Jubilee Plunge

HARRISON WINS IN TIGHT FINISH

Bowland's Sam Harrison won the 3-mile Jubilee Plunge race from the summit of Moel Arthur to Llangynhafal, but it was a close finish with just 10 seconds separating the first four finishers.

 As expected, the recent rain made  conditions underfoot very tricky and several runners took a tumble in the mud.

 Results: 1 S Harrison (Bowland) 11.22, 2 T Roo (Mercia) 11.27, 3 C Atherton (Ambleside) 11.28, 4 A Livesey (ua) 11.32, 5 S Skates (Prestatyn) 11.40. M40: J Brown (Buckley) 11.52. M50: S Toogood (Buckley) 12.45. M60: A Duncan (Bowland) 14.35. U23: J Edwards (Buckley) 13.13. Ladies: 1 L Beetlestone (Eryri) 14.50, 2 E Collins (Denbigh, L50) 15.19. U23: K Tansley (ua) 16.25. L40: V Whitehead (Denbigh) 15.23.

Wrexham Club races

MILLS GRINDS OUT A WIN

James Mills was made to work hard  by Daniel Weston for his win in Wrexham AAC's annual Christmas charity 4-mile race, while two of the club's promising teenagers had their own battle for third place.

 Results: 1 J Mills  21.33, 2 D Weston 21.47, 3 Christian Smith (U17) 22.29, 4 Matthew Pleavin (U17) 22.54, 5 David Czanowski 23.52, 6 SM Sussex (u20) 23.53. M40: David Ford 27.37. M45: David Millington 26.39. M50: Peter Sussex  28.44. M55: Bernie Jones 24.10. M65: Phil Walker 31.32. M70: Arthur Egan 32.49. M75: Peter Norman 54.56. M80: Brian Forster 44.16. Handicap winner: Gareth Chaloner 26.46. First track athlete: Brian Collins 49.56. First field athlete: Neil Edwards 49.56.
 Ladies: 1 Alison Whitelaw 31.36, 2 Angie Meredith 37.19, 3 Lynda Rowlands 37.19, 4 Nicola Chaloner 39.46, 5 Nicola Chaloner 39.46. L50: Alexis Baty 42.49 (handicap winner).

 U15 1,600m track race: 1 Luke Sussex (U15 and handicap winner) 5.08, 2 Sophie Paxton (U15 and handicap winner. New Record) 5.23, 3 Yasmine Baker (U15) 5.40 4, Gwyneth Parry (U15) 5.48, 5 James Evans (U13) 5.49, 6 Ioan Oldfield (U11) 5.54. U9B: Mannie Thomas 7.23. U11G: Grace Meredith 7.01. U13G: Hannah Warwick 6.57.

Davies gets GB vest

DAVIES GETS GB CALL-UP

Welshpool's Andrew Davies has earned a GB call-up for the international cross-country match against the USA and a select European squad at Edinburgh on January 9.

 The Stockport athlete, trained by Steve Vernon, has been included on  the strength of his coming 20th in last week's European  championships in Hyeres. The squad is led by double Olympic and World champion Mo Farah and includes fellow Welshman Dewi Griffiths (Swansea).

N Staffs CC League (4)

BUILTH CHAMPS HIT STAFFS ATTENDANCE

Several North Wales youngsters had to forgo the chance of picking up awards in the North Staffs Cross-Country League by opting to run for North Wales in Builth instead of the final fixture at Uttoxeter.

 Colwyn Bay's senior men finished sixth in Division 2 on the day, their placings being: 43 Stephen Eardley 36.25, 59 Matthew Blackweel (Deeside) 37.08, 101 Russ Godwin 38.47, 105 Richard Watson 38.57, 130 Mark Jones 40.08, 149 Jared Debert 41.00, 196 Chris Williams 43.50, 261 Mike H Edwards (Wrexham) 65.16.
 Senior ladies: 87 Vicky Ronald 36.06.

Welsh i/c XC

YOUNGSTERS CONQUER THE MUD

As expected after the recent rain and floods, conditions for the Welsh inter-regional cross-country championships  at Llanelwedd were testing, to say the least, but they gave the current batch of talented North Wales athletes a chance to  shine.

 After coming second last year in the U13s' race Mia Roberts (Deeside) moved up an age-group and took gold, while her sister Neisha, despite being very young in the class, finished sixth in the U13s' class.

 The consistently impressive Cari Hughes (Menai) took gold in the U17's category to add to her previous wins at U13 and U15 level.  Her winning margin was a massive 1m 42 secs.

 In recent years North Wales boys have dominated the U13 and U15 category and this time they did it again after moving up to U17. Despite the absence of Mathew Willis (Wrexham), who was in Portugal training with the English triathlon squad, the team took gold, with Oliver Barbaresi (Menai) second and Joseph Crutchley (Maldwyn) third.

 Menai claimed another gold when Osian Perrin won the U13s' race, with Mike Spill 4th.

 The North Wales senior squad undoubtedly suffered from the decision not to incorporate the event with the Welsh Masters' championship, which will now be held with the Welsh championships in Swansea in February.

 Among North Wales top-10 placings were:- Girls U13: 2 Orla Davies 8.32, 6 Neisha Roberts 8.42, 9 Samia Jones 9.01. Girls under 15: 1 Mia Roberts 12.37, 4 Laura S harp 13.20, 5 Sophie Paxton 13.22, 9 Bethan Dowsett 13.48. Women under 17: 1 Cari Hughes 17.00, 7 Eabha Roberts 19.42. Ladies under 20: 5 Coral McShane 27.06, 7 Abbie Cheetham 27.19.
 Boys under 13: 1 Osian Perrin 7.29, 4 Michael Spill 7.44, 5 James Jones 7.45. Boys under 15: 8 Tomos Land 17.49, 10 Ethan Ackroyd 17.54. Men under 17: 2 Oliver Barbaresi 18.49, 3 Joseph Crutchley 18.52, 6 Christian Smith 19.15, 8 Cai Linton-Davies 19.45, 10 Mathew Pleavin 20.09. Senior men: 6 Richard Roberts 24.46.
 

Nathan No 1

NATHAN CATCHES THE EYE

Rhyl athlete Nathan Jones, one of several North Walians in the United States university system, is making a big impression.

 A student at McNeese University in Louisana, he has been named as 2015 Southland Conference Cross-Country Student of the Year after a series of high placings in the League.

 Jones, a former member of Colwyn Bay, Eryri and Liverpool Harriers clubs and a GB mountain-running international, is  on the second year of a four-year health education degree course.

Borders League (3)

GAP WIDENS AT THE TOP

With Philip Robertson and Phil Langan claiming a 1-2 in the third race at Caernarfon Wirral men extended their lead at the top of Division 1 in the Borders Road-Running League.

 Despite fears about the weather the wind dropped and conditions were ideal for the 10k which was held over the reversed route, with the  runners returning alongside the Straits.

 Robertson finished in 32.02, four seconds ahead of his clubmate, with Wrexham's Daniel Weston third in 33.15.

 Veteran Gill Mead was once again first woman home, consolidating Chester Tri's lead in Division 1, with new Welsh Masters international and reigning champion Sarah Kearney (Wirral) second.

 With four races still to go a great deal can change, especially in Division 2 of both the men's and women's competition.

 Deestriders and Wallasey are currently in pole position with Prestatyn's men and women lying second.

 Full results are on the Borders League website.