Wistow 10k 2023: Howe and Rawes race to title glory as Tadcaster men take team prize
Jordan Howe strode clear once again to successfully defend his men’s crown as Josie Rawes celebrated claiming her first ladies’ title when the York and District Road Race League reached its dramatic conclusion at Wistow.
James Eaton of Tadcaster Harriers needed a real collapse from 2022 champion Howe to stand a chance of pipping him to the top prize but, even though he stormed to a season’s best time of 32:36, York Postal Harriers’ star man clocked 32:32 to trump his rival by just four seconds on the flat, figure-of-eight 10K course near Selby.
The opening race’s victor, Joe Firth, ensured Tadcaster packed out the podium with 33:35 for bronze after a highly competitive campaign for the senior men. Tom Pavis (York Knavesmire Harriers), Dom Carter (Postal) and Kieron Brown (York Acorn Running Club) completed the top six.
With two wins from four events, Knavesmire’s Rawes is the new ladies’ champion. An all-time personal best of 35:59 when it mattered most rubber-stamped a clutch second-place finish – behind Knavesmire’s Becky Penty (35:24) – at the end of a fine maiden outing in the league, with team-mate Emily Baines left to wonder what might have been had she not drifted out to third in the finale with 39:29.
However, past performances were enough to see Baines edge another Knavesmire Harrier, Rose Mather, into third overall as the winner last time out at Bugthorpe took 36:33 for second spot at Wistow. Supporting Knavesmire’s dominance in fourth place was Hazel Hall, with Ruth McGivern (Tadcaster) and Katie Wise (Pocklington Runners) also finishing in the top six.
While Tadcaster were so close to individual men’s glory but ultimately fell short, their consistent squad efforts were rewarded with gold in the team competition. With five Harriers in the final top eight, Knavesmire sat two points shy and Acorn were a distant third.
Knavesmire ladies had long since toasted their team honours but Pocklington needed a strong showing to get over the line and into silver before the curtain fell.
With 39:41, Wise led a successful Pock push, ably supported by Fiona Randles, Nikki Calvert and Louise Venables on a July evening offering rather favourable running conditions. Nearest nemeses Postal took bronze after slipping to fifth on the night.
In the age categories, Eaton went four from four to cement M40 gold, with Darren Tomlinson second ahead of Charlie Goodwin. Another Pocklington battle saw Stephen Maddison (35:50) deny colleague Richard Ginn (36:14) second in the M50 race, where Dave Smithers was already crowned king.
Stephan Tomaszewski was joined on the M60 podium by David Lancaster (City of York AC) and Mike Jackson (Tadcaster) in joint second while Michael Hetherton of Pickering outran Tadcaster pair William Allan and Mark Thompson in the M70 competition.
W35 champion Wise was untouched as City’s Chrissie Dover pipped Selby Striders’ Emma Winter to second place. Knavesmire’s Bethany Benger missed out on outright second in the W45 as her seventh-placed finish allowed Tadcaster’s Joanna Millican to sneak in for a share of silver, with Hall winning all her category races for first.
Elsewhere, Karen Wood (City), Anita Ruddock (Knavesmire) and Sue Tindall (Tadcaster) were 1-2-3 in the W55s, with Ruddock’s second place at Wistow proving vital as she claimed category silver. Kathryn Dickinson (Knavesmire) took a fifth win to lead Sally Ann Polkey (Tadcaster) and team-mate Mary Farmery in the W65 competition.