PRC Weekly News 22-10-2017
Published In Cross Country PRC News
Storm Brian did its worst but athletes triumphed in the second fixture of the Grand Prix Express North Wales Cross-Country League at St David’s College, Llandudno, on Saturday.
Mud and showers are part and parcel of cross-country running but the conditions were among the worst experienced in the League, especially for the second of the races for the men. The course is a tough one at the best of times, but the gale and driving rain were a real test.
Despite that, Prestatyn Running Club’s members produced some tremendous individual and team performances, even improving on the results from the first fixture at Wrexham.
The senior men, third on the day in Division 1, moved into third on aggregate and the ladies took second place on the day so now lie second overall. The over-70s’ men consolidated the position at the top.
Steve Skates had another terrific battle, leading the men home in 4th place overall, and there were several great supportive runs, with six others in the top 100.
As in Wrexham, Amie Bagnall was the club’s first woman, improving to 5th spot, while behind her younger sister Jenna and fellow teenager Lois Lee – on familiar territory in St David’s College - had another tremendous tussle.
If these positions can be retained they will be the best overall results for the club since joining the League over 30 years ago.
Senior men:
- 4 Steve Skates 33.37 (1st M35)
- 28 Andy Bromley 39.03
- 31 Dean Longley 39.31
- 52 Rob Alexander 40.58
- 58 Darrell Davies 41.44
- 78 Gethin Evans 43.27
- 91 Matty Smith 44.31
- 102 George Nixon 45.41 (2nd M65)
- 115 James Rogers 47.10
- 117 Ben Harrison 47.34
- 124 Des Davies 48.32
- 134 Wyn Roberts 50.35
- 140 Nick Wood 51.41
M75:
- 1 John Hickman 33.17
- 3 Dave Hughes 39.43
M80:
- 1 Roger Harrison-Jones 33.50.
Ladies:
- 5 Amie Bagnall 24.35 (3rd SL)
- 21 Jenna Bagnall 26.52 (3rd U17)
- 22 Lois Lee 26.55
- 24 Helen Ashworth 26.59
- 62 Jo Hoppes 30.31
- 91 Liz Martin 34.23
- 98 Jayne Penrhyn-Jones 35.33
- 100 Emma Birchall 38.59
- 111 Helen Baxandall 41.42.
Though there was plenty of mud about conditions were rather better in the morning for the second fixture of the North Wales Junior League at the same Llandudno venue.
Joseph Duffy had another fine race in the U11 boys’ event and looked set for his second win but was outsprinted in the closing stages. He finished a highly creditable third out of 48 finishers in 11.30.
In the equivalent girls’ race Ffion Armstrong led the Prestatyn trio home, finishing 14th in 8.45. Grace Jones was 20th in 9.23, with Eden Jones three places behind her in 9.50.
Apparently none the worse for Saturday’s efforts Steve Skates was in record-breaking form less than 24 hours later. He won the nine-mile Clwydian Hills fell-race from Cilcain in a course record of 1-16.15. Helen Ashworth also “doubled up”, coming 81st in 1-56.
James Kimber completed a “double” in the Parkrun at Erddig, following up his recent win in Wepre with another victory. It was his second outing at the venue and he won in 20.11, taking 81 seconds off his previous best.
Five club members have been named in the Welsh squad for the British and Irish Masters’ cross-country international in Derry on November 18.
Steve Skates, who won the M35 class at the British Masters’ championship in March and who has been in great form recently, will make his debut. Gareth Hughes, who was reserve for the M70 team last year, is in the four-man team this time and John Hickman has once again been named in the M75 team, with Roger Harrison-Jones and David Hughes both reserves.
Andrew Scott, who has been away from competition for a while through injury, made his comeback in last week’s Manchester half-marathon, clocking a highly respectable 1-58.
Steve Stocker took on the varied challenges of the Hellrunner Up North event in Delamere Forest, which included a series of horrendous obstacles such as the Bog of Doom shortly before the finish. He finished well up the field in 86th place with a time of 2:36.59.
Next weekend the club will have M65 and M75 teams competing in the BMAF cross-country relays in Long Eaton, Derbyshire.