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Late wrong turn leaves Pearson sweating on Roils Head victory
Andrew Pearson (Longwood) won the opening race in the Complete Runner West Yorkshire Cross Country League yesterday at Roils Head, Halifax, in unusual circumstances.
With a commanding lead, the former international was misdirected at the finish and ran an extra lap before coming home 108th in the 200-strong field. However, justice was done as Pearson was declared the winner over Kim Critchley (Knavesmire) who just got the better of Ian Fisher (Otley) who had his best race for some time to finish third.
Pearson returned to running a year ago after a long spell away from the sport and has improved relentlessly since returning. There will be few in Yorkshire capable of beating the 38-year-old when the championships come round.
Fourth in yesterday's race was defending league champion Jorge Thomas, who has changed his club from Pudsey and Bramley to Keighley and Craven.
Led by Martin Hilton in sixth place, Leeds City easily won the team race. They had Chris Birchall, seventh, and recent recruit from Bridgend, Elliot Coles, in ninth place. James Smith (13th), Steve Body (14th) and Greg Hull (20th) completed the Leeds count.
Winner of the women's race was Lizzie Adams (Knavesmire) who led all the way. A first claim member of Hallamshire, Adams works as a physiotherapist in York and is a second claim member of the Knavesmire club.
Leeds City's Emily Klee stuck to her task well to take the runner-up spot with Knavesmire's Helen Cross in third place. Amy Green, in fourth place, led Keighley and Craven to team victory.
Mary Keitany justified her position as pre-race favourite by easily winning the IAAF World Half Marathon title in Birmingham yesterday.
The Kenyan led from start to finish and was challenged only by Ethiopia's Aberu Kebede, who she lost just before the 10 kilometre mark to win by a comfortable margin in a time of one hour, six minutes and 36 seconds.
Keitany who smashed Paula Radcliffe's championship record was followed home by team-mate Philes Ongori who passed the tired Kebede in the closing stages and beat her by a second in 1hr 7min 38sec.
Kenya claimed the team title from Ethiopia with Russia placing third.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
