Prestigious medals won at the North Wales Cross-Country Championships

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

Several hundred runners ranging from juniors to master veterans took part in the Grand Prix Express North Wales Cross-Country Championships, held last Saturday afternoon at Ysgol Morgan Llywd, Wrexham.

North Wales Road Runners entered nine athletes – five ladies and four men – and they won six prestigious championship awards with one gold, one silver, and four bronze medals.

The female athletes competed in the senior/master women’s race with Carla Green bouncing back to form in 29th place overall in 28 minutes and 20 seconds to win a silver medal in her W50 age cat.

Cheryl Frost put in a very determined display but unfortunately, just missed out on a medal in her W55 age cat despite running well in 35th place in 29.51, whilst Kay Hatton claimed bronze at W60 in 37th position in 30.09.

Karen Butler however, struck gold with a new NW championship medal as the W65 age cat winner after finishing 38th overall in an outstanding 30.16, and Gwennan Charlton completed another excellent run, finishing 52nd in 37.29 to win a deserved bronze medal at W35.

The four-man NWRRC team competed in the senior/master men’s race with Josh Keogh finishing 7th overall in 31.39, with Iwan Evans 32nd in 36.32, and won a bronze medal at M45.

Steve Gardner took 34th place in 36.45 and 3rd for a bronze NW championship medal in his M60 cat.

Stuart Culverhouse just missed out on a medal despite a good run in 40th place in 38.34 and 4th M50.

*The senior/master women’s race attracted 55 top club runners with Martha Owen (Deeside AC) winning the overall event with a fast time of 22.16, to claim a gold championship medal in her SW age category.

She was closely followed by Joanne Henderson (Denbigh Harriers) as the runner-up in 22.32, who also struck gold in her NW W45 cat, and third was Samia Jones (Menai T&F), who claimed silver in the same NW age cat as Martha in 22.45.

Praise was additionally given to Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers), who won a gold medal in her W40 age cat in 23.50 in 5th place overall, and some other notable race performances included Emma Collins (Denbigh Harriers), who collected gold at W60 in 20th place in 27.47.

And there were generous plaudits to two other highly respected veteran athletes in Liz Evans (GOG Triathlon), a NW gold medal winner in her W70 cat in 44th place in 32.08, with fellow GOG and veteran runner Ann D’Alberquerque 49th overall and gold for winning her W75 cat in 36.03.

*In the masters men, 65 race, which attracted 26 entries, first overall was Russell Owen (Eryri Harriers) in 23.29, who also topped the M65 age cat.

Gordon Jones (Prestatyn RC) was 2nd M65 in 23.53, with Mark Watling (Denbigh Harriers), 3rd overall, and 3rd M65 in 25.43.

Some other notable NW gold medal results from some superb master veterans, included Neil Owen (Run Free Fell), 5th overall in 26.43, and M70 gold medallist, with Gareth Hughes (Prestatyn RC), winning gold at M75 in 20th place overall in 34.44.

Top marks to Emyr Davies (Hebog), who won his M80 cat in 11th place with a great time of 29.39, whilst Roger Harrison-Jones also deserves tremendous credit for winning the M85 in 41.26.

*The senior men’s race was won by Matthew Willis (Wrexham AC), who scooped gold as 1st SM. Runner-up was Ethan Ackroyd (Liverpool Harriers) in 28.56, with Tomos Roberts (Meirionnydd RC) 3rd in 30.02, and they all competed in the same age categories, winning appropriate NW championship medals.

*The NW Cross-Country Championships were well organised by Bernie Jones and his support team. Bernie thanked Wrexham AC for hosting the event, all the volunteers, and Dave Peters and his helpers from Newtown, who did the chip timing and registration, in addition to all the Wrexham volunteers, and support from Eryri Harriers, Run Free Fell, NWRRC, and to Noel Butler, who travelled from Warwick to watch his grandson run, and offered his services. He confirmed, that without this support, there would be no championships.

Splash and dash course at Conwy Parkrun attracts good turn-out

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery
https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

Conwy Parkrun’s popular splash and dash 5k course attracted a good number of club and social runners from far afield last Saturday for the first event of the New Year.

North Wales Road Runners enjoyed a bumper entry of 16 runners and the team were led home by Steve Mason in 19.38, who won his VM45 age cat. The club later celebrated four age category victories, in addition to two second, and one third place finish.

Will Evans was a close 6th to Steve in 19.51, and he also won his VM40, with Sion Thomas 15th with a new course PB of 21.37, followed by Dave Jones, 23rd in 22.43.

Adam Lemalle was 28th in 23.27, with veteran Martin Green, improving each week, in 34th spot in 23.43, and 3rd VM45.

Master veteran Barrie Wells won his VM70 age cat in 45th place in 24.40, with fellow master Don Hale returning to parkrun after a period of ill health, 2nd VM70 cat in 25.36 in 57th place.

Youngster Joe Culverhouse ran with his father Stuart and won his JM11-14 age cat with a good run in 58th place in 25.38, with dad just one place and one-second behind him.

Sarah Jones and Daniel Hennell ran the course together, with Sarah 91st in 27.09 and Daniel one place and one-second behind.

Helen Hannam had a steady run in 102nd place in 28.00, and Gethin Wyn Jones was 116th in 28.54.

Meanwhile, John O’Shea was 130th in 29.43 and Rachel Morris was 171st in 33.37.

*Harri Jackson (Menai T&F) was the first runner home on this puddle-filled and waterlogged riverside route at Conwy in just 17 minutes and 35 seconds, just 11 seconds ahead of rival Harty Woodford in 17.46, with Alison Campbell (Sheffield University Cross-Country & AC) snatching third overall, in addition to finishing 1st female athlete with a new personal best (PB) time of 18.04.

Harri also won his SM20 age cat, with Harty doing likewise at SM30 and Alison was top SW30.

The 2nd female finisher was Katherine Gregson in 22.38, with Jaeda Goodman (Bourneville Harriers) 3rd on her debut in 22.56.

*Other results – Leeds: Hannah Griffith too part in the Roundhay Parkrun at Leeds last Saturday and she finished in 206th place in 28.46.

*Praise was given to the Conwy run director Gwyn Williams, and to all the volunteers and marshals on another challenging day for weather. This is the link to the provisional results from Conwy:
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/