IT was a great turnout of experienced club athletes and a few social endurance runners at the very tough Fairy Freckled Cow 10.7k trail race last Sunday morning.

The Road Runners entered eight members and collected four podium places and a few PBs, in addition to several North Wales Trail championship medals, at one of the most challenging trail races in the region around Alwen Reservoir.

Despite spectacular views, this race followed a gruelling and very hilly course, with the event eventually won by James Yarwood (Abergele Harriers) in 40 minutes 21 seconds. He was followed by Stephen Skates (Prestatyn RC) in 41.15, and Ian Edwards (Eryri Harriers) 3rd in 41.24. The Ladies race was won by Amie Bagnall (Cheshire Dragons) in 44.26.

Stuart Culverhouse was the first NWRRC man home with a determined display in 21st place in 46.32, and he also claimed the 3rd spot place in his MV50 age cat. Nicola Wylie meanwhile, repeated her recent top form to claim 2nd place in her FV50 cat, and finished 43rd overall in 55.59.

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Kevin Higgins was also on fire again, and he made light work of the course to finish 56th, and 5th MV60 cat in 59.08, and Hannah Griffith enjoyed another fine performance in 62nd place and 3rd in her FV45 cat in 60.54.

Master veteran Don Hale snatched a new course PB with his fourth race of the week whist building back fitness, and he finished 74th, and 4th in his last-ever MV65 cat in 65.54, whilst fellow vet Mike Hayton ran very well, and claimed a deserved bronze medal in 3rd spot in his MV70 cat finishing in 77th place overall in 66.30. This was also his third podium place in successive races this week.

And Helen Hannam battled her way around the course and was pleased to finish in 80th place in 67.11, with Sue Smith celebrating another gritty performance in 94th place in 76.18.

Plaudits were later given to the race organisers, all the volunteers and marshalls, and to Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales for the use of this dramatic route.

This is the provisional results list from the Fairy Freckled Cow Trail race: http://www.denbighharriers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FFCTR-Race-Result-2022-ProvV2-1.pdf.

Other results:

*Pen Llyn: Brave NWRRC endurance athlete Karl Morris completed the Pen Llyn 75-mile race over the weekend, but said he made a few errors and ended up doing 83 miles instead!

Karl eventually ran 83.53 miles in 21 hours and 21 minutes and his challenging route including 3,386m of elevation. He later explained; “I forgot an honesty book page, so I had to track back a mile, and then had to hunt for toilets in Nefyn.

“I even managed to get lost in a farmer’s field. Oh well, a great day and I got to run along some of the best coastal path routes anywhere in the UK. Finished 7th in the end. The marshalls’ and volunteers did a great job.”

*Llanrwst: NWRRC athlete Elizabeth Driscoll competed at the Llanrwst Sprint Triathlon on Sunday and won easily won her F50 age cat with a stunning performance at her first event with a new carbon bike.