PRC joined 60 other clubs in the Welsh Castles Relay - Gareth's press report 8th June 2025

Two hundred miles, lots of laughs, tough competition and great camaraderie. That was the experience for members of Prestatyn Running Club as they joined 60 other clubs in this year’s Welsh Castles Relay from Caernarfon to Cardiff.

For 17 of the 20-strong squad it was a new experience, and though the standard of competition was higher than ever they did the club proud. Huge credit goes to all, including the reserves who stepped in after four withdrawals, and to team managers Jo Lewis and Dave Ellis.

The team finished a creditable 48th overall, the individual stage positions being as follows:- 1 (9.1m), 60 Zack Webster; 2 (10.7m) 27 Dafydd Montgomery 69.32; 3 (12.3m) 39 Oliver Birch-Jones 81.16; 4 (9.5m) 59 Nam James 84.00; 5 (9.6m) 27 Darrell Jones 68.34; 6 (9m) 54 Helen Ashworth 72.30; 7 (10.1m) 53 Ben Thomas 80.32; 8 (10.8m) 56 Judah Eastwell 87.41; 9 (8.5m) 50 Arwel Jones 65.08; 10 (13.1m) 31 Dan Williams 85.31; 11 (10.5m) 47 Marc Jones 77.53; 12 (11.2m) 33 Lewis Pierce 74.08; 13 (10.4m) 34 Matty Smith 71.47; 14 10.8m) 43 Gareth Jones 78.21; 15 (12.8m) 52 Canyon Wilson 99.46; 16 (12.5m) 41 Lee Bailey (92.26; 17 (8.7m) 34 Dan Liddle 60.40; 18 (9.1m) 34 Eve Manifold 62.54; 19 (7.7m) 42 edg Lewis 59.11; 20 (9.1m) 31 Dave Ellis 59.30.

Less than 24 hours after completing mountain stages in the relay Ben Thomas and Oliver Birch-Jones were in action again in different triathlons.

Ben took on the tough Slateman Tri in Llanberis, a tough enough challenge on its own, and finished in 4-18.42. Oliver opted for the Boundary Breeze Sprint Tri in Manchester, coming a brilliant 19th out of 120.

In the Slateman Sprint Tri in Llanberis second-claim member Chris Bennett finished 31st in 1-45.44.

Four of the club’s ladies also hit the trails again on Saturday, competing in the 27.1-mile Pilgrim Marathon on the Lleyn Peninsula, with Sue Hughes winning her age-group in 6-31. Ally Reid kept her company throughout.

Helen Alefounder and Cara Jones finished in 9-15, with Ann Claire Jones four minutes behind them.

Ten of the relay squad had warmed up two days earlier by turning out in the first fixture of Deestriders’ Off-Road Grand Prix series in Shotton.

In fact 24 club members took part, representing over 25% of the total field, and 12 of them gained podium places.

The placings were: 2 Tom Carter 24.24 (1st M40), 14 Gareth Jones 27.27, 18 Lee Bailey 27.46, 19 Dave Ellis 27.52, 22 Lewis Pierce 28.13 (1st SM), 29 Steve Stocker28.24, 34 Dean Longley 30.27, 35 Marc Jones30.30 (2nd M60), 38 Canyon Wilson 30.57, 44 Eve Manifold 31.42 (1st SL), 45 Darrell Jones 31.43, 46 Matty Smith 32.17, 52 Simon Bonfield 33.13, 58 Meg Lewis 33.58 (2nd SL), 60 Paul Sanders 34.13, 61 Keiley Roberts 34.16 (1st L35), 69 Philip Howarth 35.48 (2nd M70), 71 Nem James 36.34, 83 Debbie Jones 41.57 (1st L55), 84 Liz Martin 42.46 (2nd L45), 85 Mike Davis 43.39 (1st M75), 89 Emma Birchall 46.11 (2nd L55), 92 Julie Evans 57.21 (2nd L60), 93 Steve Hatfield 57.21 (2nd M75).

Marc Jones, the club’s Road Runner of the Year, was the club’s only representative in the Llanrug 5k, which incorporated the North Wales championships. True to form, he won the M60 class in both the open race and championship, clocking 20.36.

The previous weekend the club’s mountain specialists and joint captains Lee Bailey and Gareth Jones took on one of the region’s toughest challenges in the Welsh 1,000s, regarded as a classic event.

The 32k race starts on the coast at Abergwyngregyn and finishes on the summit of Snowdon, and this year it was more testing than usual with 50kph winds on the peaks.

The event incorporated the Welsh Fell Running Championship long race, and Lee, who finished 24th overall, won the M40 class in about 5h 30m. Gareth also had a superb, coming 54th out of 142, finishing about half an hour behind Lee.

Zack Webster was on his travels recently, clocking 53.08 in the Geneva 10k.

Nova Parkrun: 1 Tom Carter 17.00 (pb), 20 Jamie Betts 22.32, 36 Reg Jonas 24.19, 38 Neil Davidson 24.24 (pb), 41 Will Lines 24.35, 42 Lisa Lines 24.36, 56 Philip Howarth 25.40, 104 Andy Scott: 29.00, 196 Steve Hatfield 38.18, 221 Suzanne Evans 60.23, 222 Nicki Triggs 60.24, 229 Julie Evans 53.24.

Other Parkruns:- Greenfield Valley: 18 Steve Weedman 24.58.

Holkham (Norfolk): 86 Debbie Jones 28.22.

Black Ropcks (Matlock): 56 Martin Cortvriend 23.34.