Medals galore for Road Runners at the windy Rhyl series of races.

*Pictured (*above and below) some of the many NWRRC club runners who competed in the Rhyl 5 mile and 10 mile races last weekend. Photos by John HATTON.

Medals galore for Road Runners at the windy Rhyl 5 mile and 10 mile series of races...

Report by Don Hale. Rhyl photos by John Hatton and Mike Smith.

 

There was a good turn-out of Road Runners amidst many other elite athletes at the Rhyl 5-mile and 10-mile races last Sunday, where several members celebrated podium places and age cat wins, during a very windy series of events that also incorporated an Inter-Counties match, and the Regional Championships.

It was the latter 10-mile race that served as both a major North Wales Championship event and an Inter-Counties invitation match, where once again several NWRRC members, and other top local club runners won prestigious individual, and team medals.

In the 5-mile race, Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts finished in 4th place overall and claimed 2nd place in his MV45 age cat in 27 minutes and 45 seconds, and Steve Roberts looked back to his best in 19th place in 38.52, and he also won his MV55 cat. 

Veteran Len Jackson also ran well in 27th place in 42.23, and he was 2nd in his new MV65 cat, Rachel Morrishowever, was unlucky, and just missed out on a podium place finishing 51st overall, and 4th in her VW40 cat in 48.31.

In the 10-mile race, the Road Runners won six podium places including three first place age cat victories, in addition to winning numerous worthy NW regional medals, and several athletes were also included within the Inter-Counties team.

*Carla and Martin Green (*above) with their championship medals at Rhyl.

Martin Green following his 1st place finish at Conwy parkrun on Saturday, with another superb performance to finish 7th overall, and 1st MV45 in 52.33. Iwan Evans was 39th in 1.01.21, and Martin’s wife Carla Green ensured another family double by winning her VW50 cat in 42nd place in 1.01.33.

 

*Kay Hatton (*left) with Rob Fryer and Hannah Griffith.

Stuart Culverhouse had a strong finish in 68th place and he was 4th in his MV50 cat in 1.05.47, with Kay Hatton102nd, and she deservedly won her new VW60 age cat in 1.15.15. And Cheryl Frost gave Kay a good chase but eventually had to settle for 107th place and 2nd in her VW55 cat in 1.16.47, whilst Nicola Wylie was 109th and 3rd VW55 cat in 1.17.35.

*Nicola Wylie (*above left) with Kevin Higgins.

Veteran Rob Fryer enjoyed a positive run in 113th place and 2nd MV65 in 1.18.04, and Kelly Alford, and her partner Cai Roberts ran together, with Kelly 116th in 1.19.56, and Cai just one place and one second behind.

Meanwhile, Kevin Higgins finished 128th in 1.24.12, with Hannah Griffith 139th in 1.27.16, and Mandy Owen 167th in 1.35.39.

*Mandy Owen (above left) with Sue Smith

*North Wales Road Runners additionally enjoyed another spectacular occasion at the Regional 10-mile championships held within the race, and they collected four gold medals, three silver and two bronze medals overall in their respective age categories.

In the male section: Martin Green won a gold medal as the 1st M45 runner in 52.33, with Iwan Evans 3rd for a bronze medal in the same age cat as Martin in 61.21. Stewart Culverhouse won a silver medal in his MV50 cat in 65.37, and Kevin Higgins claimed a deserved bronze medal in his MV60 cat in 84.12.

*Carla Green (*above left) with Cheryl Frost.

The Ladies section medals: North Wales Ladies also celebrated some superb performances in the 10-mile championships, with Carla Green winning a gold medal in her FV50 age cat in 61.33, along with Cheryl Frost who struck gold in her FV55 cat in 76.47, and Kay Hatton who also won a gold medal in her new FV60 cat in 75.15, whilst Nicola Wylie continued the success story with a welcome silver medal in her FV55 age cat in 77.35.

*The 5-mile race was won by Robert White (Buxton AC) in 27.20, whilst the 10-mile race was won by Ryan Davies(Wrexham) in 49.14, with Tomos Roberts (Meirionnydd) 2nd in 49.41, and David Glencross 3rd in 49.59. The 1st female athlete was Claire Clancy (Wilmslow) in 58.50.

 

*Inter-Counties results: The North Wales men’s team won their Inter-Counties match ahead of Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Cheshire; and in the Ladies fixture, North Wales Ladies team were runners-up behind Cheshire, and ahead of Staffordshire, and Shropshire.

*The successful North Wales Inter-counties team (*above) at Rhyl with team manager Paul Brooks pictured on the far right.

 

*This is the link to the provisional results for the Rhyl 5-mile and 10-mile races:

https://www.runwales.com/files/user_uploaded/results/535/Rhyl%205%20Mile%202023.pdf