Perfect conditions as records smashed at the Great Orme Fell Race.

*Pictured above - Four North Wales Road Runners at the Great Orme Fell Race (l-r) Steve Bozier, Nicola Wylie, Helen Hannam and Karl Morris.

Perfect conditions as records smashed at the Great Orme Fell Race...

Report by Don Hale. 

 

The annual Great Orme Fell Race (Y Gogarth) was held last Tuesday evening in superb conditions with dozens of experienced fell, endurance, and club runners enjoying some spectacular views, as they smashed several established records.

Staged over as challenging 4.1-mile, (6.6kms) course, with 1,306ft (398m) of elevation, organisers welcomed a perfect evening for racing, with many entrants travelling from far afield just to take part in this ever-popular event, which included both junior and senior races and varied age categories.

One of the local event organisers, Mike Blake from Eryri Harriers, later confirmed: “Perfect running conditions at the Great Orme for Round 12 of the Joe Brown Shops’ mid-week fell race series. 

“And our thanks to the organiser Greenman Jones, all the helpers, and to Ceris for organising the juniors, the Ski Centre for hosting us with the customary £30 going to the Hospice.”

North Wales Road Runners had five members involved in the race from Happy Valley, and they all competed well, and paid tribute to the race organisers and the picturesque route selected.

*North Wales Road Runners Karl Morris (*above left) with Steve Bozier.

Ultra-distance and endurance athlete Karl Morris was the first club man home in 42 minutes and 55 seconds, followed by Steve Bozier in 44.15, and Sion Thomas in 46.38. 

  

*Sion Thomas (*above left) with Helen Hannam and Nicola Wylie and (*below) part of the picturesque but challenging course on Llandudno's Great Orme.

Helen Hannam and club colleague Nicola Wylie, who were both recovering from injuries, took it steady and ran much of the course together with Helen recording a time of 1.12.25 on her Strava, with Nicola finishing a few seconds adrift. *At the time of writing the full results list was not available.

COMMENTS: After the race, Steve Bozier said: “That was one hot tough race, but well worth doing it!”

Helen Hannam commented: “A great fell race with Nicky. It was tough, so I took it easy but great fun. I got completely lost and ended up nearly last but such a laugh. I've not done fell running for about thirty-years, but yes really enjoyed it.”

Nicola Wylie added: “My thigh was a little painful, so we took our time. I got lost but thanks to some Prestatyn ACrunners we were found. What a hilarious race, and so much fun.”

And former NWRRC athlete Michael Corrales, (*pictured right), a previous race winner, who was another runner recovering from injury, said: “I ran better than expected but I was over three-minutes slower that my last time. Still a long way to go!”

*The category winners and record breakers (old records in brackets) in finishing order were as follows: 1st Gavin Roberts 30.27 MO, 2nd Noa Vaughan 32.56, 1st U19, 3rd Ben Sergent 33.06 1st U17; 6th Jez Brown 34.38 (34.59) M50; 8th Joanne Henderson 35,09 (39.30) F40; 13th Matthew Fortes 36.21 M40; 31st Efa Baines 41.02 F U/19; 33rd David Baugh 41.19 M60; 38th Sarah Barnwell 41.50 F 50, 47th Gee Outten 42.49 FO; 69th Anne Mynott F60 46.23 (47.31); and 77th John Jones 47.43 M75.