North Wales 10KM Road Running Championships 2025

NORTH WALES 10km ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025
Once again, the Regional 10km championships returned to the Arthur Bebbington Twin Piers race, an event with a long tradition and one of the very few organised by a Club and a point-to-point course rather than the usual circular route. For those of you unfamiliar with the race, it starts at Llandudno pier and finishes on the prom at Colwyn Bay – where the pier once stood. Saturday 18th January was the date, and it was a clear, blue sky with temperatures hovering around 6 degrees C and a very calm sea that greeted the runners. With almost 350 entries, 316 runners finished the race, with nearly 200 of them qualified for the Regional championships. It was a race that ultimately lead to a real-life couple winning both the men’s and women’s races.

The men’s race was led from start to finish by Swansea’s Josh Griffiths in 31:58. Josh moved to North Wales last October, so was ineligible for the championships. Instead it was a first-ever title for the vastly improved – and delighted – Gwion Roberts (Meirionnydd), who finished in fourth overall in 34:21; he also collected gold senior man. James Yarwood (Wrexham) was second and first M35 in 34:41 and Lloyd Williams (Cybi) was third and second M35 in 34:44.

The women’s race was a hotly contested affair as Deeside team-mates Eden O’Dea and Mia Roberts battled it out, with Eden finished in 37:36, 6 seconds ahead of Mia in 37:42. For Eden this was also her first title and comes on the back of a very busy 2024 during which she raced on the trails, cross country, track and a total of 6 road 10km’s the fastest of which saw her set a new p.b. of 36:18 at Porthcawl in July. She also won gold in the senior category. For Mia Roberts, this was a happy ending to a long battle to regain fitness after a terrible car crash several years ago. In fact, this was her first competitive race since 2019, so it was really pleasing to see her back in action and running so well. Remarkably this was also her debut at the distance; she took silver senior. In third place was Anna Drinkwater (Eryri), in 38:41, who took bronze senior.

Other results: Men: U/20: 1. Josh Mottram (Colwyn Bay) 43:36; 2. Gruff Anderson (Eryri) 45:30. SM: 1. Gwion Roberts (Meirionnydd) 34:21; 2. Chris Pownall (Cybi) 34:44; 3. Andrew Bromley (Helsby) 34:53. M35: 1. James Yarwood (Wrexham) 34:41; 2. Lloyd Williams (Cybi) 34:52; 3. David Bus Hughes (Colwyn Bay) 36:20. M40: Daniel Williams (Prestatyn) 38:39; 2. Mark Davies (Gog Tri) 39:58; 3. Dean Thomas (Maldwyn) 40:06. M45: 1. Alun Williams (Meirionnydd) 35:09; 2. William Dunn (Meirionnydd) 36:45; 3. Stephen Skates (Meirionnydd) 37:38. M50: 1. Martin Green (Meirionnydd) 34:55; 2. Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC) 36:36; 3. Nic Brook (Eryri) 36:41. M55: 1. Llion Iwan (Eryri) 40:13; 2. Eddie Davies (Buckley) 41:35; 3. Anthony Davies (Eryri) 43:12. M60: 1. Steven Gardner (NWRRC) 39:08; 2. Steven Roberts (NWRRC) 45:43; 3. Tim Cahill (Prestatyn) 46:33. M65: 1. Arwel Lewis (Eryri) 45:48; 2. John Jones (Eryri) 47:12; 3. Simon Nixon (Denbigh) 48:01. M70: 1. Kevin Slattery (NWRRC) 46:11; 2. Barrie Wells (Colwyn Bay) 50:54; 3. Dave Passe (Denbigh) 54:31. M75/80: no entries. Women: U/20: 1. Clara Cust (Colwyn Bay) 43:32; 2. Tallulah Seguin (Menai) 47:32. SL: 1. Eden O’Dea (Deeside) 37:36; 2. Mia Roberts (Deeside) 37:42; 3. Anna Drinkwater (Eryri) 38: 41. F35: 1. Jennifer Rambaldi (Buckley) 39:25; 2. Elliw Haf (Eryri) 41:43; 3. Sonia Williams (Cybi) 42:50. F40: Anna Buckingham (Meirionnydd) 40:06; 2. Hannah Thomas (Maldwyn) 41:30; 3. Catherine Tudor-Jones (Denbigh) 45:26. F45: 1. Gwennan Henstock (Buckley) 46:55; 2. Lee Evans (Denbigh) 48:29; 3. Adele Fletcher (Meirionnydd) 50:39. M50: 1. Jane Doughton (Buckley) 43:34; 2. Amanda Bailey (Wrexham) 44:13; 3. Nyfan Wynn (Hebog) 47:36. M55: 1. Cheryl Frost (NWRRC) 48:22; 2. Jane Lindley (Buckley) 50:27; 3. Jacqueline Seeney (Cybi) 58:57. M60: 1. Margaret Ludden (Buckley) 48:39; 2. Anne Mynott (Colwyn Bay) 49:19; 3. Kay Hatton (NWRRC) 49:24. F65: 1. Karen Butler (NWRRC) 50:55; 2. Christine Wyn-Jones (Deeside) 51:58; 3. Susan Ridings (Buckley) 60:03. F70: 1. Elizabeth Evans (Gog Tri) 53:37. F75: 1. Marjorie Griffiths (Bro Dysynni) 84:33.

Photos of Eden O’Dea and Josh Griffiths and Gwion Roberts: John Earlston

Paul Brooks