News Report 12th February 2007

The worst of the Winter weather so far this year led to the cancellation of the 5th and final league fixture of the Majestic Travel North Wales Cross Country League which was due to have been run at Oswestry last Saturday afternoon. However, the knock-on effect of this was a bumper field of 442 athletes competing at the Nick Beer 10k race in Llandudno the following day. Doubtless, a large number of cross country athletes headed to Llandudno in search of competitive action, amongst them 7 locally based athletes.

The 10k race race which included a tough climb around the Great Orme was won by Luke Northall (Tipton Harriers) in a time of 33.28mins. The first of the local finishers, claiming an overall 19th place finish was Dewi Roberts of Blaenau Ffestiniog in a time of 38.07mins. Following in behind the Bro Dysynni athlete was Criccieth-based David Pryce, running for Colwyn Bay A.C., and finishing in a time of 39.35mins. The evergreen Tony Hodgson of Llanelltyd was the next local finisher, the Meirionnydd Running Club athlete claiming 3rd place on the male over-55 category in a time of 41.24mins. Barrie Jackson of Bala also achieved age category success as he placed 2nd in the male over-65 section in 46.34mins. At the other end of the age scale, young Rob Thomas of Llanelltyd continued his build up for his first ever attempt at the London Marathon as he finished in 48.32mins, with Malcolm Taylor of Criccieth producing another consistent 10k performance as he finished in 49.27mins. The final local finisher on the day also produced the sole local age category victory at the event, as Brenda Jones of Llanelltyd came home in 51.57mins to claim victory in the female over-65 category. In the overall mens team event, the Dysynni trio of Dewi Roberts, Barrie Jackson and Malcolm Taylor came home in a respectable 11th position.

A.Unwin