Anglo-Celtic Plate

GELDER WINS FOR A FOURTH TIME

Wales's Emily Gelder claimed a fourth successive victory in the Angle-Celtic Plate 100k in Perth, running comfortably all the way throughout the 42 laps.

 The Dulwich athlete, who hails from Llandrindod Wells, clocked 8-16.55, exactly the same time as compatriot Jason Scanlon, who decided early on to stay with the experienced Gelder, who won the ladies' title by over 17 minutes.

 Scanlon finished 13th and was second Welsh scorer behind former Eryri Harrier Iain Ridgeway, who clocked 7-19.09, slicing 16 minutes off his pb. It placed him fourth overall and earned him a bronze medal in the UK championships.

 Welshman Jeremy Mower was 14th overall in 8-46.20 but Buckley's John Pares, the Commonwealth champion, pulled out after 29 laps with what appeared to be virus.

 In the 50k race at the same venue George Nicholls (Prestatyn), who made his ultra-distance debut in last month's Barry 40, finished 14th in 4-26.

Chocaholic 5k

TEENAGERS TASTE SUCCESS IN CHOCAHOLIC 5K

Sixteen-year-old Jimmy Kershaw chalked up his best result yet in winning the Chocaholic 5k in Newtown, coming home 14 seconds clear of the experienced former winner Tim Davies.

 And in seventh place overall was the first lady, 18-year-old Welsh international Ffion Price from Llandrindod. Her twin sister Rhianwedd was second and yet another teenager, Alex Cathra, third.

 Results: 1 J Kershaw (Oswestry, U20) 16.18, 2 T Davies (Maldwyn, M35) 16.32, 3 L Davies (Brecon, U20) 17.10, 4 A Games (Brecon, U20) 17.14, 5 I Lowe (Osw, M40) 17.15, 6 Ll Lewis (DIC) 17.42.
 M40: 2 A Hughes (Meir) 19.22, 3 P Walker (ua) 21.05.
 M45: 1 A Davies (Thornbury) 18.21, 2 D Osborne (Brecon) 20.32, 3 P Jones (ua) 21.55
 M50: 1 J Lyden (Ludlow) 20.1`3, 2 P Paul (7VC) 23.17, 3 G Evans (Bro Dys) 25.16
 M55: 1 E Davies (Mald) 18.17, 2 G Watkins (HCC) 20.53, 3 C Copus (Mald) 21.27
 M60: P Hough (ua)) 20.47, 2 A Ryland (Builth) 22.56, 3 D Jones (Denbigh|) 24.33
 M65: JG Evans (Aberystwyth) 22.13, J Strange (Tel H) 24.57

LADIES

1 Ff Price (Cardiff, U20) 17.48, 2 R Price (Cardiff, U20) 19.33, 3 A Cawthra (Mald, U20) 20.40, 4 L Davies (Osw) 21.27, 5 J Loxam (Mald) 22.21
 L35: B Bryant (Mald) 30.20
L40: 1 N Davies (Thornbury) 23.35, 2 J Mellor (Mald) 23.54, 3 S Lloyd (Mald) 25.10
 L45:  1 A Hutchinson (Mald) 24.53, 2 M Evans (Bro Dys) 29.59
 L50: R Butler (Mald) 24.20,
 L55: 1 J Hillman (Mald) 26.44,
 L60: J Lloyd (Mald) 28.14, 2 H Stretch (Aberystwyth) 28.31
 L65: A Cruse (Ludlow) 30.41
 L70: B Jones (Bro Dys) 27.34
 L75: S Symonds (Bro Dys) 41.38

Wilmslow Half

DAVIES CLOCKS ANOTHER PB IN WILMSLOW

Andrew Davies (Maldwyn) chalked up another pb in finishing seventh in the Wilmslow Half-Marathon.

 His time of 67.59 was exactly 10 seconds faster than he clocked in Roma three weeks ago.

 Other North Wales results in Wilmslow included: 17 Callum Rogers (Sale and Bangor Uni) 73.38, 23 Alun Vaughan (Eryri) 74.12, 38 Stefan Sayer (Menai) 77.00, 64 Simon Roberts (Buckley) 79.59, 79 Emma Parry (Wrexham, 6th lady, 3rd L35) 81.06, 319 Jay Jennions (Deestriders) 90.12, 689 Rosemary Rogers (Deestriders, 1st L60) 98.54.

Athlete's Profile (4)

ATHLETE'S PROFILE (4)

JOHN FORD (NWRR)

ANY PREVIOUS CLUBS: Abergele Harriers, Mysteruns. Joined NWRR at the beginning of 2011.

AGE AND D.O.B.: 43,  26.9.69

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMPETING: Just over 6 years, since the 2006 Ras Fawr Llanddoged

ANY OTHER SPORTS PLAYED: I was a keen cyclist in the 1980s before taking up football again in the 1990s. I hung up my boots in 1999 before my son was born.

OTHER HOBBIES OR INTERESTS: I am an avid lifelong Blackpool FC fan.

FAVOURITE RACING DISTANCE: The Marathon - I have averaged 2 a year since 2007

FAVOURITE RACE AND WHY: A very close call between Ras Fawr Llanddoged (my local race, which got me running and I now help organise) and the Snowdonia Marathon, but the heart says Llanddoged.

FAVOURITE TRAINING SESSION: Fartlek session in the hills above the Conwy Valley

PROUDEST MOMENT: After one of my earliest Llanddoged races my daughter's teacher put a notein her homework book saying "Da iawn Dad Elliw", followed closely by winning the race in 2010.

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE (INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ATHLETICS) AND WHY: Sporting wise it's got to be Ron Hill and Jimmy Armfield

ANY PERSONAL AMBITIONS: To have a go at cross-country again (I enjoyed it and it was probably the only thing I was good at in school) and, hopefully, get a Welsh Masters vest one day.

ANY REGRETS: I wish I hadn't had my gait analysed last year and changed the type of trainers I wore - I struggled last year with plantar fasciitis, which was at its worst first thing in the morning when I do most of my running/ long runs

ANY EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCES: My worst running experience was collapsing at the end of the 2009 Ras Fawr Llanddoged after suffering a hypo-glycaemia attack in the last mile, with my wife and kids watching as I was given oxygen and the paramedics tried to bring me round (before being taken away in an ambulance)

WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE SPORT: More funding at grassroots level to get more/better coaches to spot/nurture talent at a young age and to hopefully produce a better crop of GB runners in the future including, hopefully, a British runner challenging in the top marathons like Ron Hill and Steve Jones used to.

UK Cross Challenge

LIVETT MAKES TOP SIX

The determination of Menai's Sarah Livett to take on Britain's top athletes paid off as she finished sixth in the senior women's standings in the 2012-13 UK Cross Challenge.

 Points are awarded at the races in Bristol, Liverpool, Antrim, Cardiff and Birmingham, and to be eligible athletes had to compete in four of the five races, including the final in Birmingham, where points were worth double.

 In Birmingham Sarah finished 100th but it was still good enough to place her sixth overall.

 In the under-20s' section twin sisters Ffion and Rhianwedd Price (Brecon) finished second and fourth respectively.

Vale of Clwyd 10

ROBERTS TAKE 10K TITLE AS NORGROVE GOES ASTRAY

Buckley's Simon Roberts, who hails from St Asaph, returned to his native area to win the second Vale of Clwyd 10k at Llandyrnog, but only after fellow-veteran Gary Norgrove, who was third last year, went off-course.

 Isabel Redfern (Colwyn Bay) retained her ladies' title, finishing 12th overall, just as she did in 2012.

 Results: 1 S Roberts (Buck, M40) 36.03, 2 S Eardley (CB, M40) 37.14, 3 A Bromley (Deeside, U23) 37.19, 4 J Morris (Denbigh, U23) 38.08, 5 A Lewis (Eryri, M50) 38.44, 6 N Hershaw (West Chesh, M45) 38.58. M40: 3 J Thomas (Cybi) 39.21. M50: 2 V Belshaw (Denbigh) 40.47, 3 D Jones (Denbigh) 43.19. M60: 1 G Nixon (Prestatyn) 41.29, 2 R Neale (Denbigh) 47.46, 3 G Howell (Liv H) 48.39. M70: 1 Roger Harrison-Jones (Prest) 51.24, 2 R Birch (Denbigh) 58.06. U17: 1 B Harrison (Prest) 51.04.
 Ladies: 1 I Redfern (Colwyn Bay, L40) 40.54, 2 M Ludden (Buckley, L50) 43.41, 3 E Jones (Deeside, LU17) 43.57, 4 L Martin (Deestriders, L50) 46.02, 5 T Williams (Denbigh, L45) 46.23, 6 S Jones (ua, L40) 47.43. L35: A Davies (Denbigh) 54.03.  L40: 3 V Whitehead (Denbigh) 47.59. L45: 2 L50: 3 J Penrhyn-Jones (Prest) 48.23. L60: J Morgan (Denbigh) 68.30.

Ras Moel Tryfan

PARKINSON MOVES UP A PLACE

A week after coming second in the Pipe Dream race Eryri veteran John Parkinson went one better in winning the Ras Moel Tryfan event in Rhosgadfan.

 Resultsm (all Eryri unless stated): 1 J Parkinson (M40) 31.43, 2 M Fortes 32.33, 3 M Davies (NWRR) 33.16, 4 B Williams 33.22, 5 D Owen 33.49, 6 SP Jones (M50) 34.36. M40: 2 G Porter-Jones 37.13, 3 Ll Iwan 37.16. M50: 2 A Lewis 35.05, 3 I Edgar 35.25. M60: P "Tan" Jones 38.02. M70: E Davies 43.18. Ladies: 1 B Law 37.51, 2 S Cumming (ua) 40.20, 3 J Williamson 41.15. L40: 1 E Wood 43.51, 2 E Green 45.04. L50: E Salisbury 42.27.

UK Inter-Counties XC

YOUNGSTERS DO NORTH WALES PROUD

 At a top-class meeting where so many talented youngsters have been made to look mediocre in the past North Wales athletes put up a tremendous show at the UK inter-counties' cross-country championships in Birmingham's Cofton Park.

 The region has collected only ever two individual medals at the championship, both golds won by Colin Jones (Eryri, U20) in 1994 and Matthew Jones (Stoke, U17) in 2000, but this year there were two bronze medals.

 Georgia Garner (Colwyn Bay), who is coached by the highly respected Bud Baldaro, clung on to third place in a tight finish in the U17s' class and Maldwyn's Joseph Crutchley took bronze in the U13s' race. He was just two seconds behind the winner.

 Just behind Joseph in 6th place was Matthew Willis (Wrexham), and with Oliver Barbaresi (Menai) 30th and Thomas Evans (Wrexham) just making the top 100, the under-13s finished a brilliant sixth, the region's highest place ever.
 All those youngsters have had a good winter but what was remarkable was the improvment they have shown on last year's inter-counties. In 2012 Georgia was 92nd, Joseph was 63rd and Matthew an amazing 212th.

 Whilst they were the most eyecatching results there were other fine runs throughout the age-groups. Iolo Hughes (Menai) was 20th in the U17s' race, his sister Cari in the 30s and Lily Davis (Deeside) in the 40s in the U15 category.

 Nathan Jones (Colwyn Bay) made 29th in the high-quality under-20s race and David Mountford (Liverpool Harriers) a highly creditable 31st in the senior men's event, which was a qualifier for the World Championships.

 After a long lay-off with injury Katie Parry (Leeds) made a top 100 comeback in the senior ladies' competition, finishing just ahead of Sarah Livett (Menai).

 Team manager David Alun Williams was delighted with the overall performance, especially since so many had withdrawn. Out of a total of 42 North Wales athletes who took part 35% finished in the top 100.

 Among the placings were:
 Boys under 13: 3 J Crutchley, 6 M Willis, 30 O Barbaresi, 98 T Evans, 199 S Jones (Menai).
 Boys under 15: 187 M Roberts (CB), 193 A Williams (Wrex), 269 R Cain (Menai)
 Men under 17: 20 I Hughes, 229 T Henry (Dee), 236 J Griffith (CB), 240 G Leach (Dee)
 Men under 20: 29 N Jones, 59 G Jones (Mald), 140 A Lanz (Meir)
 Senior men: 31 D Mountford, 181 L Jones (Dee), 251 D Weston (Wrex), 289 S Davies (Mansfield). Others included: 19 I Mitchell (Tipton)
 Girls under 13: 156 H Roberts (CB0, 172 M Owen (Dee), 267 C Vaughan (CB), 296 Z Baker (Osw), 298 M Loxton (Menai).
 Girls under 15: 34 C Hughes, 47 L Davis (Dee), 94 M Davies (Menai), 185 H Price (Osw), 186 C Evans (Mald), 264 M Randell (Wrex), 266 G Morris (CB).
 Ladies under 17: 3 G Garner, 233 A Cheetham (Prest)
 Ladies under 20: 40 L Sharpe (Eryri), 136 A Bagnall (Prest)
 Senior Ladies: 91 K Parry, 100 S Livett, 273 A Smith (Tatt). Others included: 30 C Martin (Tel), 48 A Lavender (Osw), 155 R Hetherington, ((Eden Runners, ex-Wrex), 291 A Tickner (Osw).

Marsh Tracks 5k

CHALLINOR OUT ON HIS OWN 

 Ricky Challinor stormed to an easy win in the latest 5k at Rhyl's Marsh Tracks circuit, where a nasty wind again made the going tough.

 He opened up a sizeable gap on the first of the four laps, only veteran Lee Jones trying to stay with him. His winning time was 16 seconds outside the course record set last year by Eryri's Alun Vaughan.

 Isabel Redfern, who had won the two previous Marsh Tracks races with ease, had to work hard this time, coming from behind to beat Bangor student Sarah Caskey.

 There were two senior races, the first for sub-22 minutes runners and the second for 22-minute-plus athletes. Combined results were:-

1 R Challinor (Liv H, U23) 15.25, 2 L Jones (Dee, M40) 16.05, 3 J Hudak (Bangor Uni, U20) 16.40, 4 C Evans (Eryri) 16.42, 5 D Kashi (Eryri, U23) 16.46, 6 D Blazier (Abergele, M40) 17.05, 7 S Roberts (Buckley, M40) 17.11, 8 J Griffith (Colwyn Bay, U17) 17.16, 9 R Wilyman (Abergele) 17.25, 10 C Yorke (NWRR, M40) 17.38, 11 R Colclough (Deeside, U17) 17.46, 12 J Waters (Abergele, M35) 17.52, 13 T Cahill (Abergele, M50) 18.19, 14 D Taylor (Bangor Uni, U23) 18.27, 15 T Harding (Colwyn Bay, U17) 18.38, 16 I Redfern (Colwyn Bay, L40) 18.36, 17 S Caskey (Bangor Uni, LU23) 18.44, 18 D Longley (Prestatyn) 18.47, 19 G Blackwell (Deeside, M45) 18.50, 20 S Green (Bangor Uni, U23) 18.53, 21 A Lewis (Eryri, M50) 18.54, 22 M Jones (Buckley, M40) 19.20, 23 G Nixon (Prestatyn, M60) 19.59, 24 G Bailey (Prestatyn) 20.07, 25 D Baugh (Denbigh, M50) 20.49, 26 H McArthur (Colwyn Bay, L40) 20.51, 27 N Wright (ua, M50) 21.00, 28 M Ludden (Buckley, L50) 21.03, 29 C Winn (ua, M35), 30 S Jolley (Deeside, M45) 21.40, 30  G Shone (Abergele, M60) 21.50, 32 J Connor (N Vets, M50) 21.50, 33 J Morris (Buckley, M65) 22.27, 34 B Harrison (Prestatyn, U17) 22.50, 35 V Whitehead (Denbigh, L40) 22.57, 36 G Waring (Prestatyn, L55) 23.10, 37 B Tiedtke (Prestatyn, L50) 23.20, 38 P Blundell (Prestatyn, M55) 23.41, 39 M Davis (Prestatyn, M65) 23.51, 40 R Benton (Denbigh, U23) 24.53, 41 M Williams (Eryri, M65) 25.01, 42 T Lister (NWRR, M65) 26.30, 43 K Ellis (Prestatyn, LU20) 26.43, 44 I Roberts (Eryri, M65) 27.00, 45 L Miles (Prestatyn, LU17) 27.20, 46 H Baxandall (Prestatyn, L50) 27.38, 47 K Sadil (Menai, M35) 28.12, 48 C Attenbury (Prestatyn, L35) 34.36, 49 D Longley (Prestatyn, M55) 34.42.

 For the first time a 1k race was held for under-14s, and there was an excellent turnout of over 60 youngsters. Josh Ablett (Deeside) and Holly Roberts (Colwyn Bay), both of whom live in Prestatyn, were the first boy and girl home.

Island Half-Marathon

VAUGHAN WINS ISLAND HALF AT A CANTER

With next month's London Marathon debut in mind Eryri's Alun Vaughan might have hoped for a really testing workout in the second Island Half-Marathon in Anglesey but it proved to be little more than a time trial for him.

 Unsurprisingly, he won in a very respectable time of 69.56, but was in a class of his own as runner-up Andy Walling was over seven minutes behind.

Alison Lavender (Oswestry) had to work much harder for her victory in the ladies' race, coming home just 15 seconds clear of Bangor University student Sarah Caskey, who had taken the lead at the 10-mile stage. Lavender's strong finish led to her breaking the course record by 10 minutes.

 Results: 1 A Vaughan (Eryri) 69.56, 2 A Walling (Menai) 76.59, 3 S Sayer (Menai) 77.35, 4 A Connell (Eryri) 78.03, 5 M Green (NWRR) 78.52, 6 B Williams (ua) 79.58.
 M40: 1 C Yorke (NWRR) 81.16, 2 G Roberts (ua) 84.19, 3 T Bunn (ua) 85.45
 M45: 1 I Rowlands (Cybi) 83.26, 2 R ab Elwyn (Eryri) 83.44, 3 A Whitaker (ua) 84.22
 M50: 1 A Lewis (Eryri) 84.28, 2 G Spilsbury (ua) 87.39, 3 PMW Jones (ua) 88.54
 M55: 1 I Edgar (Eryri)  87.46, 2 K Slattery (NWRR) 88.34, 3 G Owen (ua) 91.39
 M60: 1 T Clixby (Village RR) 1-42.29, 2 I Hayhoe (Village RR) 1-53.38, 3 W Davies (ua) 1-54.48
 M65: 1 JG Evans (Aberystwyth) 1-42.111, P Grout (ua) 2-02.03, I Roberts (Eryri) 2-12.42

 LADIES
1 A Lavender (Osw) 81.59, 2 S Caskey (Bangor Uni) 82.14, 3 S Evans (Eryri) 84.34, 4 G Mead (Chester Tri, L45) 86.33, 5 L Grantham (Chester Tri) 91.35, 6 C Page (ua) 95.42
 L40: 1 F Sandom (ua) 1-42.14, 2 K McNeil (ua) 1-45.08, 3 T McDonnell (Eryri) 1-45.47
 L45: 2 M Perrin (ua) 1-45.10, 2 M Perrin (ua) 1-45.10, 3 J Muir (ua) 1047.37
 L50: 1 C Northcote (Styal) 1-41.24, 2  N Lee-Browne (NWRR) 1-44.46, 3 D Richards (ua) 1-52.20
 L55: 1 N Henderson (Scott Sports) 1-44.09, 2 M Bird (Ell Port) 1-55.07, 3 D Jones (ua) 2-07.49
 L60: 1 H Allen (Hart RR) 1-53.21
 L65: 1 L Simpson (Village) 1-58.25, 2 L Zass (Stragglers) 1-58.48
 L70: 1 B Jones (Bro Dysynni) 2-01.54, 2 M Thorpe (ua) 22-59.38

Pipedream

BENTLEY CRUISES ON THE HILLS

Russell Bentley (Kent AC) powered to a comfortable win in the Pipedream fell-race at Dolgarrog, finishing two minutes clear of runner-up John Parkinson.

 The 31-year-old, a 30.14 10k performer, was never put under any pressure as he strode to victory. His time of 35.07 was just four seconds outside Ifan Richards' course record.

 Bangor University student Becky Taylor had an equally easy win in the ladies' race, clocking 44.59 and finishing 25th overall.

 Results: 1 R Bentley (Kent) 35.07, 2 J Parkinson (Eryri, M40) 37.10, 3 A Edwards (ua) 37.20, 4 M Davies (NWRR) 37.39, 5 A Haynes (Eryri, M50) 37.46, 6 M Fortes (Eryri) 37.51.M40: 2 C Jones (Eryri) 39.30, 3 GP Jones (Eryri) 41.44. M50: 2 G Griffiths (ua) 44.38, 3 N Hindle (FRA) 44.42. M60: 1 A Duncan (Bowland) 42.16, 2 D Owen OPrestatyn) 58.46.
 Ladies: 1 B Taylor (Bangor Uni, U23) 44.59, 2 R Newstead (ua) 47.10, 3 J Williamson (Eryri) 47.33. L40: 1 A Wilde (ua) 53.51, 2 A Cook (ua) 56.51. L50: 1 E Salisbury 48.52, 2 B Tiedtke (Prestatyn) 48.57, 3 L Edmondson (Wrekin) 57.56.