Warm, wild, and very windy for the Nova Coast half marathon

By Don Hale

Warm, wild, and very windy for the Nova Coast half marathon...

Report by Don Hale.

coastandcountry.blog

donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026

 

It was warm, wild, and very windy on Sunday for the Nova Coast half-marathon with nearly 500 runners battling against a strong headwind on this challenging out and back promenade course from Prestatyn.


James Yarwood (Wrexham AAC) was the overall winner in a chip time of 1 hour 18 minutes and 18 seconds, but he was closely tracked by local soccer player Aaron Dodwell in 1.18.43, and Matthew Baker in 1.19.47. 


The first female finisher was Natasha Jones (31st overall) in 1.32.56, with Lisa Allsup second in 1.36.02, and Hayley Parkes(GOG Triathlon) in 1.39.07. Meanwhile, Cheryl Frost (NWRRC) also celebrated another great result as the 4th female, and she won her F60 age cat in 1.43.56.


*North Wales Road Runners had eight members involved with Will Evans leading the team home in 30th place in 1.32.46, with Steve Bozier 44th in 1.36.12, and Stuart Culverhouse 48th in 1,37.01. Cheryl Frost was one of two female club athletes competing, and she was pleased with one of her best-ever half marathon times in 76th place in 1.43.56, whilst Nia Lister was 290th in 2.20.47. 


Adam Lemalle was 84th in 1.45.50; Mal Preece 132nd in 1.54.31; and master vet Rob Fryer was 237th after returning from injury, and he finished third in his M70 age cat in 2.11.26.


*Some other local athletes of note included: Rob Evans (Colwyn Bay AC) 6th overall in 1.22.17, and he won his M40 age cat; and GOG Triathlon had five members running, and their first three finishers were: Tom Imlah 22nd in 1.29.02, Hayley Parkes 57th in 1.39.07, and Gemma Thomas 177th in 1.59.52. *There were 480 finishers altogether at Prestatyn.

 

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.

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