AFTER five weeks in the Australian sunshine, the contrast could hardly have been greater for Prestatyn Running Club veteran Martin Cortvriend last weekend.

Just 48 hours after arriving home, he lined up in the Wepre Parkrun in Connah’s Quay, one of the few in North Wales to survive the icy weekend conditions.

And 24 hours later, Martin, who is still recovering his fitness, braved the near-freezing conditions again in the third Borders Road-Running League fixture in Wrexham.

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The club’s men’s and women’s were depleted despite there being no other major events on the calendar, but Gordon Jones (M65), Gareth Hughes (M75) and Emma Collins all continued their sequence of victories in their respective categories.

They are among eight members who, with three races gone, hold places in the top 10 in their categories, the others being Rachel Shipley (SL), Victoria Whitehead (L50), Darren Blazier (M50), Martin Cortvriend (M70) and George Nixon (M70).

The consistent Alex Ryder was once again the club’s first finisher; the men’s team finished fifth in Division 2 on the day and are third overall, as are the women.

Placings: 31 Alex Ryder 32.32, 71 Rachel Shipley 34.51 (2nd SL), 76 Darren Blazier 34.59, 85 Oliver Birch-Jones 35.16, 91 Gordon Jones 35.39 (1st M65), 169 Dan Liddle 40.03, 184 Ben Thomas 40.58, 226 Emma Collins 43.27 (1st L60), 235 Victoria Whitehead 43.59, 253 Martin Cortvriend 45.44 (2nd M70), 264 Ann Claire Jones 46.54, 288 George Nixon 48.32 (3rd M70), 298 Gareth Hughes 50.17 (1st M75), 303 Nicki Triggs 51.20, 307 Liz Martin 52.00, 333 Julie Evans 65.15.

Wepre Parkrun: 7 Dave Ellis 23.27, 19 Marc Jones 25.26, 37 Ann Claire Jones 28.07, 54 Martin Cortvriend 30.26, 56 Sophie Johnson 30.28, 57 Nem James 30.57 (pb), 63 Rachel Jackson 31.59, 69 Debbie Jones 32.59 (pb), 77 Claudia Smith 34.14, 83 Emma Birchall 36.53, 86 Cathy Wood 36.55, 98 Julie Evans 40.57.

Moors Valley Parkrun (Dorset): 54 Paul Sanders 22.06.