Report by Don Hale

North Wales Road Runners Will Williams and Karen Butler competed in the British and Irish Masters International Cross-Country Championships at the Billy Neill Country Park, Dundonald, near Belfast last Saturday.

Will performed well in his MV50 age cat on a rather hilly and challenging course despite only just recovering from injury and seemed satisfied after finishing 29th overall in thirty-three minutes and one-second.

And plaudits were also given to NWRRC member Karen Butler who finished 16th in her VW65-75 age cat (24th overall) and she was the 1st Welsh veteran athlete in this section following an excellent display in 31.09.

Karen also led home some other well-known Welsh runners who packed well including Christine Wyn-Jones 17th in 32.16, Fiona Davies 18th in 32.33, VW70 Elizabeth Evans (GOG Triathlon), in 32.46, and Beverley Jones 33.50.

Elsewhere, three North Wales Road Runners competed well in the Inter-regional cross-country championships at Dolerw Park, Newtown, last Saturday, and each recorded some excellent times, with one member even winning a prestigious team medal.

Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton and Steve Gardner were selected to represent the North Wales regional team in the Senior Women and Senior Men’s Masters races, following some promising results in recent NW Cross-country league meetings.

And at the weekend Cheryl formed part of a successful five-women squad that packed well and clinched the 3rd team spot in the Senior Women and Master Women’s race, finishing 105th overall, and she was the 5th team counter, winning a bronze medal, and celebrating 13th place in her MW55 age cat in 29.32.

Kay Hatton also had an impressive run, and she was 121st overall, and 20th in her MW55-64 age cat in 31.07, narrowly missing out on a team placing.

Steve Gardner enjoyed a positive run in 88th place overall in the Senior Men and Master Men’s race in 36.40, and he was 3rd in his MM55 age cat

Cheryl’s team medal winning colleagues included: Emma Collins (Denbigh), 5th in 28.06; Ceri Cook (Buckley RC), 8th in 29.00; Debbie Cattermole (Meirionnydd RC), 10th in 29.01; Joy Hickman (West Cheshire), 12th in 29.01, and Cheryl Frost (NWRRC), 13th in 29.32.