Press Release

Tarren Hendre Fell Race

28.01.2006

On a bitterly cold winters day, with frost thick on the ground, 70 intrepid runners set off from Abergynolwyn, near Tywyn last Saturday, to tackle the third running of the Tarren Hendre Fell Race. The race, which covers 6 miles and 2000ft of ascent was led from start to finish by English fell running champion Simon Bailey (a previous winner of the Snowdon race) who completed the course in 45.12 and took 8 minutes off the previous course record. He was closely followed home by Dark Peaks Lloyd Taggart in 45.37 and last years Aran race winner Tim Higginbottom of Eryri in 52.25.

First local home in 5^th place was Steve Gilliland in 53.37, taking first place in the 0/40 age group. In an all too rare outing Dewi Roberts of Blaenau finished in 21^st place in 1.02.15 with Dolgellau’s Tony Hodgson close behind in 24^th place in 1.02.33.

John Marsh, a man more noted for running races of a far greater distance, took first place in the 0/60 age group finishing in 27^th place overall in 1.03.05, with Glyn Lewis of Tywyn following home in 1.05.39.

In an incredibly hotly contested battle the Dolgellau trio of Iori Jones (1.14.33), Nich Bradley (1.14.37) and Bob Chilton (1.14.39) finished in an electric sprint for the line with the younger legs of Jones making the difference on the day.

The ladies race was won by Jackie Lee of Eryri in 57.07, which saw her finish in 12^th place overall, taking 4 minutes off her own course record. Second lady, who pushed Lee all the way on the ascent of the mountain, was Anna Bartlett of Shrewsbury in 58.41 while 3^rd place went to Kristin Bailey, 1.02.12, of Bingley Harriers. First of the 3 local ladies home was Rosie Naish in 1.08.25, which saw her comfortably secure the lady 0/40 title, and she was followed by Juliet Edwards in 1.16.28 and Roma Charlwood, suffering from having helped set the course out the previous day, in 1.19.25.

The marshals and all of the finishers enjoyed thawing out after the race in the Railway Inn, where Spike and the staff had provided soup to warm runners and volunteers alike. The third and final race in the winter series will be Ras Yr Aran, starting from Llanuwchllyn, on 25^th March.