NINETEEN year old Ben Fish stormed to a first victory as the Horwich Jubilee Night Race Series made a belated start last Wednesday.

Ben won the four race series last year with consistent scoring in each round, and a best finish of third.

For the past year he has been competing at 5000m for Blackburn Harriers after concentrating on 3000m in his younger days.

He has made a rapid improvement setting a Personal Best of 14:38 at Wythenshawe last month, and this weekend he competes in the AAA's under 20 Championships at Bedford.

At Horwich, he recorded 18:59 over a course shortened by about half a mile due to the ongoing foot and mouth restrictions.

Second placed man Tony Rowland logged 19:22 leading hosts Horwich Harriers to the team prize, but Blackburn pushed them close with four of their brightest prospects in the top twenty.

Michael Hammer in seventh was second under 20, Scott Monk was eleventh and Liam Barton the fourth junior finished 20th.

Clayton Harriers were also well represented with Andy Stubbs 12th, Lee Passco 24th, and M50 George Thompson, who produced a strong run to place sixth in age group in 25:12.

The prolific Vanessa Peacock took the first of three ladies titles in the space of four days with a time of 23:00.

Chorley Harriers Bernice Greenhalgh and Anne Marie Crabtree finished third F45 and fifth F35 respectively, while for the men, Eric Wilson, now with Darwen Dashers was fifth M45, and his new team mate Brian Tull was fifth M55.

Last month's race had to be cancelled reducing the series to three events, but it is hoped that the full four mile course will be available next month.

July's event will be the 70th Jubilee Race and is being used as a counter in the Central Lancs Grand Prix.

RESULTS: Men: 1 (1st Junior) Ben Fish (BH) 18:59, 2 Tony Rowland (Horwich) 19:22, 3 Andy Ward (Wigan Phoenix) 19:26, 7 (2nd Junior) Michael Hammer (BH) 20:03, 11 Scott Monk (BH) 20:23, 12 Andy Stubbs (C) 20:25, 20 (4th Junior) Liam Barton (BH) 21:00, 24 Lee Passco (C) 21:23, 33 (M45) Eric Wilson (D) 22:04, 39 Chris Lane (CH) 22:13, 45 Derek Lee (D) 22:37, 50 (M40) Jon Bell (CH) 22:59, 63 (M40) Michael Nolan (RR) 23:32, 68 Richard Robb (BH) 23:41, 85 Bernie Johnson (BRR) 24:42, 93 (M50) George Thompson (C) 25:12, 98 E Swindells (CH) 25:25, 106 (M45) Pete James (WP) 25:41, 107 (M40) Vince Brodrick 25:46, 109 (M40) Glynn Denver (BFR) 25:51, 110 T Greenhalgh (WP) 25:52, 112 Edward Briggs (D) 26:02, 113 (M45) Steve Thomas (CH) 26:08, 127 (M55) Brian Tull (D) 27:25, 135 (M40) John Brighouse (BRR) 28:05, 136 (M40) Tony Totham (CH) 28:09, 138 (M50) Tom Conroy (CH) 28:14, 141 (M45) Tony Martin (BRR) 28:20, 156 (M45) Andrew Biddle (WP) 29:42, 158 Matthew Pickup (A) 30:04, 165 (M45) Ken Chadwick (CH) 30:50, 167 Adam Godwin (R) 30:58, 168 (M45) Ronnie Smith (BRR) 31:33, 175 (M50) Tom Hilton (CH) 32:19, 179 (M55) John Rayton (RR) 32:44, 184 (M50) Jim Godwin (R) 35:17 Team: 1 Horwich, 2 Blackburn Harriers

Women: 51 (1st female/1st F45) Vanessa Peacock (C) 23:00, 137 (F35) Anne Marie Crabtree (CH) 28:11, 144 (3rd F45) Bernice Greenhalgh (CH) 28:34, 164 Joanne Haslam (D) 30:49, 169 (F45) Carole Kay (BH) 31:33, 176 (F45) Sheila Fogg (WP) 32:21, 186 (F40) Sarah Horrobin (CH) 38:19 Team: 1 Horwich

Key: A-Accrington Road Runners, BFR-Bowland Fell Runners, BH-Blackburn Harriers, BRR- Blackburn Road Runners, C-Clayton Harriers, CH-Chorley Harriers, D-Darwen Dashers, R-Rossendale Harriers, RR-Red Rose Road Runners, WP-West Pennine Runners Club record for Vicki VICKI Gorton set a new club record of 33.60m in the ladies hammer as Pendle's womens' and mens' teams each finished second in their respective cup competitions at Oldham. Both will now qualify for the finals on August 26 at Cudworth (Barnsley).

As well as winning the hammer, Vicki took second in the discus with 32.98m while Ruth Thompson threw the javelin 27.20m for second spot.

Ruth was a winner in the 100m hurdles in 19.0 seconds and managed second in the 400m hurdles.

Fiona Corrigan weighed in with two PB's -- 200m in 26.5 seconds and 400m in 58.9 seconds for second and third place finishes -- and Victoria Rusius was runner-up in the 800m.

Ruth, Victoria, Fiona and Jane Hancock combined for a valuable second place in the 4x400m relay.

Tony Balko was the star turn for the men winning three throws -- the shot in 9.97m, discus in 30.83m and hammer in 33.45m.

The team's other winner was Frankie Vargacz logging 20.1 seconds in the 110m hurdles, he also took second in the 400m hurdles.

Four others contributed individual second places over the middle distances, Mark Barnes in the 400m, David Thornton in the 800m, 1500m man Bryce Butterworth and Chris Rusius in the 3000m steeplechase. Leeroy Golding joined Mark, David and Bryce to take second in the 4x400m relay.

There was a wonderful performance by 38-year-old Judith Hodgkinson in Blackburn Harriers Northern AA's Cup match.

Judith won the 1500m in 4:46 and was second in the 800m in 2:16 despite her semi-retired status.

Over 20 years ago she ran a 2:07 800m to take the under 17's silver medal at English Schools as Judith Croasdale.

Harriers men were also at Liverpool in the cup, and like the women will not reach the final after finishing 4th. Highlight of heir day was an excellent win in the long jump by Mark Birchall. Anne battles ANNE Harwood has shown that she is prepared for her World Championship Triathlon debut next month by winning the F55 category at the Windsor Triathlon.

The Blackburn Road Runner was selected for the Championships after finishing third F55 in last year's event, and has made strong progress since.

Conditions were at their worst this year with strong currents in the Thames forcing many of the competitors out of the swim, yet Anne finished within a minute of last year's time. The triathlon is the first of the athletic events at the Edmonton World Championships on July 21st. KATIE Ingram of Chorley Harriers has been selected for the Black Forest Teenager Games in Germany. Last year's English Under 16 Fell Champion was forced to miss Sunday's trial race after the date was changed, but secured the selector's discretionary place based on her recent form. BLACKBURN and District's Sports Personality of the Year Pauline Powell finished second in Sunday's prestigious Manchester 10K, missing the £500 first prize by just over 20 seconds. Fellow international Bev Jenkins of Salford pocketed the cash after breaking the tape in 33:55 with Pauline, representing Blackburn Harriers, returning 34:18. Andy Morgan-Lee, the Salford athlete who lives in Clayton Le Moor,s had prepared well winning the Braishfield 5M Beer Race a week before, and he was fifth in Manchester in 30:11. Blackburn Harrier Tony Greenwood was third M40 in 33:52. THERE were half a dozen local winners as the Skipton Shortbank Fell Running Olympics beat the foot and mouth restrictions on Thursday evening. Four of them were from Pendle AC, Jade Hartley in the under 12's, Nicola Leishman and Ben Rusius in the under 14's, and Lee Leishman who took the under 16 sprint. Burnley's Chris Hart won the main under 16 race. The event raised nearly £1000 for the Candlelighters Children's Cancer Charity, the fund also supported by the Charlotte Slater Memorial race at Kelbrook. Sheryl Slater, sister of Charlotte, was the under 16 girl's winner. CLAYTON'S Vanessa Peacock finished over two minutes clear of Darwen Dasher Linda Clarkson, with Chorley AC's Janet Pound third in round three of the 'On the Run' Chorley Park 5K Series. The men's race was much closer with Millennium GP Champion Neil Tattersall of Hyndburn AC ten seconds adrift of Wrekin's Paul Muller in 17:01. Evan Cook, eighth overall in 18:11 was first M50, while there were age group wins for M45 Eric Wilson and M55 Brian Tull, both Darwen Dashers, and M60 Adrian Batson of Blackburn Road Runners. LESS than 24 hours after the Chorley Park 5K, three of the leading protagonists gained identical results in the Baxenden 10K. Vanessa Peacock was first lady, Evan Cook was first M50 and Neil Tattersall was second man -- this time behind Bingley Harrier Mick Hawkins. Peacock set a course record to beat last year's winner Michelle Dew of Rossendale while brother and sister Lee and Nicola Leishman were the leading juniors representing Pendle AC. Hyndburn pair Damian Rawcliffe and Rachel Curren were first home in the one mile fun run.