Report: Caernarfon 10km 18th August 2024

ROGERS BREAKS RECORDS BUT STAFFORDSHIRE HAVE A GOLDEN DAY

The 2024 four-match Inter County series finally got under way at the Caernarfon 10km on Sunday 18th August. Following the cancellation of Cheshire’s home match at the Farndon 10km in May (waterlogged race hq), this event was the season opener on a cloudy day with a chilly breeze. The performance of the day was surely that of Buckley’s Tracy Rogers who took an early lead that she stretched to over a minute, winning the race and the women’s match in 35:41, 21st finisher. In doing so, she broke the previous race course record, set a new personal best, broke her own F35 record and jumped to 5th in the all-time NWRAC rankings. Next in was Rachel Shipley (Abergele), 6th IC in 39:23, followed by debutante Emma Alofs (Cybi) who was 10th IC in 40:46. Next in was Carla Green (NWRRC) who is beginning to recover fitness after a long period of ill-health; she finished 11th IC in 41:38. The second of our debutantes was Maddison Griffiths (Maldwyn); still an under20, she took 12th IC in 42:14. The women’s match was decided on countback as Staffs (2+7+8+9) and Shrops (3+4+5+14) both had 26 points , the former taking the win.

North Wales took third (1+6+10+11) with 28. The men’s race came down to the hosts and Staffs on who would take the win, and the latter took it by one point (1+5+6+9) with 21 to our 22 (3+4+7+8). Shrops were third with 37 (2+10+12+13). Our runners were led home by Wrexham pair Connor Rogers (Wrexham) was who 3rd IC in 32:31, and Ryan Davis 4th IC in 32:32. They had run together for much of the race and the last 50 metres saw Connor just edge it. Meirionnydd’s Gwion Roberts has made great strides under coach Russell Bentley and finished as 7th IC in 33:23. Another Wrexham athlete, Luke Northall, was 8th IC in 33:40 and Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC), who had literally been added to the team days before the race, finished 15th IC in 36:09.

Photos: Page 1 left: Tracy Rogers; team photo: back row (L to r) Gwion Roberts, Ryan Davies, Connor Rogers, Luke Northall, Jonathan Kettle and Paul Brooks (team manager).; front row: Tracy Rogers, Carla Green, Maddison Griffiths, Emma Alofs and Rachel Shipley. Page 2: l to r: Connor Rogers, Ryan Davis, Emma Alofs and Maddison Griffiths.

More photos on our NWRAC Facebook page.

Next match

is the Guilden 10km (Cheshire) on Sunday 15th September, followed by the Flying Fox 10 miles (Staffs) on Sunday 3rd November.

Paul Brooks