Gareth's Press Report - 20th September 2026

With the cross-country and Borders League season just a couple of weeks away the RNLI 5k on Llandudno promenade produced some intriguing results for Prestatyn Running Club.

There was a fascinating duel between the two Olivers – Harrison-Jones and Birch-Jones – both of whom had brilliant runs, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively.

Alex Ryder was just three places further back, while Gordon Jones, having returned from holiday less than 48 hours earlier, won the M65 class by a big margin.

Another member with good reason to be happy with his performance was Paul Robson. The former Wales youth international recorded his best time since returning to the sport just a few years ago.

The placings were: 3 Oliver Harrison-Jones 16.51, 4 Oliver Birch-Jones 17.27, 7 Alex Ryder 17,53, 24 Gordon Jones 19.55, 47 Judah Eastwell 21.20, 64 Owen Gibson 22.14, 65 Jenna Bagnall 22.16, 77 Paul Robson 23.06.

Eighteen members turned out in the third race of the club’s internal series last week over a course of dunes and trails. Tom Gregory won by a substantial margin, with Katie Baker the first female.

The results were: 1 Tom Gregory 15.55, 2 Dafydd Montgomery 16.40, 3  Jack Hughes 17.07, 4 Ben Thomas 18.01,, 5 Zack Webster 18.05, 6 Owen Jones 18.54, 7 Andy Thomas 19.31, 8 Oliver Birch-Jones 20.07, 9 Chris Bennett 20.11, 10 Alex Ryder 20.15, 11 Neil Davidson 20.57, 12 Philip Howarth 21.20, 13 Stephen D’Arcy 21.24, 14 Katie Baker 22.11, 15 Liz Martin 24.30, 16 Katie C 25.05, 17 Sophie Truesdale 25.05, 18 Mike Davis 30.51.

Once again Parkruns were the main sources of activity at the weekend, with a total of 41 club members in action,

Twenty-three of them turned out in the Nova run, where a strong wind and a heavy downpour made conditions pretty uncomfortable.

The placings of those running the club’s name were: 7 Jamie Betts 20.31, 15 Dafydd Montgomery 21.51, 19 Alex Ryder 22.19, 21 Paul Sanders 22.45, 26 Ben Lewis 23.10, 29 Robert Grima 23.17, 30 Owen Gibson 23.29, 32 Eve Manifold 23.37, 34 Meg Lewis 23.46, 37 Oliver Birch-Jones 23.52, 38 David Tudor 23.53, 39 Beth English 23.57 (pb), 41 Michelle Meredith-Roberts 24.11, 45 Tilly Jones 24.48, 49 Andy Thomas 24.56, 57 Reg Jonas 25.48, 59 Neil Davidson 25.57, 80 Nem James 27.45, 85 Mark Dakeyne 28.15, 127 Mike Davis 31.57, 132 Adam Jeffers 32.23, 141 Rachel Platt 33.45, 167 Katie Newe 38.25.

A group of 10 travelled to Ruthin as part of the Feel, Find, Mind cancer awareness campaign and followed up with a social run in Denbigh.

They were: 34 Phil Howarth 25.21, 44 Rhian Jones 26.17, 67 Cathy Wood 28.37 (pb), 68 Rachel Jackson 28.38, 69 Cara Jones 28.38, 108 Linda Friar 34.11, 122 Julie Evans 38.48, 135 Emma Birchall 48.49, 136 Suzanne Evans 48.49, 137 Clare Manley 48.50.

Other Parkruns:-

Greenfield Valley: 21 Glenda Roberts 29.56, 49 Steve Hatfield 40.19.

Flint: 10 Owen Jones 22.04.

Samford (Queensland): 40 Martin Cortvriend 24.32.

Ellesmere Port: 56 Brian Williams 29.19.

Amager Faelled (Denmark): 76 Zack Webster 24.12.

Congleton: 109 Andy Carter 27.21.

Heaton (Manchester): 35 Jack Lally 20.53.