Snowdonia Half

"DOUBLE" FOR UNIVERSITY

Following last year's success by ex-student Rob Samuel Callum Rowlinson made it a double for Bangor University when he won the second Snowdonia Half-Marathon from Llanrwst.

 The Sale runner's time of 79.01 was almost seven minutes slower than Samuel's for the tough course, which includes a severe climb after three miles.

 The in-form Daniel Kashi (Eryri) was second and last year's runner-up Stefan Sayer (Menai) was third.

 The women's winner was unattached runner Danielle Sansonetti, who also finished seven minutes outside Alison Lavender's 2012 winning time of 85.52.

 Results: 1 C Rowlinson (Sale, U20) 79.01, 2 D Kashi (Eryri) 80.00, 3 S Sayer (Menai) 80.25, 4 J Parkinson (Eryri, M40) 81.19, 5 J Ford (NWRR, M40) 81.43, 6 B Williams (ua) 82.23. M40: 3 R Grantham (Chester Tri) 84.15. M45: 1 D Scott (ua) 94.31, 2 R Wright (Sunlight) 96.04, 3 P Hodges (Eryri) 96.19. M50: 1 P Mead (ua) 89.55, 2 R Lewington (ua) 97.27, 3 S Coleman (Astley and Tyldesley) 97.42. M55: 1 D Nalder (Ell Port) 96.20, 2 S Bellis (Buckley) 97.52, 3 K Slattery (NWRR) 99.07. M60: D Owen (Prestatyn) 1-58.33. M65: JG Evans (Aberystwyth) 1-47.17.
 Ladies: 1 D Sansonetti (ua) 92.59, 2 G Mead (Chester Tri, L45) 93.52, 3 D Jolly (Sarn Helen) 99.58, 4 D Holl (ua, L35) 1-42.02, 5 J Richards (Abergele, L45) 1-43.04, 6 K Browning (Dursley, L40) 1-44.46. L50: L Rowlinson n(Sale) 1-46.23. L55: D Kenwright (Sarn Helen) 1-46.06.

Ras Mynydd Mawr

ROWLEY TAKES MYNYDD MAWR TITLE

Eryri's John Rowley took advantage of the absence of many of his clubmates to win Ras Mynydd Mawr at Fron, near Caernarfon.

 Results (all Eryri unless stated): 1 J Rowley 35.07, 2 G Jones (ua) 37.56, 3 G Porter Jones (M40) 38.10, 4 S Toogood (ua, M50) 38.50, 5 R Pawling (ua) 39.12, 6 S Green (Bangor Uni) 40.14. M40: 2 G Williams 40.47, 3 G Davies (Mysteruns) 43.24. M50: 2 J Mooney (Macclesfield) 42.20, 3 T Murgatroyd (Calder) 46.39. M60: 1 P (Tan) Jones 42.59. M70: E Davies 47.39.

 Ladies: 1 R Newstead (ua) 44.27, 2 ML Hughes 45.49, 3 H Turner 47.18. L40: E Wood 47.47. L50: H Berrett (ua) 52.45.

Wrexham 10

ROTHERY RECAPTURES TITLE

By missing the final fixture of the Borders League in Wrexham Eryri's Brendan Rothery forfeited the chance of taking the individual title but he made amends over the same course three days later by winning the North Wales 10-mile championship.

 Last year he finished second behind Buckley's Matthew Rose but his time this year, even though he was 42 seconds slower, it was enough to regain the title he last won in 2010. His time then was one second faster than this year.

 North Wales' top female runners were missing this time, with the first six finishers all being ineligible for the championship. The title therefore went to seventh-placed L50 Margaret Ludden (Buckley).

 The first woman home, Salford's Hayley Kuter, broke the course record of 66.50 set last year by Emma Parry (Wrexham)

 Results of open race: 1 B Rothery (Eryri) 55.32, 2 D Rowlands (Wrexham, M40) 55.54, 3 D Hudson (Salford, M35) 57.08, 4 G Norgrove (Wrecsam Tri, M45) 57.21, 5 D Damiani (Wrex, M35) 58.09, 6 T Spence (Wrex) 58.55. Teams: Wrexham 26, Buckley 99, Denbigh 111, Prestatyn 121.
 M35: 3 M Davies (West Ch) 61.08. M40: 2 L Barlow (Wesham) 60.07, 3 S Eardley (Colwyn Bay). M50: 1 M Robbins (Wrex) 63.10, 2 S Rogers (Pensby) 3  D Baugh (Denbigh) 74.14. M55: 1 S Davies (Mansfield) 64.14, 2 C Edgington (Meirionnydd) 67.39, 3 A Gauton (Denbigh) 70.00. M60: 1 G Nixon (Prestatyn) 67.15, 2 G Shaw (Helsby) 74.20, 3 G Schofield (Pensby) 75.24. M65: 1 J Davies (Meir) 71.13, 2 A Egan (Wrex) 81.23, 3 J Tee (Bro Dys) 87.55. M70: 1 J Thomas (Buckley) 87.38, 2 P Jones (Prestatyn) 88.10. M75: Roger Harrison-Jones (Prestatyn) 84.55.
 Masters teams: Wrexham 14, Buckley 45, Penny Lane 53.
 Ladies: 1 H Kuter (Salford, L35) 60.19, 2 J Joy (Helsby) 64.00, 3 J Massey (Mansfield, L45) 65.42, 4 E Renondeau (Tattenhall) 65.48, 5 S Atkinson (Tatt, L45) 66.54, 6 J Khoueiry (Holmfirth, L40) 69.26.  SL: 3 C Frank (RAF) 91.54. L35: 2 M Dowell-Jones (CB) 75.51, 3 L40: 2 T Barlow (Blackpool) 75.26, 3 V Whitehead (Denbigh) 80.40. L45: 3 A Raistrick (Trafford) 89.32. L50: 1 M Ludden (Buckley) 71.03, 2 M Taverner (Vale Ro) 72.36, 3 C Shaw (Helsby) 76.00. L55: 1 A Meakin (Helsby) 87.07, 2 K Masters (Sandbach) 89.32, L O'Keefe (Sandbach) 1-41.09. L70: B Jones (Bro Dys) 90.41. L80: S Symonds (Bro Dys) 2-29.00. Teams: Helsby 27, Bro Dysynni 62.

Borders League (Final)

JONES TAKES TOP LEAGUE AWARD

With his only challenger, Eryri's Brendan Rothery, missing the final race at Wrexham, veteran Lee Jones (Deeside) took the main individual award for this season's Borders Road-Running League. Fellow vet Sarah Kearney (Wirral) won the ladies' award.

 Wirral dominated the team awards, taking the men's and women's Division 1 trophies as well as the veterans' category. The ladies share the award with Chester Tri, the first time there has been a tie.

 Newcomers Cybi will be promoted to Division 1 in the ladies' competition next season, along with champions Wallasey, while West Cheshire and Prestatyn's men move up.

 The individual awards went to:

MEN
U20: 1 K Morgan (Wirral, 2 R Colclough (Deeside), 3 T De Jong (Helsby)
 Senior men: 1 B Rothery (Eryri), 2 D Lemon (Deeside), 3 G Jones (Wall), 4 M Hulmston (Wirral), 5 A Sudlow (Tatt), 6 M Davies (West Ch), 7 A Bromley (Deeside), 8 C Davies (Deestriders), 9 P Stinton (Buck), 10 K Dandy (Chester Tri).
 M40: 1 L Jones (Deeside), 2 J Johnson (Wirral), 3 S Roberts (Buck), 4 D Blazier (Abergele), 5 K Dickinson (Wirral).
 M45: 1 J McQueen (West Ch), 2 J Gifford (Buck), 3 N Hershaw (West Ch), 5 S Hooson (Buck), 6 G Blackwell (Deeside), 6 S Fox (Wirral).
 M50: 1 T Barbat (Wall), 2 C Bishop (Helsby), 3 A Starkey (West Ch), 4 A Lewis (Eryri), 5 G Earlam (Ell Port).
 M55: 1 R Freeman (West Ch), 2 D Nalder (Ell Port), 3 M Whitfield (Ell Port), 4 G Ratcliffe (Wirral).
 M60: 1 T McDevitt (Wirral), 2 L Coathup (Buck), 3 M Cortvriend (Prestatyn).
 M65: 1 A Berry (Helsby), 2 J Morris (Buck), 3 N Pratten (Wirral).
 M70: 1 J Thomas (Buck), 2 L Brown (Birkenhead), 3 P Norman (Wrex).

LADIES
 U20: 1 E Kearney (Wirral), 2 A Bagnall (Prest), 3 A Cheetham (Prest).
 Senior ladies: 1 J Jennions (Deestriders), 2 K Seddon (Chester Tri), 3 E Gruber (Cybi), 4 V Jones (Chester Tri), 5 K McEneaney (Wirral), 6 A Bartley (Wirral).
 L35: 1 S Kearney (Worral), 2 S Holt (Wall), 3 T Llewellyn (Cybi).
 L40: 1 C Hall (Wirral), 2 D Urquhart (Buck), 3 L Davies (West Ch).
 L45: 1 A Mageean (Chester Tri), 2 T Shipley (Chester Tri), 3 S Plested (Ell Port), 4 J Lindley (Buck)
 L50: 1 M Ludden (Buck), 2 C Shaw (Helsby), 3 S Jones (Cybi).
 L55: 1 G Waring (Prest), 2 N Davies (Wall), 3 M Bird (Ell Port).
 L60: 1 C Birch (Abergele), 2 P Martin (Birkenhead), 3 L Bishop (West Ch).

 RESULTS OF FINAL RACE

1 S Boyton (Dee) 20.29, 2 L Jones (Dee, M40) 20.55, 3 P Brook (Chester Tri) 21.14, 4 D Kashi (Eryri) 21.14, 5 X Desse (Wirral, M40) 21.27, 6 J Thelwell (Wall) 21.39, 7 D Lemon (Dee) 21.45, 8 K Pickstock (Wall) 21.50, 9 M Hulmston (Wirral) 22.00, 10 S Roberts (Buck, M40) 22.05.
 U20: 1 J Roberts (Wrex) 22.25, 2 W Sheridan (Dee) 22.29, 3 T Henry (Dee) 22.43.
  Teams. Division 1: Deeside 222, Chester Tri 425, Wirral 428, Buckley 542, Wallasey 625, Eryri 1,444, Tattenhall 1,527. Division 2: West Cheshire 391, Abergele 402, Prestatyn 575, Helsby 590, Deestriders 601, Ellesmere Port 624, Cybi 1,151, Birkenhead 1,218, Wrecsam Tri 1,316, Wrexham 1,572.

 M45: 1 J McQueen (West Ch) 22.54, J Gifford (Buck) 23.03, 3 D Gilbert (Buck) 23.58
 M50: 1 C Bishop Helsby 22.41, 2 A Starkey (West Ch) 23.02, 3 G Jones (Prest) 23.06
 M55: 1 T Devoy (Wirral) 24.36, 2 R Freeman (West Ch) 25.11, 3 D Nalder (Ell Port) 25.28.
 M60: 1 L Coathup (Buck) 25.00, 2 M Cortvriend (Prest) 25.26, 3 G Shone (Abergele) 27.16.
 M65: 1 E Davies (Eryri) 28.26, 2 N Pratten (Wirral) 29.04, 3 J Morris (Buck) 30.13.
 M70: 1 J Thomas (Buck) 33.05, 2 L Brown (Birkenhead) 36.27

LADIES
1 S Kearney (Wirral, L35) 23.30, 2 G Mead (Chester Tri, L45) 24.25, 3 E Kearney (Wirral, U20) 24.43, 4 S Atkinson (Tatt, L45) 25.04, 5 L Grantham (Chester Tri, L35) 25.15, 6 J Jennions (Deestriders) 25.23.
 U20: 2 H Nuttall (Wirral) 28.00, 3 A Bagnall (Prest) 29.13.
 SL: 2 K Seddon (Chester Tri) 26.20, 3 B Holland (Chester Tri) 26.31.
 L35: 3 S Fourie (Chester Tri) 26.24
 L40: C Sutcliffe (Chester Tri) 26.54, 2 C Hall (Wirral) 27.11, 3 L Davies (West Ch) 28.02.
 L45: 3 T Shipley (Chester Tri) 28.46.
 L50: 1 M Ludden (Buck) 27.04, 2 B Tiedtke (Prest) 29.48, 3 M Brockway (Wirral) 31.04
 L55: 1 G Waring (Prest) 29.31, 2 N Davies (Wall) 32.49, 3 J Shaw (Helsby) 34.44
 L60: 1 C Birch (Abergele) 29.23.

FINAL TEAM PLACINGS (UNOFFICIAL)

 Men, Division 1: Wirral 2,585, Chester Tri 2,823, Wallasey 3,059, Deeside 3,954, Buckley 4,164, Eryri 7,598, Tattenhall 10,143.
 Division 2: West Cheshire 2,670, Prestatyn 4,221, Helsby 4,295, Ellesmere Port 4,408, Deestriders 4,734, Abergele 4,994, Cybi 5,403, Wrecsam Tri 8,957, Wrexham 9,202, Birkenhead 9,987.

 Ladies, Divison 1: Wirral 251, Chester Tri 251, Tattenhall 720, Helsby 683, Buckley 780, Ellesmere Port 965, Prestatyn 1,054.
 Division 2: Wallasey 397, Cybi 727, Deestriders 965, Abergele 1,279, West Cheshire 1,371, Wrexham 1,572, Birkenhead 1,729, Eryri 2,053, Deeside 2,100, Wrecsam Tri 2,100.


URGENT APPEAL

League officials are urgently seeking someone to take over the compilation of results for the 2013-14 season. Rupert Lindley, who gave notice of his impending retirement a couple of years ago, will no longer be doing the job and a volunteer is sought by the League's AGM at Northop on July 1st.  

Top NW performances

DAVIES AND BIRCH JUDGED TOP

The awards for the outstanding road-running performances by North Wales athletes in 2012 are to go to Andrew Davies (Maldwyn) and super-vet Chris Birch (Abergele).

 The awards, judged by a three-man panel, have been revived after lying dormant for a few years.

 Davies takes the men's trophy for his 50.17 clocking in the Great South 10-miler in Portsmouth, which placed him 23rd in the UK rankings, while Birch was ranked top in the UK L65 table for her time of 22.08 in the Christleton 5k.

Athlete's Profile (5)

ATHLETE'S PROFILE (5)

Chris Birch (Abergele)

Previous clubs: Highgate Harriers, South Shields AC (founded ladies' section of Morpeth Harriers), Wrexham.

Age and d.o.b.: 65, 12.4.47

How long have you been competing: From age of 12 to 65, except for a hap of about 15 years from age 45

Any other sports played: Played tennis and badminton during gap in running.

Other hobbies or interests: Very much enjoy hill-walking, some cycling and gardening.

 Favourite racing distance: 5k

Favourite race and why: Any cross-country race (I wasn't allowed to play in the mud as a child).

Favourite training sessions: Running over the hills above Conwy.

Proudest moment: Winning my age-group in the British 5k championships in 2012.

Whom do you most admire (inside and outside athletics) and why: I admire the people who are the very backbone of our sport - those who do a tremendous amount of work running our clubs and organising events. Also the top athletes of the world - surely they must be made of different stuff to the rest of us.

Any personal ambitions: To be able to continue competing for many more years.

Any regrets: That each year seems to fly past more quickly than the last one (I know, it's an age thing!).

Any embarrassing experiences: Can't think of any. Perhaps the loss of memory that comes with old age can be a good thing.

London Marathon

VAUGHAN TAKES WELSH TITLE IN LONDON

Eryri's Alun Vaughan turned in a brilliant performance on his marathon debut to take the Welsh title in London.

 The 34-year-old ran a very consistent race to finish a brilliant seventh overall in the open competition in 2-24.10, and Wrexham's Emma Parry very nearly made it a double for North Wales.

 She recorded a massive pb of 2-53.19, finishing less than a minute behind Jessica Parry-Williams (Les Croupiers), who took the title. In third place was ultra specialist Emily Gelder (Dulwich) from Llandrindod.

 Vaughan and his Eryri clubmate Rob Samuel went through 10k together in 33.34 but by the halfway mark the former had pulled slightly ahead in 71.28. Samuel, who had been suffering from a bug in recent weeks, fell back in the closing stages to finish in 2-38.16.

 Samuel's physio Andy Walling (Menai), making his marathon debut having turned 40, came home in 2-47.01, just behind Martin Green (NWRR), who was one of many who set pbs.

 Among the other top performances by North Wales athletes were those of the amazingly consistent Wrexham marathon specialists Ian James and Cath Hewitt. James finished in 2-52.22 and Hewitt 3-25.54.

 North Wales times included the following:-
  Abergele: Carol Willgoose 3-48.52, David Edwards 4-15.25, Austin Bell 4-17.19, Alan Lucas 4-35.59.
  Colwyn Bay: Bethan Ward 5-36.03.
  Cybi: Sue Jones 4-18.59
  Deeside: Lee Perry 4-25.00
  Deestriders: David Jones 3-41.20
  Denbigh: Peter Agnew 3-25.18, Tracy Williams 3-51.07
  Eryri: Alun Vaughan 2-24.10, Rob Samuel 2-38.16, Arwel Lewis 3-03.24, Bryn Williams 3-05.52, Tim Watson 3-18.16, Rob Barber 3-37.17, David Kirkby 4-28.10, Richard Williams 4-37.00.
  Maldwyn: Richard Jones 2-56.34, Chris Copus 3-21.28, Haydn Jones 3-21.59, Janice Thomas 4-44.06.
  Meirionnydd: Tony Hodgson 3-26.06
 Menai: Andy Walling 2-47.01, Carwyn Evans 3-28.41, Csaba Kuzsmicki 3-48.49
 Mysteruns: Alan Taylor 3-46.07, Judith and Julie Meyrick-Yale 3-49.46, Jeremy Bright 3-59.09, Carole Roberts 4-12.53, Pam Grant 4-28.57.
 North Wales RR: Martin Green 2-46.58, Chris Yorke 2-59.41, Mark Davies 3-07.11, Andy Jones 3-14.39.
 Oswestry: Paul Jones 2-49.26, Ian Lowe 2-58.27, Claire Birch 3-48.03, William Morris 3-59.42, Emily Vaughan 4-42.05, Trevor Searle 4-58.44
  Prestatyn: Arwel Jones 3-26.12, Kate Brandrick 4-05.09, Sandy Roberts 4-08.05, Dawn Barraclough-Jones 4-47.34, Nia Llyr-Jones 4-56.37, Vinny Boyd 4-58.51, Lynda Rowlands 6-13.29
 Wrecsam Tri: Richard Hayes 3-24.03, Neill Hughes 3-54.34
  Wrexham: Ian James 2-52.22, Emma Parry 2-53.19,  John Prichard-Taylor 2-59.25, Cath Hewitt 3-25.54, Lisa Morley 3-34.53, Linda Hampton-Jones 3-46.45, Julie Harnden 3-51.21, Charles Ashley 4-34.39.

 NORTH WALES PLACINGS IN LONDON MINI-MARATHON (3 Miles):

Boys under 13: 31 Oliver Barbaresi 17.25
 Boys under 17: Iolo Hughes 14.51
 Girls under 15: 32 Cari Hughes 18.18, 69 Lily Davies 19.36