PENDLE must be Debbie Gowans's favourite hill.

Last year she earned selection for the Lancashire team at the Half Tour trial race, and on Saturday she was the winning lady in the Pendle Fell Race.

Thirty-five-year-old Debbie is one of Accrington Road Runners stalwarts, she is a past president of the club and has been a member for 14 years. A good road runner, but at her best on the fells, he is on the top of her form. On Saturday she overtook Jean Rawlinson halfway up the long first climb before accelerating away form the Rossendale veteran to win by a minute and a half.

Clayton Harrier Mike Wallis was the winning veteran in the tough five-miler finishing second overall behind Pudsey and Bramley ace Rob Hope. While Hope led from the start, Wallis progressed through the field overtaking third and fourth placed men Dave Nuttall and Will Sullivan. Another Clayton man Jack Holt won the M50 division.

Results (Clayton unless stated) - MEN: 1 Rob Hope (Pudsey & Bramley) 34.37, 2 (1st M40) Mike Wallis 35.30, 3 Dave Nuttall 35.57, 4 Will Sullivan 36.05, 6 Nick Hatchard (Rossendale) 36.55, 8 Ian Greenwood 37.08, 9 (2nd M40) Phil Taylor (Rossendale) 37.12, 1st M50 Jack Holt 39.31, 2nd M50 John Nuttall 40.46, 3rd M50 Barry Rawlinson (Rossendale) 40.57, 2nd M60 Bill Smith 49.54.

LADIES: 1 Debbie Gowans (Accrington RR) 44.49, 2 (1st vet) Jean Rawlinson (Rossendale) 46.20, 4 Lisa Richardson (Blackburn RR) 49.28, 5 (3rd vet) Katy Thompson 49.47, 6 Juliet Horrocks 50.26, 7 Jeannette Coleman (Chorley Harriers) 50.46.

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