Don Hale Blog

A very challenging and muddy course at the Bala cross country fixture in the latest NW XC League event... Report by Don Hale.  Match report and photo courtesy of Bernie Jones donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was a good turn-out at Bala despite the weather and some very challenging and muddy  conditions which tested runners to the limit. In the Senior Men's race Andrew Moore (Bangor University) was the first man home in 31 minutes and 12 seconds, but he was only 13-seconds ahead of his keen rival Rhodri Owen (Meirionnydd RC) in 31.23, and Rhodri's clubmate Daniel Kashi in 31.44. The Meirionnydd team packed well and they had five members in the top 10 finishing places and topped the team table ahead of Wrexham AAC and Buckley, who were both within a whisker of each other. *There were 144 finishers. In the Over 65 race, Graham Jones (Shrewsbury AC) was the overall winner and he also took the 1st MV 65 prize in 24.22, with Andy Clarke (Oswestry) second in 24.23, and 2nd...

North Wales Cross Country League: Race No 2 at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay... Message about this Saturday's latest XC fixture and some previous photos courtesy of Bernie Jones. www.donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The second David Alun Williams North Wales Cross Country League of the season will take place at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay(Ll29 7SP) this Saturday, 25th October 2025.  If you’re selected and have any additional runners to register please let me have them asap an no later than Thursday am.  We’re on the usual Eirias Park course with the Junior races starting at 10-30am and the Senior races at 1pm. Big thank you in advance to Colwyn Bay for hosting.  See you on Saturday  Bernie Jones, Secretary, NW XC League.

  North Wales Cross-Country League fixtures and registration details 2025/26. Report from Bernie Jones promoted by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Bernie Jones, the secretary of the North Wales Cross Country League, has kindly supplied all the details for the registration of all participating junior and senior athletes, together with the fixture list for the 2025/26 cross-country season.   North Wales Cross Country AGM. At the 41st Annual General Meeting of the North Wales Cross Country Association fixtures for the 2025/26 season were agreed. Subject to final confirmation the dates/venues are as follows:   Sat 4 October  - St Asaph (hosted by Denbigh/Prestatyn) Sat 25 October  - Eirias Park (hosted by Colwyn Bay) Sat 22 November  - Bala (hosted by Meirionnydd) Sat 24 January  - Shrewsbury (hosted by Shropshire S) Sat 14 February  - Marches School (hosted by Oswestry O Sat 10 January  - Bangor  North Wales Champs  (hos...

North Wales Cross Country League 2024/25: Latest updates with fixtures and opportunity to run in the Welsh Inter-regional XC champs... Report and photos courtesy of Bernie Jones, NW XCL secretary. LAST CALL: The first North Wales Cross Country League fixture starts at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, tomorrow (Saturday 5th October), with junior races starting at 10-30am (Under 15 Boys) and the Senior races starting as usual at 1pm. We are still outstanding team lists from a small number of clubs and the first fixture is on Saturday. Please give us a chance to prepare your numbers in advance.  PLEASE can the following clubs, if they intend competing this year, provide their team sheets to me asap: Deeside AC - juniors & seniors Menai T&F - juniors & seniors Cybi - seniors Prestatyn RC - juniors? & seniors West Cheshire - juniors & seniors Wrekin - seniors   *For ease I've attached the link to the team sheets below:   JUNIORS https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/...

North Wales Cross Country League 2024/25: Registration details and notice of change of venues for races: - Report courtesy of Bernie Jones, secretary.   The 2024/25 Cross Country Season is just around the corner. Clubs are asked to register athletes wishing to compete in the League using the forms on the North Wales Cross Country website:   Senior Registration: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northwalesxc.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2FSenior-Athlete-Registration-NWCCL-2024-25.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK   Junior Registration: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northwalesxc.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2FJunior-Athlete-Registration-NWCCL-2024-25.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK   Forms should be e mailed to me: Bernie-jones@sky.com Clubs are also reminded   that league fees (£100 per club for seniors and £50 for juniors) are payable by at the latest before the start of the seco...

Will Williams tackled the gruelling cross country course at Dolgellau. Mud, wind, and rain at a very muddy cross-country race at Dolgellau... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three Road Runners braved the strong blustery winds, rain, and heavy mud at Dolgellau this weekend during the latest fixture within the Grand Prix Express, North Wales XC league. Will Williams  ran well in the  Senior Men’s race  and finished well in 38th place overall amongst 125 starters, and he was 3rd in his MV50 age cat in 36 minutes and 19 seconds. Will later said: “ I really love cross-country. Always a great atmosphere.” The race was won by  Matthew Collins  (Oswestry Olympians) in 30.11 and he won his SM age cat.  Janos Vranek (Aberystwyth University) was 2nd in 30.22, with  Rhodri Owen  (Meirionnydd) 3rd in 31.11.  Emyr Davies  competed in the over 65’s race and won his M8...

*The winning North Wales Regional female team (*above) at Newtown, and (*below) the NW men's team (*below), who combined with the ladies won the overall team prize. Road Running quartet amongst winning North Wales Cross-Country team at Inter-Regional championships. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Four North Wales Road Runners swapped their trainers for spikes and competed in the combined Welsh Inter-Regional cross-country championships held at Dolerw Park, Newtown, last Saturday. The quartet, which included Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton, Will Williams , and Steve Gardner, were all eventually part of the overall winning team that finished ahead of rivals West Wales, East Wales, and South Wales, to take the deserved plaudits. North Wales ladies won the female team prize with 121-points, whilst the male team finished 3rd, yet the overall points tally confirmed that North Wales were the outright team victors of this prestigious challen...