Gareth's Press Report - 22nd March 2026

British titles and a step nearer an unprecedented “double” made it another great weekend for Prestatyn Running Club.

On Saturday, five individual and three team awards were the club’s record-breaking haul at the British Masters’ cross-country championships on the Faenol Estate in Bangor,

The turnout from the club put others to shame, and even more remarkable was that for two of the men who came away with individual and team medals, it was their first cross-country race of the season.

The over-65s men’s team took gold, and both the women’s team and M35-64 team took silver. Roger Harrison-Jones was M85 champion and silver medals went to Sue Hughes (L65) and Gareth Hughes (M80), while first-timers Paul Robson and Andy Scott won silver and gold respectively in the M50 class.

The placings were:- Men 35-64: 20 Gareth Jones 32.39, 26 Paul Robson 40.35, 27 Andy Scott 47.50.

Ladies 35 upwards and M65: 25 Leah Hughes 31.01, 36 Neil Davidson 34.12, 37 Philip Howarth 34.57, 41 Mark Dakeyne 35.56, 43 Sue Hughes 36.44, 45 Gareth Hughes 37.44, 49 Liz Martin 41.09, 50 Katie Newe 43.14, 51 Mike Davis 43.26, 53 Roger Harrison-Jones 56.53.

Less than 24 hours later, five of those were in action again in the fifth Borders Road-Running League fixture at Hoylake when the men topped Division 1, and the ladies were second. Both now lie second on aggregate, and with only one race left, the ladies look odds-on to add to the promotion in the North Wales Cross-Country League.

The placings were: 16 Tom Carter 25.36 (2nd M40), 26 Aled Hughes 26.17 (2nd M35), 30 Alex Ryder 26.28, 60 Dafydd Montgomery 27.45, 78 Andy Parry 28.46, 82 Gareth Jones 29.00, 103 Darren Blazier 29.32, 108 Tom Coen 29.44, 127 Adam Jeffers 30.30, 132 Marc Jones 30.36 (2nd M60), 156 Erin Thomas 32.05 (2nd U20), 158 Ben Thomas 32.07, 167 Dan Liddle 32.20, 170 Dean Longley 32.24, 172 Lisa Lines 32.35, 174 Judah Eastwell 32.42, 187 Matty Smith 33.17, 192 Rachel Shipley 33.26, 197 Millie Robinson 33.43, 211 Nem James 34.16, 216 Tony Benton 34.21, 237 Beth English 35.34. 238 Martin Cortvriend 35.50 (1st M70), 255 Tilly Jones 37.04, 266 Neil Davidson 37.31, 297 Philip Howarth 38.58 (3rd M70), 308 Sue Hughes 40.07 (2nd L65), 329 Nicki Triggs 42.32, 347 Liz Martin 44.59, 359 Grahame Shone 48.07 (1st M75).

A week after his Howarth Hobble in Yorkshire, David Hudd again headed north, but this time for what has been described as “probably the most beautiful road race in Britain” – the 14-mile Coniston 14. He again had a superb run, coming 92nd out of 1,139 competitors in 1-37.46.

Also on his travels was Craig Smith, who was among 36,000 in Sunday’s Rome Marathon, and finished in the top 2,000 with a time of 3-57.26.

Thirty club members turned out in a total of nine different Parkruns on Saturday, some of them taking it easy before the Borders League.

Conditions were perfect at all venues, and mother-and-daughter Cathy Wood and Rachel Jackson both took advantage to record pbs in the Nova run.

The placings were: 4 Danny Williams 19.49, 8 Dafydd Montgomery 20.21, 10 Jonathon Puleston-Jones 20.25, 17 Alex Ryder 22.49, 22 Paul Sanders 22.59, 23 David Ellis 23.01, 25 Judah Eastwell 23.05, 27 Jack Lally 23.10, 29 Marc Jones 23.16, 28 Keiran Jones 23.14, 35 Nem James 23.46, 37 Millie Robinson 23.50, 40 Lewis Pierce 24.13, 41 Adam Jeffers 24.24, 52 Andy Thomas 24.58, 63 Rachel Jackson 25.30 (pb), 64 Eve Manifold 25.39, 92 Cathy Wood 27.52 (pb), 241 Jo Edwards (Tailwalker).

Other Parkrun results were:- Greenfield Valley: 4 Jenne Bagnall 23.27 (pb, 1st female), 63 Debbie Jones 64.44 (Tailwalker).

Flint: 45 Steve Weedman 25.00, 148 Debbie Weedman 31.00.

Ruthin: 118 Clare Manley 36.41.

Conwy: 152 Julie Evans 42.11.

Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: 100 Andy Carter 24.58.

Cleethorpes: 242 Steve Hatfield 41.53.

Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent): 67 Martin Cortvriend 27.18.

Princes Park, Liverpool: 537 Ben Thomas 35.09, 538 Nicki Triggs 35.09.

The growth and success of the club over the past year were highlighted at the annual meeting on Friday, when several new office-holders were elected. They include Mark Dakeyne, who succeeds Duncan Longley as chairman.

Duncan paid thanks to the committee members for their work, which has seen total membership reach 150 for the first time in over 20 years, and the organisation of club sessions becoming more structured.

On behalf of his fellow Captains, Gareth Jones summarised the achievements on road, cross-country, trails and fells, one of the highlights being the ladies’ promotion to Division 1 in the North Wales Cross-Country League.