Gareth's Press Report - 18th January 2026

It’s always a shame when athletes have to choose between popular races, but Prestatyn Running Club’s Dafydd Montgomery overcame the problem at the weekend by doing three races in 24 hours.

On Saturday morning he took things slightly easier than usual in the Nova Parkrun, still managing a respectable 20.57, then four hours later he was on the start line in Llandudno for the annual Twin Piers 10k, which incorporated the North Wales championships.

The following morning he was the club’s first finisher in the Four Villages Half-marathon in Helsby which, as usual, attracted a very large field.

In Saturday’s 10k Jonah Armstrong and Danny Williams renewed their personal duel, but,  having been beaten the previous week in the cross-country championships at Bangor, the former gained his revenge on the road.

Twin Piers results: 16 Jonah Armstrong 37.55, 2- Danny Williams 38.25, 24 Dafydd Montgomery 39.05, 50 Matty Smith 41.53, 65 Darrell Jones 43.57, 86 Judah Eastwell 46.18, 122 Paul Robson 49.12, 144 Andy Thomas 51.21, 150 Ally Reid 51.57 (3rd L50 in NW championship). 180 Laura Rich 54.35 (pb), 186 Sue Hughes 55.21 (3rd  L65 in open and championship).

Results of Four Villages Half: 125 Dafydd Montgomery 84.22, 269 Marc Jones 90.55, 439 Zack Webster 98.42, 469 Meg Lewis 1-40.37, 1190 Debbie Jones 2-11.28, 1278 Cara Jones 2-16.41, Julie Evans 2-57.

Some of the club’s members took on the role of pacemakers for various groups in the Nova Parkrun in which two of the ladies recorded pbs.

Placings: 2 Oliver Birch-Jones 19.52, 3 Jamie Betts 19.53, 4 Dave Ellis 19.55, 9 Dafydd Montgomery 20.57, 12 Alex Ryder 21.08, 33 Tilly Jones 23.43 (pb), 36 Reg Jonas 23.54, 38 Beth English 24.03 (pb), 41 Lisa Lines 24.32, 50 Paul Sanders 25.01, 60 Mark Dakeyne 26.03, 75 Gareth Hughes 26.53, 112 Cathy Wood 28.50, 116 Liz Martin 29.23, 130 Grahame Shone 30.34, 165 Mike Davis 32.13, 181 Karl Martin 33.35, 257 Andy Thomas 42.44.

Other Parkrun results:- Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: 84 Martin Cortvriend 23.44 (pb), 292 Claudia Smith 31.37.

Greenfield Valley: 8 Steve Weedman 24.40.

Park in the Past (Hope): 26 Andy Carter 25.48 (pb).

Flint: 178 Helen Alefounder 31.34, 219 Nicki Triggs 33.30, 221 Ben Thomas 33.31, 248 Emma Birchall 35.07, 302 Clare Manley 41.56, 304 Julie Evans 42.19, 319 Suzanne Evans 47.05.

Earlier in the week there was a big turnout from the club in one of the area’s more unusual events, The Horse trail race on Moel Fammau, and for some of them it was their first attempt at the discipline.

Individual entries were not permitted in the 12.5k event in the dark, and the results were based on a highly complicated handicapping system based on the number of runners in each team, their ages and sex.

The fastest squad, with a time of 1-44, comprised Gareth Jones, Judah Eastwell, Dan Liddle, Steve Stocker, Canyon Wilson, Rob Grimes and Jack Richards.