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Steve climbs to a third place in the Swiss Alps

Steve Vernon

Steve Vernon in last weekend's European Mountain Champs.

Steve Vernon was back in the Alps at the weekend after securing the silver team medal for the UK team at the European Mountain Championships last week

Steve was invited to run at the International Tor Des Alpages high above Lake Geneva in Switzerland on Saturday over a course of 17 kilometres.

He faced tough opposition this time from fellow Brit Billy Burns who is based in Switzerland and Ethiopian Marathon runner Tolossa Chengere

The early part of the race up the Alpine pass was taken up by Chengere with Burns and Steve matching him all the way up the climb along the Alpine forest paths up to the six thousand feet of climb where the race turned back for the final steep descent into the finish.

Chengere managed to run away from the two to win in a new record time on the course of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 35 seconds from Burns who was 7 seconds adrift of the Ethiopian with Steve just 5 seconds down on Burns.

Steve said after the race that he was fine until the steep drop to the finish where Billy and Chengere were better on the only downhill section of the race.

Next up for Steve could possibly be the World Mountain Challenge in New Zealand to run for the UK team but he may miss this to prepare for the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg, Holland in December.

Young Athletes League

Back at Woodbank Stadium on Sunday the Harriers' Boys and Girls teams contested the penultimate Young Athletes match in the Northern League 1.

The Harriers' teams won the match from Blackburn AC, Team North Cumbria and Pendle AC and are looking to win the final match in two weeks time with the advantage of another home fixture.

The 'Man of the Match' was won by Harrier Harry Long for his grade two performance in the Boys' under-13 1,500m race with a fine run of 4.57, Jack Nixon also achieved the standard with a 5.01.

Jess Yates won the 'Field Athlete of the Match' with a 7 metre plus triple jump in the under-17 Girls' competition.

Sprinter Kelly Blackman won both 100 and 200 metres in the girls under-15 competition. Michelle Wiblin won her two events in the girls' under-15 300 and 800 metres.

Gareth Lamb won the boys' under-17 100 metres and 200 metres.

Newcomer Richard Mullen won the boys' under-15 200m in 25.4 and Steve Pearson took the boys' under-17 400m in 54.0.

British Masters Championships

The Harriers had a double success at the British Masters Track and Field Championships held in Birmingham over the weekend.

Martin Blackman successfully retained his 400 metre title in the over-40 category, winning the final in 52 seconds.

In the over-65 age group Barry Swindles not only won the 1,500 title in 5.20 but also claimed an 800 metre silver medal in 2.34.

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