Medals galore for Road Runners in North Wales 5-mile Championship race at Holyhead..

*Some NWRRC team members at the Holyhead 5-mile race and NW championships.

Medals galore for Road Runners in North Wales 5-mile Championship race at Holyhead.

Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery and John Hatton.

 

The Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race attracted a talented mix of over one-hundred elite and club runners for another exciting event following a three-year absence due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Well organised by Kevin Clark and his team at Cybi Striders as part of the Holyhead Festival and run over a challenging out and back course from Newry Beach, this year’s race was additionally selected as part of the North Wales championships, and despite some breezy conditions along the long Breakwater barrier, many athletes still recorded some excellent times, and won prestigious medals.

The overall race was won by Alex Poulston (Wirral AC) in 26 minutes 51 seconds, with Sam Gunning (Cybi Striders) 2nd in 27.06, and Ian Edwards (Eryri Harriers) 3rd in 28.03. 

The first female was Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers) in 30.33; and a much-deserved extra mention went to master veteran Emyr Davies (Rhedwyr Hebog Runners) who set a new course record in his MV75 age cat of 38.44, beating the previous record set by Dave Gardner (NWRRC) in 2015 of 39.09 *All results stated include chip times.

North Wales Road Runners entered nineteen members and celebrated six podium places in the main race including two 1st places in their respective age categories for Steve Forsyth (M40) and Kay Hatton (F50); in addition to four 2nd places for Richard Eccles (M50), Iwan Evans (M40), Cheryl Frost (F50), and Don Hale (M70).

The icing on the cake however, included a very healthy hoard of some 15 medals in the North Wales RAC 5-mile championships, organised by Paul Brooks, with NWRRC winning 7 Gold, 4 silver and 4 Bronze medals in the combined male and female age categories.

*Richard Eccles (*above) who finished 5th overall but won gold in his age cat.

Richard Eccles was the first NWRRC athlete home in 5th place overall and 2nd in his M50 cat in 29.51, with three other talented club runners also taking the next three positions with just a few seconds separating each runner. 

They included Steve Forsyth 6th and 1st M40 winner in 30.17, with Iwan Evans 7th and 2nd M40 cat in 30.26, and Will Williams 8th and 3rd M40 cat in 30.28. Gethin Wyn Jones finished 18th in 32.24, with Steve Roberts 34th overall in 34.18, and Jamie Tharme 37th in 34.55. 

*Steve Forsyth (*above left) with Iwan Evans, and (*below left) Will Williams with Steve Roberts, all pictured during the Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race.

Kay Hatton ran extremely well again to finish as the 6th female and in 54th place overall, and she also won her F50 age cat in a very fast time of 37.15. Her club colleague and training partner Cheryl Frost gave Kay a hard chase in 54th place, as the 8th female runner, but she had to settle for 2nd spot in the same age cat in 37.19.

*Kay Hatton (*above left) with Cheryl Frost.

Veteran Rob Fryer finished in 70th place overall in a good time of 39.36, with Kevin Higgins running home in 73rd spot in 39.59. Nicola Wylie was 81st and the 17th female in 41.47, with vet Don Hale celebrating his 70th birthday on the day of the race and finishing 86th and 2nd M70 cat in 42.50.

*Kevin Higgins (*above left) with Rob Fryer, and (*below) Nicola Wylie and the 70th birthday boy Don Hale on the finishing line at Holyhead.

Vicky Taylor enjoyed another good performance in 88th place in 43.06, and Len Jackson was 92nd in 44.10. Rachel Morris ran well and knocked more than a minute and a half of her previous run over this distance to finish in 98th place in 48.01. Sue Smith was 101st in 49.39 with her husband Mike Smith 107th in 56.49, and Zoe Roberts 110th in 59.02.

*Vicky Taylor (*above left) with Len Jackson. 

* Pictured (*above left) Rachel Morris and Sue Smith, and (*below) Mike Smith and Zoe Roberts.

NORTH WALES 5-MILE CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS: -

*The NWRRC Male team won 10 championships medals including 5 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze:  Final Results: - M35: 3rd place (Bronze) Gethin Wyn Jones 32.24. M40: 1st place (Gold) Steve Forsyth 30.17, 2nd place (Silver) Iwan Evans 30.26. M45: 1st place (Gold) Will Williams 30.28. M55: 1st place (Gold) Richard Eccles 29.51.M60: 2nd place (Silver) Kevin Higgins 39.59, 3rd place (Bronze) Mike Smith 56.49. M65: 1st place (Gold) Rob Fryer 39.36, and 3rd place (Bronze) Len Jackson 44.10. M70: 1st place (Gold) Don Hale 42.50.

*The NWRRC Female team won 5 championships medals including 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze: Final Results: - F45: 2nd place (Silver) Vicky Taylor 43.06. F50: 1st place (Gold) Nicola Wylie 41.47. F55: 1st place (Gold) Kay Hatton 37.15, 2nd place (Silver) Cheryl Frost 37.19, 3rd place (Bronze) Sue Smith 49.39.

*This is the provisional results list for the TDL Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race:

https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/event-results/events?event=3802