Parkrun rowers in pace challenge with athletes at Llandrillo yn Rhos...plus other parkrun reports.

Parkrun rowers in pace challenge with athletes at Llandrillo yn Rhos..,plus other parkrun reports...

Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Michael Finnie.

donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025

The Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun team welcomed some surprise members from Colwyn Bay Rowing Club to their event last Saturday morning – AKA the ‘parkrun rowers’ - who waited just offshore and set a challenge to try to keep pace with some of the tail walkers along the adjacent but very sandy promenade course as they headed towards the Porth Eirias turn point.

*Pictured above and top - the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun rowers, and (*below), the 5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer Group on the promenade at Rhos on Sea last Saturday morning.

The event also greeted the 5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer group, who attended Rhos parkrun as part of their regular monthly meeting.

The first four finishers at Rhos were all visitors, and they were amongst about fifty newcomers to this exciting new venue. Stephen Cheung enjoyed a successful course debut in 18 minutes and 15 seconds, with Lewis Hall second in 18.35, and Thomas Parry third in 18.44.

The first female was talented SW30 athlete Alice Johnston (Les Croupiers) with another very impressive display in just 19.06 (7th overall), with debutant teenager Olivia Jones second in 20.44, whilst Llio Owen came third despite a new PB in 21.10. *There were 401 finishers at Rhos.

 

*Michael Cheung (*above left) was the first finisher at the Rhos parkrun, with the first female finisher Alice Johnston (*centre) and (*above right) Daniel Owens with his guide Eleanor Ashcroft.

*North Wales Road Runners entered nine members with international track star Steve Gardner leading the team home in 5th place overall to win his VM60 age cat with a new course PB of 18.57. He was closely followed by Will Williams 6th with a new PB of 19.01, and he also won his VM50 cat.

James Jones finished in 99th place in 25.50, with in-form master veteran Rob Fryer 113th, and he was second in VM70 age cat in 26.30; with fellow master Don Hale 138th and third VM70 in 27.37. 

Charlie Owen meanwhile returned to running, and he made his course debut in 244th place in 32.22, whilst another debutant in Elizabeth Driscoll and her dog Winston, jogged around the course, finishing 268th in 33.01; Veteran John O’Shea celebrated a new course PB in 33.37 in 279th place, and Gethin Wyn Jones ran around with his child buggy in 285th place in 34.05.

 

 

*Pictured above - top right - Master vets Don Hale and Rob Fryer, with Mandy Owen, and (*directly above) Mike Pemberton, Darren Dentith and Tony Parvin.

*GOG Triathlon entered eight members, and their first counter was Paul Algieri, 36th in 23.05; with Rob Stewart 48th with a new PB in 23.58; and Andrew Ellwood 94th, with another PB in 25.42. And it was good to note many Porth Eirias Runners involved, with Barry Palmer 55th with a new PB in 24.21; Pedro Gaspar 132nd in 27.22; and Alan Hacket was 164th in 28.51.

*Some other local athletes of note at Rhos included: Darren Dentith 39th in 23.12; Tony Parvin 51st in 24.17; Andrew Roberts 53rd in 24.18; Dave Munday 75th with a new course PB 24.53; Harry Driscoll (Meirionnydd RC), who jogged around in 79th place in 25.01; Mike Pemberton 91st in 25.30; and praise again to the partially sighted athlete Daniel Owens and his generous guide Eleanor Ashcroft, who ran together in 97/98th places in the shared time of 25.49.

*Ruthin: Three North Wales Road Runners (NWRRC) enjoyed their morning at the Ruthin parkrun last Saturday, with veteran ladies Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton and master veteran Mike Hayton all celebrating good performances. Cherylwas the third female finisher in 22.44, and she won her VW60 age cat, whilst Kay was second in the same cat, and the fourth female in 23.36; and Mike Hayton was also in top form, and he won his VM75 cat with an excellent performance in 29.16.

*Prestatyn: There was a good turn-out of 195 mixed ability athletes at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn, including twenty-members from the host club Prestatyn RC, where course debutant Drew Darlington was the first finisher in 17.28, and Mathew Baker was second despite a good battle with his rival, and he was only four-seconds, and one place behind; with Simon Price third with a new PB in 18.26. 

*Home based Prestatyn RC member Eve Manifold was the first female athlete to finish, and she recorded an excellent time of 22.06 (10th overall), with Millie Robinson second with a new PB of 23.23, and Lisa Lines (Prestatyn RC) third in 24.19. *Some other notable results from Nova included: NWRRC father and son Stuart and Joe Culverhouse in close competition with each other, with Stuart 5th overall in 20.35, and he won his VM50 age cat; whilst young Joe also won his own JM15-17 age cat in 6th place in 20.53.

*Some of the many volunteers (*above) at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun.

*Penrhyn: Lawrence And Hopey was the first finisher at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun in 20.02, with Colin Ball in close pursuit, and in second place with a new PB of 20.20, whilst teenager Jake Hamilton took the third spot with another PB in 20.38. *Jessica Bibby was the first female finisher (15th overall) in 22.25, but Rhiannon Amy Wilmott gave her a close call, and she was just one place and two-seconds adrift of Jessica, with Cerys Jones third with a new course PB in 24.38. *There were 176 finishers.

*Nant-y-Pandy: Seventy-one entrants completed the Nant y Pandy Nature Reserve parkrun including seventeen first timers and visitors. Aidan Thomas was the first man home in 19.15, with Phil Lynes second in 19.39, and Rhodri Williams (Cybi Striders) third with a new PB in 20.08. 

*Promising JW11-14 athlete Celsi Jones claimed the first female spot with a dazzling display - especially for a junior - with a new course PB in 23.58 (13th overall); and Emma Catherine Bramley was second in 26.11, with Sara Jones (Cybi Striders) third on her debut in 27.10. 

*Conwy: The first three finishers at the Conwy parkrun were all visitors including Sion Edwards, who was the first man home in 17.25, with Lucas Jablonski second in 28.45, and Sean Davies third in 19.10. *Annie Gould Magee was the first female finisher with a new course PB in 24.15 (18th overall), and veteran Alison Davies was second in 25.53, with Gwen Charlton (NWRRC) third with a new PB in 26.42.

*Some other notable results for local athletes at Conwy included: Paul Aubert (NWRRC) 12th in 22.44, and he won his VM45 age cat; Claire Parsley 37th in 26.57; John Stallard 60th in 29.02; and Bethan Wyn Roberts and Amanda Durber ran well together again in 62/63rd places, and they shared the exact same time of 29.26. *There were 104 finishers altogether at Conwy.