Gareth's Press Report - 8th March 2026

It was celebrations all round for members of Prestatyn Running Club at the weekend, with a host of medals, trophies....and chocolate cake.

On Saturday about 40 past and present members attended the Nova Parkrun to help club President Gareth Hughes celebrate his 80th birthday.

Only a couple of hours later four of those participants were among a record field of over 160 in the Pipedream fell-race in Dolgarrog, and of the 12 Prestatyn runners taking part seven came away with medals.

Though only 4.2 miles long the race, which this year was a WFRA short course championship event, involves 1,280 feet of ascent, much of it up the very steep steps alongside the giant pipeline.

The celebrations continued on Sunday when 23 members lined up in the Chester 10k in which there were well over 7,000 competitors.

In a high-quality race three members claimed age-group awards. They were in-form veteran Marc Jones (3rd M60), and two talented teenagers Oliver Birch-Jones (2nd U20) and Erin Thomas (3rd U20).

The outstanding individual performance, though, came from Oliver Harrison-Jones, grandson of supervet Roger, who was making his debut after rejoining the club after a lengthy break from competition.

The Chester results were (chip times): 47 Oliver Harrison-Jones 36.55, 66 Oliver Birch-Jones 37.48, 82 Dafydd Montgomery 38.14, 157 Tom Coen 39.56, 203 Lewis Pierce 41.00, 275 Marc Jones 41.31, 316 Luke Bodman 42.25, 320 Adam Jeffers 42.43, 435 Darrell Jones 43.53, 487 Erin Thomas 43.26, 488 Kieran Williams 42.19, 547 Eve Manifold 42.52, 603 Zack Webster 43.56, ,2,893 Laura Rich 54.00, 3,350 Olivia Trimm 53.16, 3,480 Casey Blake 57.42, , 5,365 Rachael Hughes 58.03, 3,519 Debbie Jones 56.49, 3,857 Claire Manifold 59.07, 4,4041 Andy Scott 57.51, 4,350 Helen Alefounder 59.54, 7,105 Julie Evans 83.07, 7,198 Roger Harrison-Jones 83.12.

The finishing times at Dolgarrog were: Gareth Jones 43.59, Lee Bailey 46.31 (1st M45), Ben Thomas 48.23, Rachel Jackson 57.29 (2nd L40), Andy Thomas 57.56 (1st M60), Mark Dakeyne 63.20 (3rd M65), Nem James 65.41, Philip Howarth 66.00, Nicki Triggs 75.29, Ann Claire Jones 2-18.41 (1st L50), Cara Jones 2-18.46 (3rd L50), Julie Evans 2-18.55 (3rd L65).

Veteran Steve Skates was in the North Wales senior men’s team which competed in the UK CAU inter-counties cross-country championships on Saturday. The event attracts the best of the country’s athletes and Steve finished a highly creditable 238th. In 255th place was Prestatyn’s second-claim member Aled Hughes.

In the Nova Parkrun Alex Ryder chalked up yet another victory, extending his superb record on the course, while in an excellent third place Evan Lewis clocked a new pb.

The placings were: 1 Alex Ryder 18.14, 3 Evan Lewis 19.27 (pb), 7 Dafydd Montgomery 21.06, 8 Thomas Watkiss 21.20, 12 Leah Hughes 21.49, 17 Oliver Birch-Jones 22.42, 22 Meg Lewis 23.25, 23 Reg Jonas 23.32 (pb), 25 Judah Eastwell 23.40, 26 Paul Robson 23.49, 29 Dean Longley 23.57, 32 Lewis Pierce 24.09, 36 Millie Robinson 24.15, 40 Dan Liddle 24.34, 41 Zack Webster 24.35, 42 Jamie Betts 24.35, 43 Marc Jones 24.36, 46 Steve Weedman 24.43, 52 Neil Davidson 24.56, 53 Chris Bennett 25.05, 54 Ben Thomas 25.06, 71 Andy Thomas 25.52, 72 Jack Lally 25.55, 90 Gareth Hughes 27.20, 102 Jo Lewis 28.14, 122 Sue Hughes 30.09, 123 Ally Reid 30.10, 124 Claire Manifold 30.16, 125 Grahame Shone 30.19, 132 Mike Davis 30.44, 133 Nicki Triggs 30.46, 145 Debbie Weedman 31.27, 160 Karl Martin 31.53, 197 Linda Knight 35.37, 210 Mark Dakeyne 36.27, 223 Helen Baxandall 37.39, 232 Clare Manley 41.03, 241 Steve Hatfield 48.18, 243 Gill Brandrick 45.09, 265 Duncan Longley 56.59.

Conwy: 5 David Hudd 20.41 (pb).

Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: 159 Heather Battersby 27.51, 252 Katie Newe 31.31 (pb).

Flint: 177 Linda Friar 37.57.

Park in the Past: 45 Andrew Carter 29.22.

Hillsborough Forest (Belfast): 41 Martin Cortvriend 24.38.

This Sunday (15th) is the closing date for entries to the British Masters’ cross-country championships in Bangor on the 21st, when individual and team medals are up for grabs.