Two top spots for the GOG's at North Wales cross country meeting at Eirias Park.

*Dan Willings (*pictured above) was the first GOG member home.

Ten GOG Triathlon members competed at the North Wales Cross-Country league meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, last Saturday despite a very muddy and challenging course, where once again, veteran athlete Ann d’Alburquerque was the star of the team winning her veteran age category.

It’s the first time since October 2010 that this senior league fixture has been staged at this venue, and the tough course certainly brought back many mixed memories for experienced athletes, and the event probably attracted a few more local club runners than expected due to the Conwy parkrun being cancelled just a few hours before due to a heavy frost.

*Ann d'Alburquerque (*above) won her FV70 age cat at Eirias Park.

Ann soon showed many of her rivals a clean pair of heels despite very challenging conditions and ran home an easy winner of her FV70 age cat in just 46 minutes and 12 seconds in 92nd place overall, and Helen MacArthur also claimed 3rd place in her FV50 age cat, with another good run.
The GOG’s entered five male runners in the Senior Men’s race, with one in the Male over 65 race, and four female runners in the Senior Women’s event. The event included several different races over varying distances. 

*GOG athletes Andy Jones (*above left) with Neil Vicars-Harris.

Dan Willings was the first club member back in 50th place in 49.00, with Andy Jones 82nd in 53.02, and Neil Vicars-Harris 92nd in 54.38, and Neil just missed out on a podium place finishing 4th in his respective MV55 cat. 

*Simon Blain (*above left) with John d'Alburquerque on the far right.

Simon Blain also enjoyed a fine run in 121st place in 1.12.05, with colleague Tom Bancroft in close pursuit in 122nd place in 1.15.54. Ann’s husband John d’Alburquerque put in a solid performance finishing 24th overall in the Male 0ver-65 race in 52.02, and he was 6th in his MV75 age cat.

The Senior Women all performed well, and Helen Macarthur finished in 49th place in 37.52 and claimed 3rd place in her FV50 age cat, with Vicky Darby-Brown 75th in 43.04. Stephanie Conway also ran well in 88th place in 44.55, and Ann d’Alburquerque was 92nd in 46.12 and won her FV70 cat.

*This is the link to the provisional results from the Colwyn Bay meeting:

https://www.northwalesxc.com/.../Eirias-Park-DRAFT-21-1...