Don Hale Blog

Kinmel Bay beat the freeze and scored nine goals North Wales Coast East Football League 24/25 – Premier Division 11 Jan 2025 Kinmel Bay FC (9) v CPD Bro Cernyw (0):   Report and photos by Barry Griffiths. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com One of the few matches to be held during the freeze and fortunate to be able to get a slot on the G4 at Colwyn Bay. Despite the score a match played end to end with skill and energy.    I had some photo difficulty with light and my poor technique but submit some photos to convey the atmosphere and action.   Well attended game with 6 of the KBFC team officials present and all 5 subs brought into the match.   For the Bay goals which were all fought with determination we have: Min 5 Charlie Jones his first of 2 goals this time assisted by Mathew Beach. Min 7 Sean Sheridan first of his 3 in the match this assisted by Joshua Parry. Min 18 Jordan Bellham first of his 2 this assisted by Mathew Beach. Min 19 Sean Sheridan assisted ...

*Steve Gardner (*above left), with his dad Dave. Gold medals for father and son Dave and Steve Gardner at the Indoor Championships. Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Road Runner and super-vet Dave Gardner struck gold at the North Wales Indoor Championships at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, last Sunday by winning his M85 age category in the shot-put competition. Dave also improved on his previous PB and winning performance from last year when he competed in the M80 cat with a superb throw of 7.26m, which is also expected to be a national record. He later obtained a deserved podium place and collected a prestigious gold medal for his sterling efforts. Meanwhile, Dave’s son  Steve Gardner , also collected a gold medal in the Welsh Masters Indoor Championships at Cardiff on Sunday in his 800m track event with an excellent winning time of 2 minutes 20.89 seconds. *Gold medal winners Dave Gardner (*above left), with Steve Gardner.

*Pictured above - Sandy Johnston in action from last year's event at Eirias Park **NEW FROM RUNWALES:  Colwyn Bay 5 miler/10 miler/20 miler.  9th March 2025, 10am. **Route update: from  RunWales:   Due to the continued sea defence works in Rhyl which will not be completed until 2026, this event has been moved to Colwyn Bay, we have also added a 20 miler to the mix, the race date is 9th March 2025. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com MORE INFORMATION.    Colwyn Bay 5 miler, 10 miler & 20 miler:   https://www.runwales.com/e/colwyn-bay-5-miler-10-miler-and-20-miler-8641 9th March 2025, 10am. All races start at the Athletics track in Colwyn  B ay, from here they head along to the promenade and head East along the coastline where all races have their turning points for you to retrace your steps back to the athletics track. All race routes are mainly very flat with just a couple of short hills. You could use the 20 miler to test your pace on this flati...

*Pictured above - Welsh indoor record holder Dave Gardner at a previous event. Welsh  Masters Indoor Field Events championships at College Cambria on 1st February. www.donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Rod Davies, a director of Welsh Masters Athletics has confirmed details of the Indoor Field events Championships on 1st February 2025. *Entries are now open and can be made via the link below: https://bmaf.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/wmalifec25/ Venue: Coleg Cambria, Deeside Stadium, Connahs Quay, Deeside, Date: 1st February 2025. Events: Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Putt. Entry fees: £10 first event, £8 each for others. Entry link:   Home | Welsh Masters Indoor Field Champs https://bmaf.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/wmalifec25/

*Pictured above - Steve Mason - who was the first NWRRC member home. Hot pace despite a bitterly cold morning at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com It was a very cold start for the first Conwy parkrun of 2025 as 247 mixed ability athletes tackled the puddle-filled, but picturesque 5k course, from the RSPB Nature Reserve last Saturday morning. Despite the freezing temperatures,  Iain Burgess  set a very hot pace as the 1st finisher in just 18 minutes and 36 seconds to win his VM35 age cat, and he was some 36-seconds ahead of his nearest rival, VM40  Richard Wilyman (GOG Triathlon), in 19.08, with SM25  Aaron Jones  3rd in 19.49. Llio Owen  was the 1st female finisher with a new PB of 21.23, and she won her SW20 age cat (13th overall), with VW40 athlete  Vicky Cole  (GOG Triathlon), 2nd (19th overall) with a fine run in 22.05, and VW35  Emma Stanley  claimed the 3rd place, (21st overall) in 22.15. North Wal...

 *Will Williams (*above) enjoyed a good run at Newborough Forest. New Year’s Day results from Newborough and Somerset. *Pictured above - Steve Mason and Tom Aindow. *Newborough:   Will Williams  and  Steve Mason  from NWRRC took part in the New Year’s Day parkrun at Newborough Forest last Wednesday morning. Will finished well in 5th place overall in 20.04, and he won his VM50 age cat, whilst Steve enjoyed a more leisurely walk around the course, and he was 338th in 55.07. *The 1st finisher at Newborough was JM15-17 teenager  William Delamere  in a fast time of just 17 minutes and 11 seconds, with SM25 athlete  Dean Horrell  2nd in 18.58, and SM30  Oscar Hardy  3rd on his debut in 19.11. * Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) was the 1st female finisher (4th overall), and she won her SW25 cat in 19.55, with  Emma Alofs  (Cybi Striders), 2nd (13th overall), with a new PB of 21.05, whilst JW11-14 youngster  Lucy Dela...

  Nick Beer Llandudno 10k - 9th Feb 2025 https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com The event, which is in its 33rd year, has previously been run by North Wales Road Runners, and Always Aim High Events are now proud to add this fantastic race to our community events.  This not-for-profit event will continue to support local charities as well as the North Wales Road Runners Club. Starting on the iconic Victorian promenade in Llandudno, the route takes runners around the awe-inspiring Great Orme with its stunning views of Eryri (Snowdonia), Anglesey and beyond.  With hundreds of runners taking part year after year, it is a fabulous start to the running season. This event has some great history, read all about the man who inspired it, Nick Beer, here:  https://alwaysaimhighevents.com/events/nickbeer10k-5 Running alongside the event, there will be a 1k Fun Run, organised St David's Hospice (Llandudno).   The 10k course. The race starts on the beautiful North Shore of the Llan...

Three WMAL members set four new indoor track records. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Chris Pruski, the records co-ordinator for Welsh Masters Athletics Ltd (WMAL), has just handed out four new Welsh Masters’ record certificates to three exceptional athletes after their times were noted and later verified. They include Cardiff AC W35 athlete  Samantha Gamble  who achieved two separate records in the 60m and 400m events, in addition to M35 athlete  Michael Dickens  (Telford AC), who created a new record in the 60m, and M55 athlete  Geoff Brimble  (Newport Harriers), who also claimed a new record for the 3000m. Samantha’s  WMAL records were set at the Indoor 200m race on 25/2/24 at Lee Valley of 27.55i, and for the 400m at Nuneaton of 60.89 seconds on 31/7/22. Michael Dickens  set his 60m indoor record in Torun, Poland, on 27/3/23, with a time of 7.23 seconds, whilst  Geoff Brimble ...