THE club’s Jubilee series of five-mile road races concluded with series wins for RMI’s Erica Booth and Lukas Siska in the face of stiff competition from local clubs.

On the night, Horwich’s Michael Cayton won the fourth race of the series but the men and women were beaten into second place by Bolton United Harriers and Burnden Road Runners, respectively.

Horwich also had a category winner at F50 for Bernadette Unsworth – a good reward for putting in the many miles of training she does with RMI’s running group.

The same night several Harriers opted for the challenge of the fells at the Golf Ball race in Rossendale where Joe Mercer gained a fine third place with Andy Ford not far behind in 12th.

Ford enjoys the racing but suffered for the performance on Saturday at the Pendle Three Peaks – the latest round of the English fell championships.

This time it was Nick Leigh in 14th and Danny Hope in 19th who shone.

Steve Jackson, of the Horwich running dynasty, also snatched another age-category win.

After the last round of the English championships he was in fifth place overall and this win will have improved that position.

Now running as a V60, he won the V40 category English and British fell championships as far back as 1995.

Another consistent racer for the club is Dan Gilbert who followed up his 24th place at Golf Ball on Wednesday with 15th at the country fair race in Coniston on Sunday.

Back on the road, one more of the Jackson family – Rob, running as a V50 – won the Littleborough Lions 5K, his fourth outright win at this race in 15 years.

With the juniors there is lots to be admired both in terms of quality of performance.

At the Junior Street races before the Jubilee race last Wednesday, Isaac Battye scored a win in race one for the younger set, building on an impressive string of parkrun results.

The club has also welcomed Isabella Merritt, whose parkrun endeavours have likewise provided the basis for fine competitive performances.

She finished second overall in race one and the series overall.

Cian Healy had already won the race one series so stepped up to the older age group in race two, taking sixth place.

In race two, the consistent Harries Thomas from Blackburn beat RMI’s Robert Seddon, who took series third spot behind Thomas in second and RMI’s Lewis Wilkes in first.

On the parkrun scene, Lewis came in third at Bolton. At the Queen's Park junior parkrun, Lucas Collings took third place and newcomer Caitlyn Sefton had a great run as second girl home.

Three generations of the Stone family were running at Cross Flatts, Leeds where RMI stalwart Gordon Stone was followed home by daughter Diane, niece Debbie, nephew Andrew, and great niece Becky.

Horwich RMI results: Jubilee road race (Rivington) – 1st Michael Cayton 25:47; 4th Lukas Siska 27:37; 22nd Sean McMyler 32:33; 28th David Unsworth 34:10; 37th Erica Booth 35:31; 62nd Keith Lewthwaite 40:08; 65th Bernadette Unsworth 41:09; 66th Gemma Stokes 41:33; 74th Julie Williamson 44:23; Golf Ball fell race (Rossendale) – 3rd Joe Mercer 39:32; 12th Andy Ford 43:36; 24th Dan Gilbert 45:26; 52nd Doug Fleming 50:15; Pendle 3 Peaks fell race – 14th Nick Leigh 1:20:59; 19th Danny Hope 1:22:39; 109th Andy Lloyd 1:39:44; 114th Steve Jackson 1:40:54; 134th Graham Schofield 1:46:14; 144th Brian Walton 1:49:49; 208th Andy Ford 2:11:52; Lakeland Country Fair fell race (Coniston) – 15th Dan Gilbert 01:09:35; Littleborough Lions 5km road race – 1st Rob Jackson 18:30.