Don Hale Blog

MENAI TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETIC CLUB SAVED FROM CLOSURE. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Menai Track & Field Club looks as though it has finally been rescued from the threat of closure following an urgent appeal, which began last November, when member Georgina Seguin first raised the issue and appealed for support. Georgina, who is an active Menai club athlete, and participates in the North Wales cross county league fixtures, originally explained that the club, with over 170 juniors and about 20 seniors, faced closure due to a lack of willing volunteers and officials. She was keen to hear from people with any ideas to help save the club, to come forward as soon as possible, and also mentioned a need to fill several committee roles. Her appeal was also supported by  Bernie Jones , the secretary of the NW Cross-Country League, who added: “Clearly our sport needs help to survive. Menai have a great club developing...

Sandman Triathlon 2024: A Fierce Battle Against the Elements:   Race Report. Special report by Always Aim High Events.    https://alwaysaimhighevents.com/   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Last weekend marked the highly anticipated return of the Sandman Triathlon for its 14th year at the breathtaking Traeth Llanddwyn. This year’s event also played host to Stage 5 of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series, where fierce competition unfolded as athletes vied for the sprint title. The weather didn’t cooperate this weekend, with strong gusts and heavy sea swells forcing us to cancel the swim leg on both days. Sunday then greeted us with torrential rain. However, the athletes remained in great spirits, and the challenging conditions made for a tough but fitting conclusion to the 2024 Adventure Series.   SATURDAY The day began with dry weather, but strong gusts prompted an early decision to cancel the swim leg for the Sprint competitors. Instead, they tackled a 2.2k ...

*Road Runner Lesley Goodson (*above) tackled her first ultra race. Lesley Goodson’s amazing ultra-distance debut. All reports by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Anthony Paul Davies. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersatletics.co.uk Veteran Road Runner Lesley Goodson made her successful debut in a very challenging ultra-distance event last Saturday during the Pen Lyn Coast to Coast Winter Ultra race at Pwllheli. Lesley covered an incredible distance of over 60kms in an overall time of 10 hours, 2 minutes, and 14 seconds, to finish a highly respectable 106th, and she was 5th in her VW50 age cat. *Lesley Goodson - pictured above and below - during her epic ultra-distance race and (*below right), Lesley with Anthony Paul Davies. After her race, Lesley modestly explained just how tough this race really was : “This was my first attempt at an ultra-distance. It was very muddy and slippery, and my legs are shot now, but wow! What a day. Pen Llyn Coast to Coast Ultra. Almost 38-m...

Youngest ever runner Troy Kettle finished 10 th  in Cybi Coastal Marathon. Report by Don Hale.   Teenage endurance athlete Troy Kettle finished a magnificent 10th overall in the highly challenging Cybi Coastal Marathon last weekend. The North Wales Road Runner completed this gruelling trail course in just 4 hours 1 minute and 56 seconds and is understood to be the youngest ever finisher. He also beat his more experienced club colleagues  Karl Morris  and  Steve Bozier , despite both runners having excellent runs. *Steve Bozier pictured en-route by the South Stack lighthouse. *Karl Morris ran well in the Coastal marathon last weekend. *Running buddies Karl Morris and Steve Morris pictured after completing their race. Troy was one of 144 finishers who took part in this extreme event, which followed a very difficult but partially way marked route along paths, tracks, beaches, and the coastline of the Welsh National and Anglesey Coastal Path.   The  e...

Robert Loraine (pictured above) as John Tanner in George Bernard Shaw's  Man and Superman , produced at the Criterion Theatre, London, on 28 September, 1911 EARLY AVIATORS:  FILM STAR ROBERT LORAINE, MABEL LOVE,  AND SOME WELSH MEMORIES Exclusive report by Don Hale.   During the early days of World War One, and as a raw recruit to the British Army, the world-famous actor Robert Lorraine volunteered to join the newly-formed Royal Flying Corps, where his experience in early aviation often proved invaluable.   He also helped form the early ENSA troop of actors, entertaining the troops in battlefields in France and Belgium. He encouraged fellow members of the RFC and RNAS forces to join in the fun, and eventually helped utilise and launch the careers of many famous performers who also went onto to further fame and fortune. Included within this group at one time or another, were said to be: Ivor Novello, Jack Warner, Billy Cotton, Mervyn Johns, Basil Rathbone, Vernon...

THE LOSS OF HMS CONWAY During the early morning of 14 th  April 1953, HMS Conway, a large 19 th  century wooden battleship used for the training and education of cadets, all hoping to become officers in the Merchant and Royal Navy, was driven ashore and wrecked by some exceptionally strong tides, and eventually broke her back in the Menai Strait.  Archive report by Don Hale.   This in fact, was the second attempt to move such a large and difficult ship from her relatively safe berth at Bangor, and head back to Birkenhead for a refit. A similar attempt the day before had been aborted due to extreme difficulties, and the assessment that it was always going to be a ‘great risk.’  HMS Conway was considered to be the largest ever ship to attempt to pass through this notoriously demanding stretch of swirling waters known as the ‘Swellies, that separates Anglesey from the mainland, and included a challenging passage under two major bridges. The vessel had an enormous d...