Connor Rogers records new PB and winning debut for Wales at Stafford 10k
Report by Don Hale
North Wales regional athletics team competed at the Stone 10k in Staffordshire on Sunday and finished second overall, with Connor Rogers winning the race on his debut with a great new PB of 32.19
Team manager Paul Brooks praised all competing members for their excellent performances in this inter-county match, and confirmed: “Congratulations to Connor Rogers, on his winning debut for North Wales and a PB, and thanks to Darren Blazier for ensuring that we would have a scoring team.
“And it was good to see Elliot Cox back in the team after several years. Unfortunately, with two ladies withdrawing on the day before the race, it left no time to find replacements, so we had an incomplete women’s team.
“It was a very hot and humid morning, so thanks to all our athletes who all did their very best running for the region.“
*The final race times included: (1) Connor Rogers 32.19 PB, (5) Scott Nixon 33.15, (10) James Yarwood 34.09, (13) Elliot Cox 34.40, (42) Darren Blazier 37.50 SB, (4) Tracy Rogers 37.52, (7) Rachel Shipley 39.17, (12) and Jennifer Rambaldi 39.54 SB.
Selected for Wales
NWRRC veteran athlete Cheryl Frost has been selected to run for Wales at the Chester Marathon in October following her successful good for age marathon results earlier this year.
She has already represented Wales in several other distance races this year, due to her good form, and a delighted Cheryl, says she is now hoping for a possible Autumn PB at the international fixture within the race.
Holyhead 5-mile race for NW championships
The next North Wales Road Running championships event will be the 5 miles race within the Holyhead Breakwater 5, on Sunday 30th July. The event starts at 11 am. The championship closing date is Sunday 23rd July.
Other NWRRC race results
*Sale: Will Williams finished 65th overall at the Sale Sizzler 5k race last Thursday amongst 548 highly competitive athletes. Will recorded a chip time of 17.49 and he was 4th in his MV50 age cat.
*Penrhyn Castle: Martin Green finished 5th at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun and won his MV45 age cat in 17.23, whilst club colleague Mandy Owen was 103rd place and gained a new PB of 31.52, knocking over a minute and a half from her previous run at this venue from a couple of weeks ago.
*Greenfield Valley: Stuart Culverhouse and his young son Joe took part in the Greenfield Valley Parkrun. Stuart finished 3rd and won his MV50 cat in 22.12, with Joe 7th overall and 2nd in his JM11-14 cat in 24.38. The first finisher at this event quite bizarrely, was another youngster, 10-year-old Finlay Potter (Deeside) in 19.32, with another fellow junior, Ryan Clough, 2nd overall and he won his JM11-14 cat in 22.04.
*Ellesmere Port: Jon Evans returned to parkrun action after a long break but ran well to record an excellent time of 21.46 at the Ellesmere Port event and claimed 2nd place in his MV55 age cat.
Fast times and top placings for visiting athletes at Conwy Parkrun
Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery
Conwy Parkrun welcomed plenty of visitors to last Saturday’s event with the first male finisher, and the first three female placings, all recording some excellent times on their debuts.
There were 259 finishers to this latest 5k challenge which was run in very humid conditions on another bone-hard course and attracted top club athletes and social runners from all parts of the UK.
The 1st male finisher was Keelan Hopewell (Solihull & Small Heath AC), who also won his SM20 age category in 18 minutes and 23 seconds.
He was closely followed by Dave Hughes in 2nd place in 18.29, and he won his MV35 cat, with Michael Hilton (Rossendale Triathlon Club) claiming the 3rd spot with a new PB of 18.43 to win his MV45 cat.
All three top female finishers were debutants, including Nancy Connolly (University of East Anglia Triathlon Club), who was the 1st lady (40th overall) in 22.50, and she also won her SW25 cat, with Rebecca King, 2nd, (52nd overall), and the winner of her VW35 cat in 23.54, whilst Ellie Robinson (West Cheshire AC) claimed the 3rd place in 24.20 (59th overall) in 24.20 and won her VW50 age cat.
North Wales Road Runners only entered nine members due to other commitments, but they still claimed four podium places including one first place, two second, and one third, in their respective age categories.
Steve Mason led the team home after finishing 4th overall in 19.06, and he was 2nd in his MV45 age cat, with Karl Morris 29th in 22.07, whilst master veteran Don Hale finished 91st overall, and he won his MV70 age cat after improving his best time this year to 27.28, following injury.
Another master vet, Mike Hayton, also had a good run, and he also had an interesting tussle with Don, and was just five seconds and a few places behind him in 94th place in 27.33, finishing 2nd in his MV70 age cat.
Veteran John O’Shea finished 104th overall and 3rd in his MV65 cat in 28.16, with fellow vet Rob Fryer unfortunately running below-par in 130th place in 29.35.
Meanwhile, Gwennan Charlton made the parkrun a family outing, and she too performed well in 153rd place on 30.57, with Darren Griss 156th in 31.03 and Rachel Morris 183rd in 33.25.