STATISTICS do not always tell the full story, as Prestatyn Running Club's results in Saturday (January 6)'s North Wales Cross-Country Championships prove.

A total of five individual awards and one team prize looks like a pretty healthy return, but the fact they were all won by the men did not do justice to the club's women, who turned out in greater numbers and who narrowly missed several podium places.

In fact, the team medal - bronze - and four of the individual medals were won by supervets aged 65 and older.

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By contrast, Lee Bailey was the sole representative in the senior men - M64 race, the weakest turnout in the club's history, and he took gold in the M45 class after a strong finish in which he overtook his closest rivals.

Gordon Jones had another battle with Eryri's Russell Owen, whom he beat in the recent league race. This time, Owen pipped him for gold in the M65 class.

Martin Cortvriend, though still not back to 100 per cent fitness, also claimed silver in the highly competitive M70 category.

The two other Prestatyn winners were Gareth Hughes (M75) and Roger Harrison-Jones.

Mark Dakeyne made his debut for the club and there was a welcome return to competition for Grahame Shone.

The flat and fast Wrexham course was surprisingly dry and mud-free after the week's heavy rain.

Results: Ladies: 12 Lisa Lines 25.32, 34 Helen Ashworth 29.19, 40 Ann Claire Jones 30.25, 46 Helen Alefounder 34.23, 53 Emma Birchall 44.27, 55 Julie Evans 44.42. Team: 5th.

Sm - M64: 30 Lee Bailey 36.14 (1st M45).

M65+: 2 Gordon Jones 23.53 (2nd M65), 80 Martin Cortvriend 28.49 (2nd M70), 16 George Nixon 31.35, 17 Mark Dakeyne 33.07, 20 Gareth Hughes 34.44 (1st M75), 23 Grahame Shone 36.39, 25 Roger Harrison-Jones 41.26 (1st M85).

Team: 3rd.

The previous evening, five members competed in the third and final race in the Dash in the Dark series in Llandegla Forest, and four of them were in action again in parkruns a little more than 12 hours later.

Dash in the Dark: 25 Oliver Birch-Jones 32.50, 32 Ben Thomas 34.24, 54 Sophie Johnson 40.35, 61 Mandy Cartwright 43.05, 70 Nicki Triggs 48.31.

Nova parkrun: 5 Jamie Betts 19.48, 6 Dave Ellis 20.13, 12 Callum Dally 21.47, 27 Marc Jones 23.50, 33 Reg Jonas 23.22, 52 Martin Gill 27.01, 77 Claudia Smith 29.12, 86 Rachel Jackson 29.45, 100 Cathy Wood 32.08, 128 Sion Jones 35.34.

Conwy: 46 Steve Weedman 24.43, 223 Debbie Weedman 54.15.

Greenfield Valley: 31 Sophie Johnson 29.20, 37 Mandy Cartwright 29.46.

Ruthin: 8 Ben Thomas 20.33 (pb). 36 Nicki Triggs 26.23 (pb).

Llangollen: 26 Andrew Carter 25.51.

Meanwhile, on New Year's Day, seven members took part in one of the maddest races in the calendar, the Jubilee Plunge, a downhill dash from the summit of Moel Famau to the Golden Lion in Llangynhafal.

Results: 24 Ben Thomas 15.08, 25 Lisa Lines 15.16, 40 Marc Jones 17.54, 53 Gee Outten 19.23, 59 Helen Ashworth 20.33, 69 Jo Lewis 21.13, 79 Ann Claire Jones 23.09.