THE NINTH annual Rochdale Harriers three-day event proved a tough affair once again with three gruelling races on consecutive days.

Day one involved a tough 6.25 miles road race. On day two an equally challenging 6.5 miles multi-terrain race took place. Finally day three incorporated the Knowl Hill Fell Race with a six and a half mile course and 1800 feet of ascent, a very tough category A fell race.

HARRIERS ace Rob Jackson took the title in the ninth annual Rochdale Harriers' three-day event at Norden.

Rob won the day one race outright underlying his recent form and continued to finish first of the three day eventers in the day two and day three races to give him an overall winning time of one hour 58 mins.

In the final race the leading group went off course, with Rob losing a minute getting back on course and managing to work through to fifth place. The leading trio, who only contested this final race, continued to run the race the wrong way round, but the result was allowed to stand.

Burnden Road Runners were well represented with Andy Stavely and Martyn Pollitt completing all three races.

Andy put in three superb performances to finish eighth overall and third over 40 in the three day event in a total time of two hours 11 minutes.

Martin also produced fine results to finish 11th overall in the three day event with a total time of two hours 18 minutes.

Tom West, of Radcliffe Harriers, proved age is no barrier as he produced three consistently good performances to win the first over 60 prize in the three day event in two hours 40 mins. Team mate Mark Emmett also did well to complete all three races claiming 21st overall (8th over 40) in a total time of 2 hours 32 minutes.

Results - Race 1: 1. R Jackson (Horwich); 2. P Targett (Clayton); 3. M Rice (Rossendale).

Race 2: 1. T Taylor (Rossendale); 2. R Jackson (Horwich); 3. P Taylor (Rossendale).

Race 3: 1. M Fowler (Pennine); 2. I Taylor (Keighley); 3. M Bouldstridge (Birchfield); 4. D. Lewis (Rossendale); 5. R Jackson (Horwich).

Overall Three Day Event Result: 1. R Jackson (Horwich) 1hr 58 mins 35s; 8. (3rd o/40) A Staveley (Burnden) 2hrs 11 mins 54s; 11. M Pollitt (Burnden) 2hrs 18 mins 18s; 21 (8th o/40) M Emmett (Radcliffe) 2hrs 32 mins 46s; 26th (1st o/60) T West (Radcliffe) 2 hrs 40 mins 44s.