John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year,’ and raises thousands for Children's Cancer Charities.

By Don Hale

*Picture above - Deganwy Dash race organisers John Hatton and Carla Green

John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year,’ and raises thousands for Children's Cancer Charities.

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk


 

The Deganwy Dash was voted the Best Sporting event of the year within Conwy County at the annual Conwy Sports Awards last Friday night at Venue Cymru.

Well organised by John Hatton and Carla Green from North Wales Road Runners, this popular annual 5-mile race from Deganwy Quay to the RSPB Nature Reserve, and back via Conwy Cob, always attracts over 350-plus mixed ability runners who raise thousands of pounds for charity.

The main charity includes generous donations to Children’s Cancer charities, and for the past few years it has been run in memory of a young local student Rohan Ingley, who sadly lost his life due to cancer, and has been known as 'Rohan's Run.'

Award officials praised the dedicated work and organisation of this event and the amazing support given by volunteers and sponsors, and paid particular tribute to both John and Carla, whilst highlighting the enormous totals raised for this worthy cause.

This year’s event was held on a warm and sunny evening with a record number of entries, that included many athletes travelling from near and far to enjoy a spectacular race.

The NWRRC pair received their prestigious award from Sean Conway, an adventurer and extreme endurance athlete, who was the guest of honour and the event speaker.


*This is a YouTube link to sections from the Conwy awards ceremony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIrv_GNyYUA

 


*John Hatton (*above left), with guest of honour and speaker Sean Conway, and Carla Green on stage with their prestigious award.


PHOTO SPECIAL AND REVIEW OF THIS YEAR'S DEGANWY DASH.


*Full details about the actual Deganwy Dash earlier this year, including my exclusive photographs from the race are available to view on my blog via this link: 

Don Hale Blog: ROHAN'S RUN SPECIAL: Hundreds of runners raised th... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2024/06/rohans-run-special-hundreds-of-runners.html?spref=tw




 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most recent posts

Troy Kettle wins North Wales “Best Young Athlete of the Year" award.

By Don Hale
Image
*Troy Kettle ( above) and pictured  crossing  the line at the Meerbrook 15k race won the North Wales “Best Young Athlete of the Year" award. Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC runner Troy Kettle has won the “Best Young Athlete” of the year award following a superb performance for the North Wales County team in the Inter-Counties match at Meerbrook. Student Troy made his debut in the 15km race and excelled in the famous orange and green strip and knocked five minutes off his previous time at the open race in Staffordshire in 2019, this time finishing 27th overall in 69 minutes 49 seconds, and helping his team secure the runners-up spot. *The overall competition winners for the Men were Shropshire with 20 pts, with  North Wales  2nd with 29 points, Staffordshire 3rd with 36 pts, Cheshire 4th with 74 pts, and Derbyshire 5th with 84 pts. This included:  2. Ryan Davis 52:44; 3. Scott Nixon 52:47; 8. Joel Gomes 54:27; 16. Phil Pumford 57:35; 24. Jez Brown 62:04; and 27....
Read more

What a tremendous season for Juliet Sidney - the Pocket Rocket - A top Welsh Masters Athletics and Team GB sprinter.

By Don Hale
Image
What a tremendous season for Juliet Sidney, the Pocket Rocket, and a  medal winning sprinter with Welsh Masters Athletics and Team GB. *Juliet Sidney (*above) has enjoyed a remarkably successful season.   I have added Juliet Sidney's Facebook remarks to show her remarkable consistency at several major international and home championships in recent times, together with her diary notes:   This week, the talented athlete - know as the Pocket Rocket, concluded: “That's a wrap. Two weeks off before I start to train for 2024. It's been a much better year than 2022.”  Juliet’s personal roll of honour: - Madeira 60m Masters Ladies champion.  British 60m w55 champion. British 200m w55 champion.  Welsh 100m w55 champion.  Welsh 200m w55 champion.  British 100m w55 champion.  British 200m w55 champion.  European w55 100m 7th place finalist. European w55 200m 7th place finalist.  European w55 4 x 100m team bronze medal.  Juliet’s plans for...
Read more

Kevin and Gethin struck gold at Mold in North Wales championships - plus other results round-up.

By Don Hale
Image
* Kevin Slattery (*above) and Gethin Wyn Jones (*below) struck gold at Mold during last weekend's Welsh championships at the Flintshire 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   NWRRC club chairman and veteran athlete Kevin Slattery together with fast improving Gethin Wyn Jones both struck gold at Mold last Sunday as the North Wales champions, with Kevin also winning his MV65-69 age category during the Flintshire 10k race. Kevin put in a tremendous performance to tackle the hard and hilly course, which included two tough laps along a twisty route and around the windy streets of Mold.  He quickly showed his rivals a clean pair of heels and was 35th overall out of 235 finishers and claimed his double success in a fast time of 44 minutes 49 seconds. Four club runners including Kevin entered the race and additionally ran in the North Wales 10k championships. *Another great gold-gong for Gethin Wyn Jones at Mold. Gethin Wyn Jones  was another runner in good...
Read more

Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and Bill Scriven. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   Heavy overnight frost morning forced the cancellation of five parkruns throughout North Wales last Saturday morning, but the surviving  Valentine’s Day events proved a love of running, and especially at Llandrillo yn Rhos, where yet another bumper attendance created a tremendous atmosphere. Despite a rather sandy and challenging 5k promenade course, this event is proving to be a magnet each week for visiting runners – and particularly for elite club athletes - with debutants again accounting for seven out of the first ten finishers. Talented visiting athlete  Paul Jones  (Shrewsbury AC) was the first finisher at Rhos on his course debut in just 16 minutes and 50 seconds, but local footballer  Aaron Dodwell  ...
Read more

MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Special book review:

By Don Hale
Image
 Sp ecial book review:  MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   *Now available on Amazon as a paperback print version, an ebook, and also as an audio book.  These are the links:    This is a very interesting book about a real local character and a former Man City player who has survived some tough times throughout his challenging career. *Paperback :  https://amzn.to/44qjVA9 *Ebook:  https://amzn.to/4d8ztup *Audio book on Amazon and Audible:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXTZJ9T7#   MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh:   This is the true and often dramatic life story about a very popular northern lad, Eamon Kavanagh, from the busy market town of Bury, and it follows his numerous ups and downs over many decades, including his early career as promising young footballer with Manchester City, which unfortunately became marred following abuse from a trusted football coach. MUCKERS highlights how he so...
Read more

COWFEST 2026 comes to North Wales in June 2026.

By Don Hale
Image
donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Dave Munday from parkrun North Wales has provided details of a unique series of events including one that's available in North Wales in June! Cowfest 2026 We are delighted to announce the four locations for Cowfest 2026 on 20th June. What is a Cowfest?! It's an annual gathering for UK tourists.  Curious to learn more? Search this page for highlights and details from previous years!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739 Scotland - Crathes Castle South - Dinton Pastures Wales - Erddig North - Ushaw Historic House You will find each event listed in the events section, where we will be sharing the latest updates and information for every location. We look forward to seeing you at Cowfest on 20th June 2026. Dave Munday:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739/user/1239379759
Read more

Hundreds of runners set a hot pace along the prom at Rhos - plus a results round-up from some other NW parkruns.

By Don Hale
Hundreds of runners set a hot pace along the prom at Rhos - plus  a results round-up from some other NW parkruns... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Numerous elite and club athletes set a hot pace on a very warm and breezy morning at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning, along with a generous mix of social runners and walkers, who enjoyed the picturesque 5k promenade route. Last week’s first placed finisher  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) returned to claim victory yet again complete with his twin buggy, and he just managed to outpace rival  Dominic-Dennis Marray-Woods , with James recording another good time of 17 minutes and 9 seconds, with Dominic just 9 seconds adrift, whilst  Rob Evans  (NWRRC) was third with a new course PB in 17.56. The first female was  Isabel Redfern  (Colwyn Bay AC) on her debut in 19.41, and young JW11-14 athlete  Lois Ev...
Read more

Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region.

By Don Hale
Image
*Runners listen to the briefing at the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Pictured above and below - the mass start of the Rhos parkrun. It was another jam-packed and fun-filled occasion on Saturday morning at the new Llandrillo yn Rhos (Y Promenade) parkrun last Saturday following a record-breaking attendance on Christmas Day. Despite the freezing temperatures and a generous covering of heavy frost around the region, with the icy conditions causing the cancellation of rival events at  Conwy  and at  Nova , the Rhos parkrun, possibly aided by a light layer of sand at key points, was given the green light, much to the delight of 576 eager entrants. And many runners later expressed their gratitude to the run director  Dougie Graham  and his RD colleagues,...
Read more

Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race...plus other race results.

By Don Hale
Image
*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course. Well organised with times recorded and verified by  Carla Green  and  Elizabeth Driscoll , with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line. The top three female winners , who were the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...
Read more

Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former midwife Sharon Buckley.

By Don Hale
Image
*John Hatton (*above left), with Sharon Buckley at the Conwy half-marathon. Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former community midwife Sharon Buckley. It was a proud moment this weekend for athletics coach, MC and promoter, John Hatton as he saw his new running protegee  Sharon Buckley – a well-known former North Wales midwife - cross the finish line at the challenging Conwy half-marathon with a remarkable time. John, who is heavily involved with North Wales Road Runners , Conwy parkrun , and is also a keen supporter and promoter of a host of charity events, confirmed: “Over the last 6 months I have been training Sharon, who is 60, to run her first half-marathon which she did today in 2.34.17, which is a fantastic achievement. “Sharon was a highly respected midwife in North Wales, and at one time she received an award as the top midwife in the Betsi Cadwalader Health Board for her dedicated service to the community.” *John Hatton was on hand last ...
Read more