PRESTATYN Running Club can now boast seven more North Wales champions after hosting another successful Sun Centre 5k in Rhyl.

And the haul of titles and medals from the 22 club competitors came despite many members being involved in the organisation of the event.Special thanks must go to race organiser Jason Burton who shouldered most of the work with the usual support from marshals, finish officials, results compilers and others.

Just three days after finishing the Llandudno 10 in severe pain Gordon Jones led the club contingent home, winning the North Wales M50 title in the process. Other champions were Oliver Harrison-Jones (U20), Gareth Hughes (M65), Roger Harrison-Jones (M70), Amie Bagnall (JL), Glenda Davies (L50) and Val Hatfield (L60).

The over-70s produced one of the most exciting competitions of the evening, with Roger Harrison-Jones beating his brother Ronald by 13 seconds, and clubmate Dave Hughes in third place.

The first man home was Buckley’s Matthew Rose, and his clubmate Erika Robinson took the ladies’ title in a new course record of 17.50 despite a tricky wind on the promenade course.

The race was again sponsored by Rhyl Town Council and the prizes were presented by the Mayor, Coun Win Mullen-James, herself an honorary member of the club.

The placings were: 12 Gordon Jones 18.13 (1st M50, 14 George Nicholls 18.24 (2nd M40), 28 Oliver Harrison-Jones 19.29 (1st U20), 33 Gareth Brandrick 20.01, 39 Russ Cheetham 20.45 (3rd M45), 42 Chris Taft 20.53, 48 Glenda Davies 21.37 (1st L50), 49 Gareth Hughes 21.43 (1st M65), 50 Sandy Roberts 21.53 (2nd L50), 52 Katie Brandrick 22.30 (2nd SL), 55 Brenda Tiedtke 22.42, 57 Gay Waring 22.51 (3rd L50), 60 Amie Bagnall 23.20 (1st JL), 65 Sharon Jones 23.59, 70 John Jones 24.23, 71 Roger Harrison-Jones 24.25 (1st M70), 72 Eleri Goddard 24.33, 73 Ronald Harrison-Jones 24.38 (2nd M70), 77 David Hughes 24.53 (3rd M70), 84 Julie Logan 25.59, 89 Rebecca Morris 27.15, 96 Val Hatfield 33.38 (1st L60).

Over 60 youngsters lined up in the 1,000-metre race which preceded the 5k and the first runner home was under-12 champion Josh Ablett of Ysgol Penmorfa.

The previous evening there was another good turnout of ladies in the sixth race in the Joe Brown Midweek Series of fell-races at Aber, which is a beautiful scenic course but has a very stiff climb at the start. Several of the ladies used the race as a training run for their Three Peaks venture in July.

The placings were: 35 Chris Hayes 40.18, 70 Shelly Ward 44.37 (2nd L40), 77 David Owen 49.49, 79 Steve Hatfield 50.10, 82 Mel Hooper 54.36, 83 (equal) Julie Logan, Claire Gadsby and Helen Ashworth 55.03, 87 Erin Ross 57.23, 91 Helen Baxandall 60.29.

It has been decided to enter teams in the relay competition of the annual Man v Horse multi-terrain race at Llanwrtyd Wells on June 11 and anyone interested is asked to notify Phil Jones as soon as possible.