nd L60) Maureen Roberts 64.20.

Accrington RR: 26 Mark Theaker 35.03, 40 Adrian Nicholls 36.14, 54 David Gaskill 37.31, 112 Dave Hammer 41.02, 166 Ian Wilcock 44.25, 200 Mick Leeming 46.11, 209 Terry Wiggett 46.46, 248 Kath Snape 49.32, 298 Barbara Bassett 53.05, 312 Kath Walmsley 55.17.

Blackburn Harriers: 30 (2nd M45) Eric Wilson 35.24, 47 Mark Emmett 36.54, 83 Mike Blacklidge 39.20, 100 Jonathan Holt 40.18, 101 Daniel McKinley 40.40.

West Pennine: 42 Neil Holding 36.18, 272 Sheila Fogg 51.22, 278 Bernice Greenhalgh 51.54, 330 Shirley Fielding 59.13.

Rossendale Harriers: 65 Rod Graham 38.22, 127 Jaqueline Moppett 42.02.

Chorley AC: 68 Stephen Fletcher 38.28, 163 Anthony Lloyd 44.00.

Red Rose: 93 Stuart Pound 40,11, 196 (2nd L50) Val Sutcliffe 45.44, 251 Richard Packer 49.42.

Pendle AC: 145 (first junior) Katie Trickett 43.05.

Hyndburn AC: 188 (2nd junior) Hayley Bullen 45.30.

Blackburn RR: 242 Adrian Batson 49.11, 279 Madeline Haworth 51.57, 282 Anne Harwood 52.05.

Others: 38 (2nd M50) Terry Longergan (Bingley) 36.09, 134 (1st M60) Bill Atkinson (Northern Vets) 42.17.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.