Fast runners dazzled in the sun at Llandrillo yn Rhos...plus NW parkrun round-up

*Rhos run director Dougie Graham at the front with some of the volunteers

Fast runners dazzled in the sun at Llandrillo yn Rhos..plus some other NW parkrun results.

Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Michael Finnie.

donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

 

The bright sunny weather and a fast course attracted plenty of top club athletes to the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k parkrun last Saturday with five out of the first six finishers all recording times of under 18 minutes!

James Yarwood (Wrexham AAC) was the first finisher overall with a new course PB of 16 minutes and 29 seconds, with visitor Armon Williams second in 17.17, Gareth Griffith third in 17.27, and veteran Martin Green (Meirionnydd RC) a narrow fourth in 17.36.

It was a similar story for the ladies with Beatrice Cordingley (Sale Harriers) taking the first female spot with an excellent run, and a new course PB in 20.00 (18th overall), with visitor Lizzie Slater (South Cheshire Harriers) second on her debut in 20.59, and another visitor in Jody Beech (Ellesmere Port) taking the third place in 21.01. *Carla Green(NWRRC) also looked back to her best as the fourth female with a new course PB in 22.21, and she won her VM50 age cat.

*North Wales Road Runners entered 17 members with Jonathan Kettle the first club runner home in 6th place in 18.07, Chris Davies was 8th with a new course PB of 18.39, and there was another great display from young Joe Culverhouse, who finished 13th with a new course PB of 19.06, and he won his JM15-17 age cat; whilst his father, Stuart Culverhouse was 21st in 20.14.

Steve Bozier finished 24th, and he was second in his VM45 cat in 20.30, with Paddy Walsh 36th in 21.01. Richard Scamans also enjoyed a good run in 43rd place in 22.01, just ahead of Carla Green, who was 51st, and she won her VW50 age cat with a new course PB in 22.21. Steve Roberts finished 60th, and second in his VM60 age cat, whilst Cheryl Frost was another age cat winner in her VW60 section in 66th place overall in 23.17.

Steve Poupart was 116th with a new course PB in 24.56, and master vet Rob Fryer celebrated a new course PB in 25.51, and he won his VM70 age cat, whilst fellow master Don Hale was second in the same age cat as Rob after finishing 153rd in 27.12. Super vet Mike Hayton won his VM75 cat in 196th place in 29.04, and Gethin Wyn Jones ran with his child buggy and finished in 230th place in 30.21, with veteran John O’Shea 291st, and he recorded a new course PB in 32.27, with Tony Price Jones 336th in 35.15. *There were 407 finishers overall at Rhos.

*Some other local runners included global traveller Gareth Southworth 42nd in 21.59 and first in his VM60 age cat, and Dave Munday 75th, and third in the same age cat as Gareth with a good time of 23.33.

*GOG Triathlon entered eleven members with debutant Geran Hughes their first club finisher home in 28th place in 26.37, with Neil Vicars-Harris 62nd with a new course PB in 23.00, and Michelle Farrell (*pictured right) was 71st in 23.28; and it was good to see her husband John Farrell, who is still recovering from injury, back at parkrun in 112th place in 24.48.

*Porth Eirias Runners had five members running with Pedro Gaspar their first finisher in 90th place in 24.09, with Barry Palmer next in 93rd place with a new course PB in 24.14, and Paula Crutchley 287th in 32.27. Zara Parryfinished in 309th place in 33.22, and Kevin Edge was a tail walker in 393rd place in 48.17.

 

*Pictured above - the start of the Conwy parkrun last weekend.

Conwy: Joseph Moores celebrated a fast finish at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday in 15.55, and he was followed by visitor Angus McLean (Swansea Harriers) with a good course debut time of 17.55, and Aidan Thomas was third in 18.20. 

*Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers) was the first female finisher in 22.52 (15th place overall), with Siobhan Watson second in 23.45, and Catrin Medi Elwyn third in 25.13. *NWRRC had two entrants in Steve Mason 27th in 24.24, and Paul Aubert 41st in 26.09, and he was third in his VM45 age cat. 

 

*Above left - Joseph Moores, who was the first finisher at Rhos, with Anna Drinkwater, the first female finisher, and GOG super vet Liz Evans

*Some other local athletes included: Glyn Williams (Colwyn Bay AAC) 10th and second in his VM55 age cat in 21.54; Bethan Wyn Roberts 48th in 27.50; and birthday boy John Stallard 50th in 28.10; whilst super-vet Liz Evans (GOG Triathlon) was 54th and she won her VM70 age cat in 28.45. 

*Pictured above left - Gwyn Williams, with Bethan Wyn Roberts and John Stallard at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday. 

*Penrhyn: Visiting athlete Joe Godwood (Witney Road Runners) was the first finisher at the Penrhyn Castle parkrunwith an impressive course debut time of just 16.15, with Matthew Edwin Roberts second in 16.49, and Alice Wright(Sale Harriers) third overall, and she was also the 1st female finisher on her debut in 18.15. In a fast dash with three out of the first five finishers all visitors, and they dipped under 19 minutes. 

*The second female finisher was JW11-14 athlete Fiona Horne with a new course PB in 21.38, and Jessica Bibby took the third spot in 22.05 *There were 226 finishers at Penrhyn.

*Prestatyn: Andrew Bromley (Helsby) was the first finisher overall at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn in 19.31, and then four promising teenagers made up the next few places with Jack Richards second with a new PB in 19.39, and Oliver Birch Jones (Prestatyn RC) was third in 19.59, with JM15-17 Tyler Hensey fourth in 20.13. 

*Eve Manifold (Prestatyn RC) was the first female finisher with another fine performance (20th overall) in 23.03, and Molly Harvey was second with a new course PB in 23.31, and Lisa Lines (Prestatyn RC) took the third spot in a close finish in 23.32. *There were 27 Prestatyn RC athletes involved and there were 269 finishers overall.