Report by Don Hale

There was a good turn-out of North Wales Road Runners and guests at the annual prize presentation and dinner held at Maesdu Golf Club last Saturday night.

And following a good meal and some entertainment, there was a glittering display of silverware on offer for members old and new as the MC and club chairman Kevin Slattery, read out all the eagerly awaited results, which included: -

Club handicap race winners (female), Helen Hannam, and (male) winner Steve Roberts. (Male), Group C – 3rd Rob Fryer, runner-up Cai Roberts, and winner – Mark Mason. Group B – 3rd Kevin Higgins, runner-up Sion Thomas, and winner Ben Hudson. Group A – 3rd Jonathan Kettle, runner-up Iwan Evans, and winner Martin Green.

(Female), Group B – 3rd Kelly Marie Alford, runner-up Rachel Morris, and winner Helen Hannam. Group A – 3rd Kay Hatton, runner-up Nicola Wylie, and winner Sarah Ferguson Hudson. Rob Fryer award (male): Best parkrun percentage: Winners: Martin Green, and (female) Carla Green.

Lake Vyrnwy (Nick Beer award), first NWRRC member home – Jonathan Kettle. (Male) vet over 60, runner-up Kevin Higgins, winner Don Hale. (Male) vet 40-60, runner-up Martin Green, winner Jonathan Kettle. (Female) vet of the year – runner-up Kay Hatton, and winner Sarah Ferguson Hudson.

Dave Gardner award for overall points – Sarah Ferguson Hudson. (Male) runner of the year – runner-up Jonathan Kettle, winner Martin Green. (Female) runner of the year – runner-up Kay Hatton, winner Sarah Ferguson Hudson. Most Improved (male), winner – Will Williams, and most improved (female), Kelly Marie Alford. Nick Beer award – winner Don Hale. *Praise was also deservedly given to the club’s hard-working results and championship points co-ordinator Martin Green.

North Wales Road Runners paid their own personal tribute to Steve by wearing their club colours and entered a remarkable twenty-two members, with three runners finishing in the top-ten and claimed three age category victories.

Josh Keogh led a strong club team home in 5th place overall, and he won his SM30 age cat in 18 minutes and 44 seconds. He was closely followed by Will Williams, who was just one place and seven-seconds behind, but won his VM50 cat, and Harry Driscoll ran well in 11th place, and he was 3rd in his SM20 cat in 19.40.

Four other club runners packed well, with each member finishing within a few seconds of each other in a final dash. Dave Jones led the group back in 34th place in 22.23, followed by Jamie Tharme 40th in 22.46, and he was 3rd in his VM45 cat, with Steve Roberts 42nd and 2nd in his VM55 cat in 22.50, whilst Tony Price Jones was only four-seconds adrift in 43rd place in 22.54.

And despite a good chase Adam Lemalle had to settle for 49th place in 23.13, with Karl Morris 52nd in 23.24, and a recovering Martin Green finished well in 53rd place in 23.33.

Kelly Marie Alford meanwhile continued her rapid progress with a third parkrun PB on the trot and she knocked almost a minute off her previous time, finishing 67th overall, thanks to her latest PB of 24.44 as the 7th female, and she was 2nd in her VW40 age cat.

Veteran Karen Butler was on good form again, and she was 2nd in her VW65 cat in 80th place in 25.35, with master vet Don Hale winning his VM70 cat in 25.55 in 87th place.

Ceri Jones was 107th in 27.23, and Rob Fryer was back in action again, and he enjoyed a steady run in 27.43 to finish in 113th place.

Another master vet, Mark Mason, claimed the 2nd spot in his VM70 age cat in 118th place overall in 27.51, and Hannah Griffith was 143rd in 29.08, with veteran John O’Shea 144th in 29.11.

Gwennan Charlton also ran well in 169th place in 30.38, with Nia Lister 179th in 31.16; whilst Rachel Morris continued her marathon build-up in 197th place in 32.42.

And the injured Steve Mason, and his dog Coco, walked the course as the sweeper in 287th place in 52.38.