The Race was sold out, the weather was fine, as over thirteeen hundred runners set off in this years Ribble Valley 10k Road Race from the Roefield Leisure Centre in Clitheroe – roads being closed for the duration of the race. As in previous years the Blackburn Harriers race incorporated the Northern Athletics 10k Road Championships and also, for the first time, the race was the final in the Top Flight series of twelve 10k Road races (TOP FLIGHT), attracting prize money for athletes related to their finishing positions in the series — (RACE START) — (RACE VIDEO) — (RESULTS).

ALL RACE PHOTOS – HERE

Some great racing on the day as James West’s winning time places him at joint 9th in the National Rankings and Jacob Cann going in at joint number 10, whilst Hannah Nuttall’s winning time places her at joint 6th place in the National Rankings at the end of the year. James West and Hannah Nuttall are coached by Helen Clitheroe. James won the race after being part of three senior men contesting the race towards the end alongside Jacob Cann and Omar Ahmed, James taking the win with a strong finish on the run in, posting a time of 28.43 – just eleven seconds outside the race record – with Jacob in 2nd running a new personal best time of 28.46 and Omar in 3rd with 29.02. The Women’s race also went to the wire as Hannah Nuttall tracked Jess Warner-Judd, passing her on the final uphill running into the finish to take the first place in a new personal best time of 31.53 with Jess in 2nd running 32.01 and Emily Haggard Kearney in 3rd in a time of 33.07.

L-R Jacob Cann – James West – Omar Ahmed

Race Winner James West

Hannah Nuttall winning the Women’s Race

First Blackburn Harrier home in the race was U23 Matt Ramsden who went into the race with a personal best time of 29.50 and on the day beating that by an impressive 27 seconds as he posted a new PB time of 29.23 in 6th place. Next home was Daniel Bebbington in 18th place in a time of 30.12 in only his second race since July following illness. Rob Warner-Judd took 37th spot in 31.21 and was followed home by Ben Makin in 59th spot in 32.22 which was a new PB by over half a minute. Joe Gebbie has raced lightly this year because of injury but still had a good run on the day in 86th place running 33.27 followed in by Paul Bradshaw in 119th spot with a time of 34.33, V55 Paul Guinan running 40.24 in 332nd place, Theo Robinson running 41.13 (360th), Steve Willets (433rd) with a time of 42.56 and Ella Green in 92nd place in the Women’s race running 46.31

L-R Daniel Bebbington – Matt Ramsden – Joe Gebbie – Ben Makin

L-R Biruk Aduna Kebede – Matt Ramsden – Richard Allen

The Open Race saw Blackburn Harriers finish in 2nd place behind the winners Leeds and Horwich in 3rd. Leeds also took the win in the Women’s team race with Border in 2nd and Preston in 3rd. Winners of the Vets Teams were Southport Waterloo in the Men and Preston in the Women.

In the Northern 10k Road Championships Jess Warner-Judd won the Women’s Gold Medal with Emily Haggard Kearney taking Silver and Heather Townsend Bronze. In the Men’s race the winner was Biruk Aduna Kabede with Matt Ramsden taking Silver Medal and Richard Allen the Bronze. Birkk Aduna Kebede won the Junior Men’s Race with Ashleigh Walters winning the Junior Women’s race. Top Flight winners were Omar Ahmed for the Men’s Series and Kirsty Longley in the Women’s, both receiving £1000 in prize money.