Village Bakery Half

CHARLES CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY EARLY

Trafford's Tom Charles had an early birthday present when he won the Village Bakery half-marathon in Wrexham, setting a new pb in the process.

 Just 24 hours before his 29th birthday he won by a substantial margin from Christian Prior (Chester Tri), who hails from Prestatyn. Charles's winning time of 70.23 was 10 seconds inside his previous pb, set when he won the Macclesfield half in September, 2011.

  The North Wales title went to third-place Daniel Weston (Wrexham), while Denbigh vet Emma Collins went home with a bagful of trophies. She was first L50 and also first lady overall in the championship.

 Results:
 1 T Charles (Trafford) 70.23, 2 C Prior (Chester Tri, M35) 71.47, 3 D Weston (Wrex) 72.44, 4 R Downs (Wilmslow, M45) 72.52, 5 A Edwards (Deestriders) 73.17, 6 M Smith (South Chesh, M40) 73.42, 7 C Moulton (Boalloy) 74.06, 8 J Hilton (Wigan Ph) 74.44, 9 D Kashi (Eryri) 74.54, 10 P Middleton (Shrews) 76.04.
 JM: J Morris (Dee) 84.37
 M35: 2  T Armstrong (Vale R) 78.47, 3 C Davies (UKNet Runner) 80.39
 M40: 2 S Roberts (Buck) 77.48, 3 K Dickinson (Wirral) 79.00
 M45: 2 G Norgrove (Wrecsam Tri) 77.29, 3 D Duret (Chester Tri) 81.12
 M50: 1 S Whatmough (Warr Tri) 79.44, 2 D Scott (ua) 83.20, 3 M Haire (Boalloy) 83.46
 M55: 1 C Martin (Spectrum) 84.36, 2 S Davies (Mansfield) 86.17, 3 G Kemp (Newcastle) 88.07
 M60: 1 D Bewley (ua) 97.25, 2 G Mendham (Wilmslow) 97.38, 3 J Griffith (Cybi) 99.36
 M65: 1 G Cumber (Halifax) 90.20, 2 D Bright (ua) 1-46.52, 3 D Poole (Holme-Pierrepoint) 1-48.40
 M70: 1 D Gardner (NW)) 97.58, 2  J Thomas (Buck) 1-55.57
 M75: 1 Roger Harrison-Jones (Prest) 1-58.24
 M80: E Naisby (Prest) 2-20.30

LADIES

 1 K Crickmore (Chester Tri, L35) 78.32, 2 G Connolly (St Helens) 80.56, 3 L Blizzard (Belgrave, L35) 82.27, 4 S Cumber (Halifax, L40) 83.00, 5 M Kirkman (Coventry) 84.35, 6 G Mead (Chester Tri, L45) 85.54
 L35: 3 C Jones (Osw) 92.42
 L40: 2 J Meadowcroft (Whitchurch) 92.46,  3 C Hall (Wirral) 94.12
 L45:  2 J Platt (Wigan) 89.42, 3 L Park (Trismart) 99.19
 L50: 1 E Collins (Denbigh) 89.39, 2 J Taylor (Wigan) 91.04, 3 C Shaw (Helsby) 99.21
 L55: 1 J Thorn (Vale) 93.46, 2 S Meakin (Helsby) 99.09,  3 L Turton (Stockport) 1-46.30
 L60: 1 R Rogers (Deestriders) 1-41.00, 2 G Tombo (Abbey) 1-52.58, 3 P Davies (Vale R) 1-53.47
 L65: L Simpson (Village) 2-00.56
 L70: B Jones (Bro Dys) 2-01.46

NORTH WALES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Men under 23: 1 A Edwards, 2 D Kashi, 3 A Bromley (Dee) 82.06
 Senior men: 1 D Weston, 2 Edwards, 3 Kashi

 M35: 1 M Green (NWRR) 80.37, 2 A Jones (Wrex) 87.41
 M40: 1 S Roberts, 2 C Yorke (NWRR) 79.53, 3 N Thomas (Trismart) 81.21
 M45: 1 Norgrove, 2 T Bent (Wrex) 91.15, 3 R Cheetham (Prest) 95.41
 M50: A Jones (Prest)
 M55: 1 S Davies, 2 K Slattery (NWRR) 88.58, 3 J Dillon (Whit) 89.37
 M60: J Griffith  99.36
 M65: I Roberts (Eryri) 2-10.08
 M70: D Gardner
 M75: R Harrison-Jones
 M80: E Naisby
 L35: J Harnden (Wrex) 98.58
 L40: M Beeson (Mald) 1-57.20
 L45: J Wainwright (Chase) 2-05.58
 L50: E Collins
 L60: J Lloyd (Mald) 2-06.38
 L70: B Jones

Welsh CC Champs

NORTH WALES YOUNGSTERS STRIKE GOLD AT GLANUSK


Brother and sister Iolo and Cari Hughes both followed up their wins in the North Wales Cross-Country Championships in Corwen last week by claiming national titles.

 The Menai pair were among several North Wales youngsters who had excellent runs in the Welsh Championships in Glanusk, while the region's seniors were few and far between.

 From the North Wales point of view one of the most interesting races was that featuring the U17 and U20 ladies who ran together.

 The overall winner was Colwyn Bay's Georgia Garner (U17). At Corwen she beat all the senior ladies and this time she finished ahead of all the under-20s. Second in the race and first U20 was Sarah Livett (Menai), who  claimed a rare victory over Brecon twins Ffion and Rhianwedd Price.

Dewi Griffiths (Swansea) retained his senior men's title, finishing just two seconds ahead of twice-champion Ian Mitchell (Tipton) who originally hails from Flintshire.

 The North Wales placings were:-
Boys under 13: 5 Thomas Evans (Wrex) 10.31, 6 Oliver Barbaresi (Menai) 10.32
 Boys under 15: 8 Kyle Owen (menai) 15.40, 11 Michael Roberts (CB) 15.51
 Men under 17: 1 Iolo Hughes (Menai) 18.45, 8 Rhys James (Menai) 20.49, 10 Jacob Griffith (CB) 21.05
 Men under 20: 5 Nathan Jones (CB) 19.55
 Senior men: 52 Russ Godwin (CB) 42.09, 54 Clive Edgington (Meir) 42.39, 64 Kevin Challoner (Dee) 45.44, 68 David Griffith (CB) 52.15
 Girls under 13: 4 Martha Owen (Dee) 11.20, 10 Ceitlin Howell-Williams (Menai) 11.59
 Girls under 15: 1 Cari Hughes (Menai) 16.23, 8 Chloe Evans (Mald) 17.21, 10 Mollie Davies (Menai) 17.39, 17 Hannah Pryce (Osw) 19.07.
  Ladies under 17: 1 Georgia Garner (CB) 19.56
 Ladies under 20: 1 Sarah Livett (Menai) 20.14
 Senior ladies: 11 Isabel Redfern (CB) 24.12, 33 Victoria Ronald (CB) 30.43, 34 Laurie Griffith (CB) 31.05.

Focus on Athletes (2)

FOCUS ON ATHLETES - No 2

BRENDA JONES (BRO DYSYNNI)

Age: 71

PREVIOUS CLUB: Alnwick (Northumberland) 1987

Been competing for 27 years

OTHER SPORTS: Rock-climbing (met my husband Roy when I found myself on the end of his rope). Mountaineering in Britain, N America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe. It was after climbing all 284 Munros in Scotland that we took up the challenge of running.

OTHER HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Puzzles, challenges. Various arty/crafty things; gardening - in 2004 won Snowdonia Wildlife Garden Competition; travelling, wildlife, anything outdoors

FAVOURITE RACING DISTANCE: Yes - distance. I have endurance rather than speed.

 FAVOURITE RACE: No particular favourite but like variety, preferably off-road, mixed terrain and mixed gradients: ups and downs to use different muscles

 PROUDEST MOMENT: No single one but any occasion when fellow runners congratulate me on a good race; also beating a male colleaue from work who said women couldn't run, which kick-started my career.

 ATHLETES I ADMIRE: All those who have struggled against repeated setbacks and injury and never given up, like Kelly Holmes, also Jessica Ennis who is "a little toughie"
 Outside athletics I admire people who triumph over adversity without bitterness e.g. Nelson Mandela

 PERSONAL AMBITIONS: Not to stop till I drop

ANY REGRETS: No, even the bad things can have a positive outcome, sometimes forcing a change of direction that creates new opportunities

 EMBARRASSING EXPETRIENCES:  Like getting an uncontrollable fit of giggles in the middle of my wedding ceremony? I'll say no more, but I was humiliated in the 1980s when a local newspaper had criticised the total lack of any female veteran in a high-profile race in Newcastle upon Tyne. They chopped bits out of my letter and carried a very unflattering photo of me running with the title "Fe fi foe fume".

WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE SPORT?:  I hope greater controls and ever bigger events (often not organised by runners) do not squeeze out small, fun races which encourage non-runners to have a go and hopefully 'get hooked'.

Nick Beer 10k

SAMUEL COMPLETES HAT-TRICK OF WINS

Eryri's Rob Samuel made it three wins in a row in the Nick Beer 10k in Llandudno, chalking up yet another comfortable victory. In miserable, wet conditions, his time was exactly a minute down on last year.

 And it was a double celebratiuon for the Gwynedd club as Siobhan Evans knocked over a minute off last year's time to win the ladies' race, taking advantage of the absence of the 2012 winner Alison Lavender.

 Results:
1 R Samuel (Eryri) 31.51, 2 S Robinson (St Edmund Pacers) 33.17, 3 J Wignall (Bangor Uni) 33.50, 4 B Rothery (Eryri) 34.02, 5 D Kashi (Bangor Uni) 34.41, 6 G Owen (Eryri, M35) 34.51.
 U20: 1 J Hudak (Bangor Uni) 36.18, 2 A Hatton (Bangor Uni) 39.39, 3 D Mitchell (Cardiff Uni) 39.52.
 M35: 2 D Griffith (ua) 39.22, 3 J Thomas (Cybi) 39.30
 M40: 2 P Lewis (Long Eaton) 36.05, 3 A Williams (Eryri) 36.23
 M45: 1 P Barbier (Eryri) 37.30, 2 N Hershaw (West Ch) 39.13, 3 K Begley (Chester Tri) 39.16
 M50: 1 PMW Jones (ua) 39.25, 2 K Lilley (Sheffield) 39.54, 3 A Lewis (Eryri) 40.28
 M55: 1 J Ashworth (ua) 36.28, 2 I Edgar (Eryri) 40.28, 3 G Stillo (Goyt Valley) 47.22
 M60: 1 S O'Neill (ua) 44.02, 2 JO Griffith (Cybi) 45.42, 3 G Howell (Liv H) 50.04
 M65: 1 M Whiteside (Tatt) 45.36, 2 JG Evans (Aberystwyth) 47.10, 3 M Davis (Prestatyn) 51.10
M70: 1 J Thomas (Buck) 54.07, 2 P Humphreys (ua) 59.06, 3 M McDonald (Bowland) 62.31.
 M75: J Park (Cheshire Tally Ho) 54.23

 Ladies
 1 S Evans (Eryri) 38.14, 2 S Caskey (Bangor Uni) 39.58, 3 E Collins (Denbigh, L50) 42.15, 4 L Grantham (Chester Tri, L35) 42.34, 5 M Jones (Valley) 42.37, 6 H Cook (Herne Hill) 42.54.
 L35: 2 J Smith (Osw) 43.56, 3 T Llewellyn (Cybi) 45.40
 L40: 1 L Rudkin (Abbey) 49.29, 2 L Connelly (ua) 49.54, 3 L Griffith (CB) 51.17
 L45: 1 J Muir (ua) 47.53, 2 L Ward (ua) 48.18, 3 S Jones (ua) 49.06
 L50: 2 S Jones (Cybi) 52.26, 3 S Calvert (Abergele) 54.25
 L55: 1 J Smith (Sheffield) 50.09, 2 G Waring (Prestatyn) 50.53, 3 L Stillo (Goyt Valley)
 L60: 1 R Rogers (Deestriders) 48.58, 2 P Millward (ua) 51.21, 3 V Edwards (ua) 52.26
 L65: 1 C Birch (Abergele) 47.32, 2 L Simpson (58.53, 3 J Skitt (Manchester H) 77.40.
 L70: 1 D Fairhurst (St Helens Sutton) 61.21, 2 P Bolton (Biddulph) 72.39

NWXC Champs

YOUNGSTERS CATCH THE EYE AT CORWEN

PICTURES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE SPORTSPICTURESWALES WEBSITE


Colwyn Bay teenagers Nathan Jones and Georgia Garner made light of the tough conditions at the Rhug Organics North Wales Cross-Country Championships at Corwen as they both chalked up impressive victories.

 The under-20s men did one lap less than the seniors but Jones looked as if he could have held his lead over the 2012 senior champion James Mills (Cardiff) as he led from the start until he peeled off to the finish. That left Mills, who has been out injured recently, clear to go on to retain his title.

 Though still under 17 Garner chose to run with the seniors and she, too, led all the way but as she did not qualify as a senior the title went for the fifth time to her clubmate Isabel Redfern.

 Several of the other races went to form, with brother and sister Iolo and Cari Hughes (Menai) taking their expected titles, but one of the most eyecatching displays came in the under-11 boys' race in which the diminutive Osian Perrin (Ysgol Henblas, Anglesey), tore away from the rest of the field and never looked like yielding the lead.

 For three of the oldest competitors the championships had an extra interest. George Nixon (Prestatyn) won the M60 class 30 years after winning the senior men's title, while Martin Cortvriend (Denbigh), was second in the same class just over an hour after competing in the Tarran Hendre fell race in Abergynolwyn.

 John Morris (Buckley) joined him in doing the "double" in one day and was second M65 in the championships. His aim is to complete 70 races in 12 months before his 70th birthday later this year.

 RESULTS.
Girls under 11: 1 E Scott (Ysgol Penmorfa) 6.25, 2 C Jones (CB) 6.39, 3 K Jearman (Maldwyn) 6.45. Teams: Penmorfa 19, Ysgol Bryn Coch, Mold 33, Menai 46.
 Girls under 13: 1 M Owen (Dee) 9.39, 2 H Roberts (CB) 10.38, 3 C Howell-Williams (Menai) 10.41. Team: Ysgol Dinas Bran 25.
 Girls under 15: C Hughes (Menai) 12.57, 2 C Evans (Mald) 13.30, 3 M Davies (Menai) 13.41. Team: Menai 12.
 Ladies under 17: 1 A Cawthra (Mald) 16.57, 2 E Jones (Dee) 17.32, 3 B Jenkinson (Eryri) 17.46.
 Ladies under 20: 1 G Garner (CB) 24.19, 2 A Bagnall (Prest) 30.25, 3 S Burrows (Ysgol y Berwyn) 33.21.
 Senior ladies: 1 I Redfern (CB, L40) 24.29, 2 R Pierce (Den) 25.09, 3 L Morley (Wrex, L40) 27.25, 4 T Williams (Den, L45) 27.37, 5 L Hughes (Prest) 27.55, 6 A Smith (Tatt, L35) 28.12, 7 Y Hill (Osw, L45) 28.58, 8 V Whitehead (Den, L40) 29.37, 9 G Waring (Prest, L55) 29.51, 10 R Roberts (Prest) 29.53. Teams: Denbigh 33, Prestatyn 36, Colwyn Bay 56.

 L35: 2 M Hughes (Eryri) 30.39, 3 A Davies (Den) 33.29
 L45: 3 K Norgrove (Wrecsam Tri) 30.56
 L50: 1 A Jones (Prest) 30.14, 2 M Baugh (Den) 33.38.
 L55: 2 V Edwards (Menai) 36.28
 L65: C Birch (Abergele) 30.05,
 L70: B Jones (Bro Dys) 36.53
 Teams: Denbigh 25, Colwyn Bay 27, Prestatyn 35.

 Boys under 11: O Perrin (Y Henblas) 9.31, 2 Joshua Jones (Penmorfa) 10.05, 3 James Jones (Dee) 10.13. Teams: Penmorfa A 15, Bryn Coch 34, Penmorfa B 44
 Boys under 13: 1 J Crutchley (Mald) 12.00, 2 T Evans (Wrex) 12.28, 3 K Forrest (Menai) 13.02. Teams: Menai 16, Colwyn Bay 29.
 Boys under 15: 1 C Smith (Wrex) 14.22, 2 M Roberts (CB) 14.37, 3 R Kane (Menai) 16.26
 Men under 17: 1 I Hughes (Menai) 20.56, 2 R James (Menai) 22.46, 3 J Griffith (CB) 22.48
 Men under 20: 1 N Jones (CB) 30.12, 2 G Jones (Mald) 32.57, 3 W Sheridan (Dee) 33.57
 Senior men: 1 J Mills (Cardiff) 40.20, 2 L Jones (Dee, M40) 40.57, 3 A Walling (Menai, M35) 41.40, 4 T Partridge (Wrex, M50) 41.46, 5 S Sayer (Menai) 42.43, 6 S Roberts (Buck, M40) 43.58, 7 A Campbell (Wrecsam Tri, M35) 44.40, 8 R Jones (Mald, M45) 45.10, 9 T Cahill (Abergele, M50) 45.39, 10 M Robbins (Wrex, M50) 46.04. Team: Wrexham 118
 M35: 3 M Smith (Tatt) 51.13
 M40: 3 P Stinton (Buck) 47.09
 M45: 2 J Gifford (Buck) 46.19, 3 G Blackwell (Dee) 46.57
 M55: 1 C Edgington (Meir) 48.00, 2 N Owen (Prest) 48.08, 3 A Gauton (Den) 51.59
 M60: 1 G Nixon (Prest) 38.26, 2 M Cortvriend (Den) 41.36, 3 P Walker (Wrex) 43.48
 M65: 1 A Egan (Wrex) 43.19, 2 J Morris (Buck) 47.51, 3 S Hatfield 50.00
 Masters' Teams: Buckley 25, Deeside 31, Wrexham 33, Prestatyn 58, Denbigh 63.

 M70: 1 D Hughes (Prest) 32.43, 2 B Jackson (Meir) 42.14
 M70: 1 Roger Harrison-Jones (Prest)31.00, 2 P Norman (Wrex) 36.06

Livett sets 5m record

LIVETT SETS NEW NW RECORD IN ALSAGER

 Menai's Sarah Livett not only set a new pb of 29.16 in the Alsager 5 but smashed the North Wales junior ladies' record by well over a minute.

 It also moved her up to third place in the region's all-time top 10 women's placings for the distance.

 The 10 are:
1 Lynn Maddison (Prestatyn) 28.56 (CVW, 1998)
2 Marilyn Kitching (Tattenhall, L40) 29.00 (BLA, 2010)
3 Sarah Livett (Menai, U20) 29.16 (Alsager, 2013)
4 Emma Parry (Wrexham, L35) 29.19 (Alsager, 2013)
5 Ruth Hetherington (Wrex) 29.21 (Wrexham, 2004)
   Erika Robinson (Buckley) 29.21 (Birkenhead, 2011)
7 Alexia Hamilton-Morris (Wrexham, L45) 29.48 (Dolgellau, 2004)
8 Anne Brizell (Wrex, L40) 29.58 (Dolgellau, 2003)
9 Tammy Lewis-Jones (Colwyn Bay, L35) 30.23 (Abergele, 2007)
10 Helen Davies (Wrex) 30.34 (Packwood, 2004)

Focus on Athletes

ATHLETES' PROFILES

THIS IS AN OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTION FOCUSSING ON NORTH WALES ATHLETES, THEIR VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES

1 ROGER HARRISON-JONES (PRESTATYN)

ANY PREVIOUS CLUBS: Rhyl Running Club, Wrexham AC and Liverpool Pembroke

AGE AND D.O.B.: 75 - 28.4.1937

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMPETING: 60 years, on and off

ANY OTHER SPORTS PLAYED: Rugby, squash and golf

OTHER HOBBIES OR INTERESTS: Still golfing and taking dog for walks

FAVOURITE RACING DISTANCE: Cross-country and 10k

FAVOURITE RACE AND WHY: Caernarfon 10k because it is usually a championship and it gives you a guide of how well you are going against previous years

FAVOURITE TRAINING SESSION: Intervals on the Meadows Playing Fields

PROUDEST MOMENT: Ran for Wales 1059-64 in European Championships and captained the team in 1964

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE (INSIDE ATHLETICS AND OUT) AND WHY: Eartha Kitt

ANY PERSONAL AMBITIONS: To try to stay injury-free

ANY REGRETS: Too few to mention! Also wish I had known about "Masters" athletics earlier

ANY EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCES:  Lots!

WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE SPORT: I'm happy enough. In lots of races there aren't enough toilet facilities at the start.