Bumper turn-out at Felinheli for return of the 10k Festival race.

*Iwan Evans, Gethin Wyn Jones and Rory Middleton at the start of the race.

Bumper turn-out at Felinheli for return of the 10k race.

Report by Don Hale. 

Photographs by Natasha Kettle and Gwyl y Felinheli Festival.

 

The Ras Gwyl Felinheli Festival 10k race returned with a bumper turn-out last Wednesday as nearly 250 top club and social runners took part in this challenging event on a warm and near perfect evening.
Delayed since 2019 due to numerous pandemic restrictions, this is probably one of the toughest half-marathons in North Wales with competitors having to battle a very challenging course and run mainly off-road, and along numerous steep trails, and through dense woodland.
The overall race proved very tight at the sharp end with Adam Jones from event hosts Eryri Harriers, eventually taking the honours to win in 32 minutes and 57 seconds, with Tomos Jones (Meirionyydd RC), 2nd in 33.14, and Ifan Dafydd 3rd in 32.26. The Ladies race winner was Anna Bracegirdle (Sale Harriers) in 32.26, and there were deserved plaudits to promising local youngster Noa Vaughan (Eryri Harriers) who ran extremely well to claim 4th place in 33.56.

*Carla Green won her F50 age cat with another good performance.

The Road Runners turned out in force again with twenty-eight club members involved and despite keen rivalry from many experienced fell and trail athletes, they still managed to claim five podium places including one outright victory from Carla Green.

*Some of the NWRRC team pictured (*above) before the start of the Felinheli 10k race.

Carla won her F50 age cat in 56th place overall as the 6th female runner and put in a tremendous performance just days before her international call-up in the Home-Nations tournament in Tenby.

Josh Keogh was the first NWRRC member home in 6th place overall in 34.45, with Jonathan Kettle 10th in 35.58 and he also claimed 2nd spot in his MV40 age cat, whilst Mark Jessett ran his socks off to settle in 13th place in 36.45.

*Kelly Alford, Cai Roberts, Vicky Taylor and Hannah Griffith at the start.

It was good to see Rory Middleton back in action again in 18th place in 38.41, with Iwan Evans 26th in 40.26, and Stuart Culverhouse just behind Iwan in 27th position, but grabbed 2nd place in his MV50 age cat in 40.47.
Gethin Wyn Jones ran well again 36th place in 42.32, and Steve Roberts was just nine-seconds behind him in 37th spot in 42.41, and Ben Hudson, despite his recent ultra-efforts, was a further eight-seconds adrift in 43.49. Carla Green meanwhile ran home as the 6th female runner in 56th place overall and won her F50 age cat in 45.09.

*Adam Lamelle (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse.

Newcomer Adam Lamelle turned in another positive run on his second outing and also claimed a new 10k PB, finishing 68th in 46.23, and Nicola Wylie finished 2nd in her F50 age cat to Carla in 47.34 and in 87th place. 
Sarah Hudson was another welcome returnee, and she finished 103rd in 48.24, and Cai Roberts was back on form again with another excellent PB run in 106th place in 48.39, with his partner Kelly Alford battling the after-effects of ill-health to claim 131st place overall in 51.38.

* Rob Fryer (*above left) with Jonathan Kettle.

Rob Fryer celebrated an injury free run in 132nd place in 51.39 and was just one-second behind Kelly, and his club colleague Kevin Higgins seems to improve with every race, and he was pleased with his time of 51.55 on this difficult course for 137th place.

Hannah Griffith also confirmed her rapid improvement with another strong run finishing 138th in 51.58, with Elizabeth Driscoll running home just behind Hannah in 52.16, whilst Tessa Bushnell was 161st in 53.45. 

Helen Hannam enjoyed her run in 169th place in 54.18, and Vicky Taylor and master vet Don Hale had a cat and mouse tussle, with Vicky finishing in 185th place in 56.43, and Don just one place behind in 57.03. 

*Don Hale (*above left) with Mike Hayton, and (*right) Helen Hannam.

And all credit to fellow master vet Mike Hayton, who won a deserved 2nd place honour in his MV70 cat in 58.43 in 196th place. Gwennan Charlton put in a gritty performance in 219th place in 1.03.10, and Sue Smith ran well to finish in 226th place in 1.03.50, and she was followed by Rachel Morris in 1.06.25, with Sue’s husband Mike Smith, finishing 237th in 1.06.56.

*Rachel Morris enjoyed a steady run at Felinheli.

 

*Link to the provisional results from the Ras Gwyl Felinheli 10k: 

https://my.raceresult.com/209940/results