Quality field battled for honours at Llandudno’s 5k Easter Prom Dash.
Report by Don Hale. Photos by Kevin Slattery.
The annual Easter 5k Dash on Llandudno promenade last Saturday attracted a massive quality field of top club and social runners with many raising thousands of pounds for local charities.
Blessed by bright, warm sunshine, several hundred athletes created a fast and furious encounter watched by huge crowds of supporters and tourists on the prom, who generated a tremendous and unique atmosphere from start to finish.
Dion Griffith (Menai T&F) was the eventual winner of this popular race, but it was a battle to the finish with several keen rivals, who made him fight all the way for honours. Dion eventually took the plaudits and won his senior men age cat with an incredible chip time of just 15 minutes and 46 seconds.
He was closely followed by talented youngster Noah Vaughan (Eryri Harriers), who won his junior men’s cat in 15.53, and he was just one second ahead of Tomos Land (GOG Triathlon) in 15.54, who won his own senior male age cat title.
Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers) was the 1st female athlete home finishing in 25th place overall in 18.50 and she also won her F35 age cat. Olivia Ashton competed with Gemma all the way and she finished just four seconds adrift, but won her senior female cat, with Amy McKechnie the 3rd female finisher in 19.42, and the 1st F40 age cat winner.
*Pictured (*above) Welsh Master veteran Roger Harrison-Jones.
The Llandudno Prom Dash recorded a mixed variety of entrants ranging from teenagers to athletes in their late 80s, including an amazing husband and wife veteran duo Roger Harrison-Jones (Prestatyn RC), and his wife Valerie,who both won their respective MV85 and FV80 age categories in excellent times. And prior to the main race, there was also a popular children’s event.
Roger finished the 5k in 304th place in 30.05, whilst Valerie ran home in 44.27, and Roger’s Prestatyn team mates also collected prestigious honours in several other master veteran age cats with George Nixon winning his MV70 cat in 93rd place in 24.03, and Gareth Hughes won his MV75 cat in 123rd place in 25.38.
*Welsh Master Martin Green in action in Llandudno.
North Wales Road Runners celebrated success with a huge turn-out of some 24 athletes who collected eleven podium places, including four age category victories. Martin Green was the pick of the team finishing 6th, and winning his MV45 cat in 16.26, with newcomer Alastair Canaway running well in 12th place in 17.01, and Will Williams recovered from injury to finish 14th and the 1st MV50 age cat winner in 18.10.
*Pictured (*above) Welsh Masters' Will Williams and Steve Gardner battled for places at the 5k Easter Dash.
Steve Gardner retained his top form and claimed 1st place in his MV60 age cat finishing in 20th place in 18.42, with Iwan Evans 24th overall, and 3rd in his MV45 cat in 18.50, and Harry Driscoll was 29th in 19.06. In addition, Mal Preece was 47th in 20.42, and Jamie Tharme finished 50th in 20.49.
Steve Poupart seems to have regained his form and finished 54th in 21.06, and another runner back in form was Steve Roberts 76th in 22.38, whilst three top female club veterans battled it out for glory with Kay Hatton 81st overall, and the 2nd FV60 athlete in 23.12, with Nicola Wylie 83rd and 1st F55 winner in 23.22, closely followed by Cheryl Frost 85th in 23.42, and 2nd in the same age cat.
*Pictured (Above left) Kay Hatton and Nicola Wylie.
Tony Gibson had a good run in his new MV65 cat finishing 98th in 24.23, with Hannah Griffith 115th in 25.13. Master veteran Mark Mason was 124th, and he was 2nd in his MV70 cat in 25.40, and he was just ahead despite his chip time from Rob Fryer 125th in 25.35, and Karen Butler was 126th in 25.48 and 3rd in her FV60 age cat, with veteran Len Jackson 128th in 25.54.
*Len Jackson (*above left) with Helen Hannam.
Helen Hannam benefitted from her recent marathon training to finish well in 141st place in 26.21, and she claimed the 3rd spot in her FV45 cat, whilst master vet Mike Hayton continued his good form to finish 152nd and 3rd in his MV70 cat in 26.58, with fellow master vet Don Hale running his first race in over seven months finished 168th in 27.54.
*Pictured above - Welsh Master veteran Mike Hayton.
Meanwhile, teenager Mia Morris made a positive return to racing with a solid run, finishing 208th in 30.29, and her mum, Rachel Morris, had a steady run in 217th place in 31.24.
*These are the provisional results from the Llandudno Prom Easter 5k Dash: