DESPITE the wet conditions on Wednesday night, 179 runners competed in the final race of this year's Horwich Jubilee Four-Mile Road Race series.

Immediately before the race all the runners observed a minute's silence in memory of Cyril Hodgson, one of the club's joint life presidents, who died aged 81 last month.

Paul Muller returned after last month's 4th place to take the winner's honours, a fine achievement for the veteran who is in top form this summer.

Adie Selby was the club's top runner in this month's race with a fine second place whilst Phil Dewhurst completed an excellent quartet of runs to finish 7th in the series and 19th on the night.

Gaynor Higson was rewarded for a fine summer's racing with the overall third lady's prize and was well supported by Linda Leyland (6th), Christine Boardman (7th and top junior lady), Jenny Simmonite (9th), Chris Sweatman (12th) and Judith Heale (13th and 1st LV50).

Results: 1 Paul Muller (V40 - Wrekin RR) 20:58; 2 Adrian Selby 21:22; 19 Philip Dewhurst 22:58; 23 Terence Orrell (3rd V45) 23:37; 25 Steve Barlow 23:41; 36 James Simmonite 24:38; 50 Paul Boardman 25:32; 60 Alan Thompson (V45) 26:09; 64 Pete Bland (V50) 26:19; 69 Ian Smith (V45) 26:30; 76 Peter Ramsdale (V40) 26:58; 82 Alan Sweatman (V45) 27:12; 85 Tony Varley (V50) 27:22; 89 Gaynor Higson (5th Lady) 27:31; 91 Paul Murray (V55) 27:40; 92 Keith Makin (V50) 27:42; 100 Colin Waterworth (V40) 28:12; 108 Gordon Stone (V40) 28:45; 117 Elisabeth Smart (2nd L40) 29:23; 120 G. Blackshaw (V50) 29:35; 122 Linda Leyland (L40) 29:37; 128 Thomas Gidman (V55) 29:57; 141 Frank Wood (V55) 30:31; 147 Mike Hall (V45) 31:31; 148 C. Maleney (L35) 31:54; 149 M. Claughan (L) 31:59; 153 John Coope (V65) 32:21; 154 A. Robinson (1st V70) 32:34; 159 C. Boardman (2nd L18) 33:39; 160 Jenny Simmonite (L) 33:51; 163 Chris Sweatman (L40) 34:15; 168 Judith Heale (1st L50) 35:06; 174 Janet Thompson (L40) 37:20.

Series positions: Terry Orrell (11th and 2nd V45), Ian Smith (21st) Peter Ramsdale (23rd), Tony Varley (24th), Colin Waterworth (27th), Alan Sweatman (29th), Keith Makin (31st) and G. Blackshaw (42nd). qTHIS month's Down and Up The ramp Race attracted twenty Horwich Harriers as Kev Gaskell led from start to finish with James Simmonite overhauling Gareth Webb, the first M40 finisher, on the climb to the finish to take second in the two mile race with 800ft of climbing.

Results: 1 K Gaskell 13:46; 2 J Simmonite 14:09; 3 G Webb (M40) 14:30; 4 T Orrell (M45) 14:32; 5 M Davies 14:43; 6 G Kay 15:02; 7 J Farnworth 15:11; 8 N Wrigley (M40) 15:23; 9 P Houghton 15:29; 10 P Ramsdale (M40) 16:12; 11 S Webb (W) 16:26; 12 A Sweatman (M45) 16:44; 13 M Stringfellow 16:52; 14 M Kay 17:20; 15 C Waterworth (M40) 17:39; 16 S Jackson (M45) 17:58; 17 M Davies 18:42

Ladies: 1 S Webb 16:26; 2 S Jones (W35) 19:18; 3 J Simmonite 20:32 .

qTEN Horwich Harriers completed the challenging 17-mile Borrowdale Fell Race which includes climbs of Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Dale Head, a total of at least 6500 feet of ascent. The weather was good for running although low cloud hindered navigation somewhat for many of the runners.

Provisional results: 1. S. Booth (Borrowdale) 2:34:46; 13 Steve Jackson (2nd Vet) 3:22:22; Pete Houghton 3:49; Neil Wrigley (V40) 3:59; Sue Jones (L) 4:45; Ed Swift (V50) 4:49;Tony Varley (V50) 4:55; Mark Stringfellow 5:01; Gordon Stone (V40) 6:04.

qGRAHAM Schofield finished third and first veteran in the seven-mile Churn Milk Joan race near Hebden Bridge (900 feet ascent) in a time of 47:11.