HONOURS were shared between the Chorley clubs at Sunday's Asics Through the Villages Road Race.

Chorley Harriers won the team prize thanks to Keith Johnston (third), Alan Alty (ninth) and Mark Schooling (11th), but Chorley Athletic Club fielded the first two juniors Carl Holding and Nick Lloyd who combined with Stuart Hemmings for second in the team standings. Host club Chorley AC also won a number of individual awards, Janet Pound was third lady (second L40), John Swift was 3rd M60 and John Payne and JIm Munn were first and second M65. The race is held over the unusual distance of eight miles and 781 yards on a hilly course around the major roads of Wheelton, Brinscall, Abbey Village and Withnell. It produced decisive wins for two vastly experienced athletes, Blackpool-based M40 Paul Muller was over 90 seconds clear for overall victory, and Clayton's L45 Vanessa Peacock was a similar distance ahead of the second lady. Red Rose's Jennifer Adams was second L45 while Sandra Snape of Blackburn RR and Gill Craske of Accrington RR were the leading L35s. Other Accrington runners in the prizes were Brian Scully (third M60) and Barbara Bassett was third L50, behind Red Rose pair Joyce Orritt and Val Sutcliffe who joined Jennifer Adams as members of the winning team. Results - Men: 1 (1st M40) Paul Muller (Wrekin) 45.52, 2 Maurice Collins (Liverpool) 47.26, 3 Keith Johnson (Chorley Harriers) 47.28, 9 Alan Alty (Chorley Harriers) 49.31, 10 John Wieczorek (Clayton) 49.38, 11 Mark Schooling (Chorley Harriers) 49.46, 12 Russell Barron (Chorley Harriers) 50.06, 17 Alan Clarkson (Clayton) 50.55. Team: 1 Chorley Harriers (Johnson, Alty, Schooling).

Ladies: 1 (1st L45) Vanessa Peacock (Clayton) 53.48, 2 (1st L40) Joan Jackson (Northern Vets) 55.16, 3 (2nd L40) Janet Pound (Chorley AC) 58.24, 6 (2nd L45) Jennifer Adams (Red Rose) 61.26, 8 Jeanette Coleman (Chorley Harriers) 61.52, 9 (1st L35) Sandra Snape (Blackburn RR) 62.14, 12 (1st L50) Joyce Orritt (Red Rose) 62.51. Team: 1 Red Rose (Adams, Orritt, 18 (2nd L50) Val Sutcliffe 66.40). East Lancs (good for age) - Accrington RR: 24 Mark Theaker 51.40, 29 Adrian Fearnley 52.14, 43 Terry Robinson 52.24, 61 Geoff Biscomb 55.56, 102 (2nd M60) Brian Scully (60.39), 162 Harry Haseley 64.17, 176 (2nd L35) Gill Craske 65.20, 217 Joanne Bramley 67.14, 218 Jacky Wright 67.15, 275 (3rd L50) Barbara Bassett 72.59, 308 Alison Hope 76.25, 313 Kathleen Walmsley 77.54.

Chorley AC: 26 Stuart Hemmings 51.52, 31 (1st junior) Carl Holding 52.52, 37 (2nd junior) Nick Lloyd 53.32, 68 Stephen Fletcher 56.27, 116 Tony Dewhurst 61.29, 119 (3rd M60) John Swift 61.45, 158 Terry Dickenson 63.45, 250 Jan Mayor 70.46, 293 (1st M65) John Payne 75.20, 314 (2nd M65) Jim Munn 77.59, 342 N Neilson 92.25.

Red Rose: 35 William Garner 53.12, 42 Fred Lynch 54.04, 75 Stuart Pound 57.17, 204 Allan Sutcliffe 66.37

Chorley Harriers: 50 Chris Cowley 54.47, 74 Peter Gillham 57.08, 101 William Smith 60.36, 163 Robert Hampson 64.21, 188 Graham Stephenson 66.07, 189 Mike Ogle 66.08, 212 Lisa Unsworth 66.58, 235 Daryl Peter 69.31.

Blackburn Harriers: 178 Alison Hulme 65.25, 241 Jeff Smith 70.10, 244 Sandra Duckworth 70.31, 251 Carole Kay 70.50.

Hyndburn AC: 185 J Fleming 65.55.

Blackburn RR: 254 Adrian Batson 71.02, 267 Elaine Kemp 72.14, 304 Norma Smith 75.49.

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