Penrhyn Parkrun

PARKRUN BOOM HITS NORTH WALES

The Parkrun phenomenon which is booming throughout the country finally came to North Wales and got off to a very promising start with over 170 runners lining up for the first 5k event in Penrhyn Castle, Bangor .

 First home was Russell Bentley (Kent), in 16.47 and he was followed by Owen Haswell (Barry and Vale) in 16.54 and Jamie Mellor (Liverpool Harriers), brother of England international Johnny I, in 17.29. The first three women were  Emma Collins (Denbigh in 21.07, Bronwen Jenkinson (Eryri), who was just three seconds behind, and Elliw Haf in 21.25.

 The Deganwy Parkrun is expected to begin next month.

 

Abbey Dash

NW CHAMP ANDREW IN LEEDS TEAM

Commonwealth Games marathon runner Andrew Davies from Forden, who won the Abergele 5 two weeks ago, is in the Welsh team for this Sunday's Abbey Dash 10k.

 The Stockport AC member is joined by Ricky Challinor (Liverpool Harriers) and Owain Jones (Bristol), while the women's trio is Emma Crowe (Wrexham), Ellie Davies (Brecon) and Jessica Parry-Williams (Les Croupiers).

Borders League (1)

MASTERS START LEAGUE SEASON ON HIGH NOTE

It was Masters' Day at the opening of the Borders Road Running League season at Christleton with Deeside's Lee Jones, last year's overall champion, chalking up his sixth win and Gill Mead (Chester Tri, L50) recording her first victory.

 The 352 finishers was the second highest total in League history and the 113 ladies was a record. With five in the first 20 Wirral's men made a clear statement of intent to retain their Division 1 title, while Tattenhall, strengthened by the return of Marilyn Kitching, won the ladies' competition by 40 points.

 Results: 1 L Jones (Deeside, M45) 30.28, 2 D Weston (Wrex) 30.43, 3 D Longley (Prestatyn) 31.23, 4 P Robertson (Wirral)  31.38, 5 P Langan (Wirral) 32.00, 6 C Bishop (Helsby, M 50) 32.16, 7 A Sudlow (Tatt) 32.24, 8 V Van Woerkom (Chester Tri) 32.29, 9 B Lightowler (Abergele) 32.20, 10 C Thompson (Helsby) 32.33.
 U20: 1 C Seymour (Wirral) 32.49, 2 C Weaver (West Chesh) 34.54, 3 A Ryder (Prest)  38.45. M40: 1 D Blazier (Abergele) 33.08, 2 J Brown (Buck) 33.14, 3 S Roberts (Buck) 33.41. M45: 2 D Alexander (West Chesh) 33.03, 3 J Johnson (Wirral) 33.28. M50: 2 E Campbell (Buck) 33.18, 3 N Hershaw (West Chesh) 35.21. M55: 1 T Barbat (Wall) 34.04, 2 G Jones (Prest) 34.08, 3 R Freeman (West Chesh) 37.31. M60: 1 G  Ratcliffe (Wirral) 33.54, 2 L Coathup (Buck) 38.17, 3 G Nixon (Prest) 39.52. M65: 1 D Hough (West Chesh) 42.08, 2 M Ollier (Wrex) 43.27, 3 B Mossop (Buck) 43.46. M70: 1 D Williams (Eryri) 48.31, 2 B Beattie (West Chesh) 49.14, 3 J Morris (Buck) 54.33.

 Teams: Division 1: Wirral  350, Buckley 428, Wallasey 480, Chester Tri 683, Abergele 883, Ellesmere Port 1,088, Deeside 1,088. Division 2. Helsby 317, West Cheshire 367, Cybi Striders 498, Prestatyn 511, Wrecsam Tri 541, Tattenhall 644, Deestriders 802, Eryri 821, Wrexham 865, Birkenhead 1,379.

Masters. Buckley 191, Wallasey 272, West Cheshire 434, Wirral 463, Helsby 471, Wrecsam Tri 550, Chester Tri 601, Tattenhall 654, Cybi 695, Ellesmere Port 695, Prestatyn 706, Abergele 762, Deestriders 929, Eryri 949, Wrexham 1,155, Deeside 1,320, Birkenhead 1,643.

 Ladies: 1 G Mead (Chester Tri, L50) 35.51, 2 S Kearney (Wirral, L40) 36.01, 3 G Ross (Tattenhall, L35) 36.58, 4 M Kitching (Tatt, L45) 37.15, 5 E Kearney (Wirral, U20) 37.27, Z McLennan (Chester Tri) 37.46. U20: 2 H Nuttall (Wirrall) 41.27, 3 L Smith (West Chesh) 48.20. SL: 2 A Muller (West Chesh) 39.20, 3 J Dickson (Chester Tri) 39.26. L35: 2 J Jennions (Deestriders)  37.59, 3 A Grundy (Tatt) 38.01. L40: L Grantham (Chester Tri) 37.57, 3 S Fourie (Chester Tri) 39.27. L45: 2 J McHugh (Chester Tri) 39.59, 3 S Atkinson (Tatt) 40.55. L50: 2 J Richards (Abergele) 39.08, 3 C Shaw (Helsby) 42.17. L55: 1 D Richards (Prest)  45.04, 2 J Keasley (Helsby) 45.51, 3 S Ridings (Buck) 50.12. L60: 1 C Birch (Abergele) 42.47, 2 M Rees (Wall) 42.49, 3 J Fraser (Wirral) 46.08.

Teams. Division 1: Tattenhall 32, Ellesmere Port 72, Wirral 73, Helsby 123, Prestatyn 163, Buckley 179, Wallasey 251. Division 2: Chester Tri 14, West Cheshire 96, Abergele 104, Wrecsam Tri 120, Cybi 173, Deestriders 189, Wrexham 209, Eryri 268, Birkenhead 300, Deeside 300.

Rhobell Fawr

LEE COMPLETES TITLE HAT-TRICK

Eryri's Jackie Lee had to settle for second place in the Rhobell Fawr race at Llanfachreth, neat Dolgellau ,   but it was enough to  give her both the Inov-8/WFRA open and Cotswold Outdoor North Wales series titles, to go with her British title.

 Three course records were broken on the day - the junior men's record went to Eryri's 18-year-old Owen Huw Roberts, Mel Price (Mercia), who was third lady overall and first L40, set a new best for her age-group, and Emma Collins (Denbigh) recorded the fastest time in the L50 class.

 The 6-mile race, involving 1,900 feet of climbing, race was won by Oswestry veteran Paul Jones, who finished second two years ago.

 Results : 1 P Jones (Osw, M40) 51.35, 2 P Ryder (Cardiff) 51.45, 3 M Palmer (Mynydd Du, M50) 52.24, 4 M Cliffe (Eryri, M40) 53.54, 6 K Steinegger (Ambleside) 55.21. JM: 1 OH Roberts (Eryri) 56.57. M40: 3 J Brown (Buckley) 56.29. M50: 1 N Shepherd (Bowland) 58.42, 2 S Toogood (Buckley) 60.16, 3 D Powell (Aberystwyth) 62.22. M60: 1 G Gunner (Croft Ambrey) 72.59, 2 A French (Wrexham) 64.30, 3 D Tomlinson (Mercia) 75.22. M70: A Pratten (P)ensby) 85.59.
 Ladies: 1 C Rice (Glossopdale) 58.21, 2 J Lee (Eryri) 58.26, 3 M Price (Mercia, L40) 58.39. L50: E Collins (Denbigh) 70.43. L60: M Oliver (Eryri) 91.08.

 Inor-8/WFRA champions:- Mark Palmer and Jackie Lee. SM: Ryder. M40: D Fishwick (Chorley), M50: M Palmer. M60: G Gunner. M70: R West (MDC).L40: M Prce. L50: E Collins. L60: M Oliver. 

 Cotswold Outdoor North Wales Series: Paul Jones and Jackie Lee. SM: K Steinegger. M40: P Jones. M50: N Shepherd). M60: A French (Wrexham). M70: J Morris (Buckley). L40: A Rowlands (Eryri). L50: Collins. L60: Oliver.

Betws Trail

ENGLAND DOMINATE AT ELSI

With three of the first four finishers England dominated the Betws Trail 10k at Betws-y-Coed which followed a sc enic route tp Llyn Elsi.

 Winner Carl Hardman (Salford) finished in a fast 35.34, with Tom Merson (Bristol) almost a minute behind.

 Matthew Roberts (Eryri) was the first Welshman home in fifth place, with Tim Davies (Maldwyn) eighth and Tomos Roberts (Meirionnydd) ninth.

 International mountain runner Sarah Tunstall (Kendal) won the ladies' race, with Oswestry's Alison Lavender right behind her. Of the Welsh runners Katie Beecher (Les Croupiers) was fourth overall and  teenager Bronwen Jenkinson (Eryri) sixth.

 Fellow Eryri teenager John Spill won the 5k race, held for the first time, with Luke Davies (Brecon) a minute behind and another youngster, Cai Linton (Menai) third. Welsh international Heidi Davies (Brecon) had a superb run, finishing fourth overall.
Results of 10k: 1 C Hardman (Salford) 35.34, 2 T Merson (Bristol) 36.26, 3 G Priestley (Salford) 36.49, 4 B Priddle (E  ng)  37.13, 5 M Roberts (Eryri) 38.27, 6 M Footman (Worthing) 38.38. M40: 1 C Rees (Wild Running) 38.48, 2 D Vaughan (Chester Tri) 45.01, 3 M Hadley (Cybi) 47.27. M45: 1 J Ford (NWRR) 42.19, 2 G Porter-Jones (Eryri) 47.05, 3 C Murphy 51.16. M50: 1 T Cahill (Abergele) 44.21, 2 N Craine (Eryri) 44.51, 3 M Belshaw (Eryri) 45.48. M55: 1 S Jones (Eryri) 45.12, 2 A Lewis (Eryri) 48.07, 3 I Taylor (CB) 51.15. M60: 1 G Spencer (Mercia) 52.09, 2 C Hunt (Wrecsam Tri) 58.27, 3 M Hayton (NWRR) 65.30. M65: 1 D Evans (Cardiff) 51.05, 2 JG Evans (Aberystwyth) 56.44. M70: 1 P Jones (Prestatyn) 67.38, 2 I Roberts (Eryri) 75.19.
 Ladies: 1 S Tunstall (Kendal) m40.26, 2 A Lavender (Osw) 41.18, 3 E Macready (Worthing) 42.28, 4 K Beecher (Les Cr) 44.21, 5 A Hannant 48.39, 6 B Jenkinson (Eryri) 50.19. L40: 1 K Solev 59.27, 2 J Howe 63.28, 3 A Scott (Welshpool) 65.38. L45: 1 V Carter (Birchfield) 54.40, 2 A Butterfield (RAF Valley) 56.33, 3 D Stanaway (Tattenhall) 58.04. L50; 1 L Godson (NWRR) 61.11, 2 T Usherwood 62.48, 3 L55: 1 D Kenwright (Sarn Helen) 56.28, 2  L Wills 84.22. L60: C Allen (Trail Jesters) 88.21.

 Results of 5k: 1 J Spill (Eryri) 22.18, 2 L Davies (Brecon) 23.18, 3 C Linton (Menai) 23.31, 4 H Davies (Brecon, SL) 24.49, 5 A Davies (Thornbury, M45) 24.54, 6 B Butler (Bangor Uni) 25.08. M40: 1 J Kennedy 33.59 M45: 2 C Deasy 40.09, 3 E Jones 57.16. M50: 1 P Keeling (Outdoorlands) 36.07. M55: E Davies (Maldwyn) 26.37.  Ladies: 1 Davies, 2 N Davies (Thornbury, L45) 32.02, 3 L Marriott (Mysteruns) 39.20, 4 S Brooks (Dolly Mixtures, L40) 41.05, 5 S Jones 41.37,  6 M Shakespeare 42.40. L50: E Lewis (Dolly Mixtures) 44.44.
 

2nd win for Hulson

HULSON GETS WIN NUMBER TWO


Charlie Hulson from Rhosesmor claimed his second win in the Manchester Area Cross-Country League in St Helens, helping Sale to third place in the men's competition.

 The winning team was Liverpool Harriers, for whom Hulson's former Deeside clubmate Ricky Challinor was 12th. Third in the M45 class was David Alexander (West Cheshire), a stalwart of the Grand Prix Express North Wales League.

 Meanwhile in the Midlands Women's League in Leamington Spa Georgina Outten (Birchfield), winner of the Abergele 5 last week, finished second behind England's outstanding young talent Jessica Judd.

Back in business

WATCH THIS SPACE

Apologies for the lack of news over the past couple of weeks, especially with so many important races having been held in the area,.

 It was a very nice holiday, thank you very much, and normal service will now be resumed, so please keep sending me the information on race results and any items of interest involving North Wales athletes and clubs. 

 I also appeal to all those  of you who have received profile  questionnaires from me in recent months to return them.