NORTH WALES RUNNERS WIN PODIUM PLACES IN VIRTUAL WELSH FIVE-MILE RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS

                             Lesley Goodson in top form again in the Welsh relay challenge

 Welsh Athletics virtual 5-mile road relay challenge

NWRRC members win podium places in Welsh relay challenge

 

Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.

Four members of North Wales Road Running Club won age-related podium placings within a high-quality field of national athletes during last weekend’s Welsh Athletics virtual 5-mile relay challenge.

With almost nine-hundred-entrants competing overall, including twenty-six teams of eight runners, the NWRRC team finished 15^th overall, with the top four male and female finishers from each club counting towards team scores. 

Due to strict Covid-19 restrictions, social distancing regulations, and recent freezing temperatures, the event was staged as a time-trial over four days, with all athletes having to complete their runs individually, and on their own preferred courses.

This prestigious event attracted some superb performances and some very close finishes between club rivals, with 16 seconds separating Richard Eccles and Troy Kettle; and just two seconds between Stuart Culverhouse and Steve Bozier, with the latter runner being only 22 seconds ahead of Richard Scamans. 

In the Ladies race, Kay Hatton finished 16 seconds ahead of Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones, whilst Hannah Griffith and Helen Hannam battled for a 7 second difference. Twenty-three seconds separated M65 veterans Kevin Slattery and Don Hale, and Charlotte later pipped Kevin by just one second.

Jonathan Kettle though, was the first club runner home again in the 5-mile challenge in 19^th place following an excellent run in 28 mins 34 secs, and was 4^th in his M45 age category. 

           

                                                    Jonathan Kettle - first club runner in relay

The four podium placings however, went to Richard Eccles who finished in 31.06, and 68^th overall as 2^nd M50 cat; teenager Troy Kettle was hot on the heels of his father Jonathan in 31.22, in 73^rd place, and 3^rd U20 cat; with Lesley Goodson 2^nd W55 cat, 233rd overall in 36.21: and Kevin Slattery 3^rd M65 vet, 335^th overall in 39.19.

                                                             Troy Kettle and Stuart Culverhouse

    Kevin Slattery claimed a deserved 3rd place in his M65 age category

The team scorers were: Jonathan Kettle, Richard Eccles, Troy Kettle and Stuart Culverhouse were the male scorers; with Lesley Goodson, Kay Hatton, Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones and Hannah Griffith, representing the ladies. 

The full club results include: 19^th Jonathan Kettle (28.34), 68^th Richard Eccles (31.06), 73^rd Troy Kettle 31.22), 128^th Stuart Culverhouse (33.21), 129^th Steve Bozier (33.23), 212^th Richard Scamans (35.45), 224th Gethin Wyn Jones (36.07), 233rd Lesley Goodson (36.21), 326^th Kay Hatton (39.02) and 7^th W55 cat; 334th Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones (39.18), 335^th Kevin Slattery (39.19), 345^th Don Hale (39.42) and 5^th M65 cat; 388^th Hannah Griffith (41.01), and Helen Hannam 391st (41.08).

                                               Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones pictured in warmer times

                                            Kay Hatton had another excellent run in the relay

*Two junior runners who are the daughters of senior club members, competed in other mixed relay events for Colwyn Bay, with Lucy Charlick enjoying her debut in the U11 girls and boys time-trial race over a mile in 8 mins 29 secs to finish 16th; and Mia Morris ran in the U15 girls and boys time-trial race, finishing 30^th in 16 mins 12 secs.

                                                        Lucy Charlick made her debut in the junior relay

                                                           Mia Morris with Helen Hannam

*The top-team positions for the 5-mile relay race were awarded to 1^st Lliswerry Runners in 4 hrs 2 mins 29 secs, with Chepstow Harriers 2^nd in 4.05.45, and Bridgend 3^rd in 4.07.52. NWRRC were 15^th overall in 4.40.05, and Denbigh Harriers also ran very well as 6^th team overall in 4.21.22. The 5-mile individual race was won by Paul Graham from Pontypridd Road Runners in a remarkable time of 24.58, with a close dash to the time-line by his fellow team mates James Peters (26.18) and Sam Gregory (26.24) in 2^nd and 3^rd places respectively.

* Next weekend will see local runners competing in the Welsh Athletics 1-mile virtual dash, and the North Wales 10-mile virtual challenge.