Dale bags handicap in thriller

ATHLETICS

ROYTON Road Runners finished the road-race season in style with an impressive double-header.

The first RRR Cup final took place at the Oldham park run and produced a thrilling finish.
Finalists Greg Oates and Ian Dale each knocked 10 seconds off their personal best times, but it was the latter who shaded it in 19 minutes 18 seconds.

Dale’s time was good enough to clinch the handicap by a second and become the inaugural winner of the RRR Cup.

Unfortunately, the third place run-off did not quite match the final for excitement.

John Lambe ran an impressive 21:05 to claim the bronze medal, as injury problems meant Eamonn Nolan was unable to mount a realistic challenge.

Meanwhile, the final Club Championship race — the Derwentwater 10-mile race in Keswick — saw an impressive 44 members cross the line.

It meant Road Runners had a record 687 finishers in the 17 club races this year — an average of more than 40-per-race — while an incredible 93 members took part in at least one club race this season, also a new best.
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