CLAIRE Cooper (Keighley & Craven AC) was a decisive winner of the women's category in the BAILDON BOUNDARY WAY.

Her 1hr 24min 7sec for Sunday's off-road half-marathon was a course record, if only because the start moved this year up the hill from Tong Park Lake.

Kate Archer (Ilkley) was second in 1:39:36, while Shona Stone led Bingley Harriers to team victory in 1:43:24. Clubmates Becky Weight, who was first in the over-55s, and Lesley Watson completed the winning trio.

Tracy Foy of Saltaire gained her first-ever podium finish, being third over-45 in 1:55:18.

The men's race was closer as Chris Miller (Harrogate) and Frank Beresford (Otley) broke away, only for Beresford to create his own minute's gap by the end to win in 1:17:23.

A group of five battled for bronze, with the much-improved Will Morris (Airecentre Pacers) taking the plaudits in 1:21:46.

Joe Baxter was next home for Pudsey & Bramley AC, who took the team prize thanks to the support of John Navis and Graham Pilling. Will Kerr (Saltaire) was also close behind.

Richard Pattinson was sixth finisher and first over-50 in 1:22:18, while Pete Hughes of Queensbury was fastest over-60 in 1:33:02.

Reid Coolsaet from Guelph, near Toronto, was seventh in the ROTTERDAM MARATHON on Saturday.

Chasing the long-time Canadian record of 2hr 10min 9sec, set in 1969, the lead group unfortunately set off far too fast with a tailwind for the first 17km.

Five Kenyans and Ethiopians then broke away before Coolsaet settled for a battle with Raul Pacheco of Peru for sixth.

Coolsaet's finishing time of 2:11:24 was 29 seconds off his personal best, although a twisted ankle last week affected his preparations.

Coolsaet has a Bradford connection, if tenuous, since he trained several summers with an Airedale Athletics training camp in Belgium at which two dozen Canadian and New Zealand athletes competed in the top continental track-and-field meetings.

He and several fellow Olympians also hosted your correspondent for a week to train with their group in Guelph.