News Report 17th October 2009

Pen Dinas Hill & Constitution Hill in Aberystwyth provided the two major hurdles at the Aberystwyth Twin Peaks Race held recently. In a course measuring 7.5 miles the two major climbs attributed a total of 950 feet of climbing and set a severe challenge for the 110 athletes who gathered at the start-line on the promenade in Aberystwyth.

Amongst those competing were seven locally affiliated athletes and it was no major surprise that they were led home by Ifan Richards of Brithdir, the Meirionnydd Running Club member claiming an overall 4th placed finish in a time of 48.04mins. There was also an impressive performance from Dylan Jones of Aberdyfi, the 1st of five Bro Dysynni A.C. finishers in a time of 54.18mins. Swapping his rugby boots for running shoes was Tom Roberts of Dolgellau, the 2nd Meirionnydd Running Club athlete home, finishing in a time of 55.23mins. A resurgent Iestyn Richards of Tywyn followed, the first of a quartet of Bro Dysynni finishers, home in a time of 56.01mins. Fellow Tywyn-based athlete, Richard Griffiths, just missed out on the hour mark, his finishing time being 1hr 00.32mins whilst two Dysynni stalwarts completed the local contingent, as Malcolm Taylor of Criccieth completed the course in a time of 1hr 11.52mins and Brenda Jones of Llanelltyd came home in a time of 1hr 13.14mins, to secure victory in the Female Over-65 category of the race.

The onset of Autumn has also seen the start of the Grand Prix Express North Wales Cross Country League with Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay recently playing host to the first of the five league fixtures. After the first fixture it is apparent that Meirionnydd Running Club have promotion from Division 2 in mind as a total of 12 athletes were in action on the day. In the 'Senior Men' category, a busy Ifan Richards yet again led home the local contingent in a time of 33.46mins, a mere 10 seconds ahead of club-mate, Huw Brassington of Ganllwyd. They were followed home by Kevin Jones of Dolgellau and Mark Atherton of Llan Ffestiniog in respective times of 36.04mins & 36.23mins with a Dolgellau based quartet following, namely Adam Preston in a time of 37.30mins, Oliver Gallop in 39.15mins, Tom Roberts in 40.01mins and Dave Seabourne in 41.16mins. The sole male Dysynni competitor of the day was Richard Griffiths who completed the course in a time 42.22mins.

In the 'Senior Ladies' race, it was left by Andrea Vaughan of Ganllwyd to lead home the local contingent, the first of three Meirionnydd finishers in a time of 20.15mins. Club-mates, Janet Preston of Dolgellau and Sioned Jones of Brithdir followed in times of 24.09mins & 24.21mins before a familiar quartet of Dysynni competitors filed in. The quartet were led home by Brenda Jones in a time of 25.08mins, followed in by Yolanda Marconi-Nolan in 26.06mins, Marit Evans of Dolgellau in 27.10mins and Marj Griffiths of Aberystwyth in 29.25mins.

Perhaps the performance of the day occured in the 'Under 17 Men's Race' as Alex Lantz of Dolgellau dominated the event, victorious in a time of 16.12mins, a minute and a half ahead of his nearest age category competitor.

Elsewhere, Rebecca Dallimore, formerly of Dolgellau, completed her maiden marathon event recently. Her chosen 26.1 mile course was the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in the Highlands of Scotland, an event she covered superbly in a time of 4hrs 52.38mins.

A.Unwin