Running: Tracy wins final Prestatyn club race

Sep 17 2008 by Dave Jones, Rhyl Visitor

TRACY Colligan overcame a stiff handicap to win the final race in Prestatyn Running Club’s summer handicap series and take the overall title.

After her victory in the third race club chairman Arwel Jones sliced a minute off her time but Tracy, whose training for the Snowdonia Marathon is clearly paying off, still stormed through to finish first.

It was her third straight win, leaving her well clear in the series, with last year’s winner Helen Baxandall second and Chris Taft third.

Despite a tough headwind in the opening stages three of the 15 competitors set new pbs, among them Matt Sims, who recorded the third fastest time for the course.

Results of final race – 1 Tracy Colligan 28.23 (actual time 22.53), 2 Chris Taft 28.58 (19.58 pb), 3 Matt Sims 29.59 (17.29 pb), 4 Steve Hatfield 29.19 (21.49), 5 Helen Baxandall 29.19 (25.31), 6 George Nicholls 29.37 (18.07), 7 Shelley Ward 29.39 (22.39), 8 Gareth Bailey 29.47 (18.47), 9 John Hughes Roberts 29.58 (21.28), 10 Paul Brandrick 30.00 (20.30, 11 Sandra Mayers 30.30 (28.00), 12 Karen Bancroft 30.34 (28.04), 13 Donna Curley 30.43 (30.43 pb), 14 Julie Logan 3.48 (27.18), 15 Gareth Jones 31.50 (22.50).

Final results – Tracy Colligan 3 points, Helen Baxandall 8, Chris Taft 12, Steve Hatfield 16, Jo McDonough 17, George Nicholls 21, Julie Logan 22, Shelley Ward 27, Gareth Bailey 30, Gareth Jones 39, Paul Brandrick 44.

The club’s weekly track sessions in Colwyn Bay will be resumed next Tuesday (Sept 23).

The Grand Prix Express North Wales Cross-Country League opens on September 27 in Colwyn Bay and it is hoped new members who have joined the club will give it a go.

DARREN Blazier of Abergele Harriers returned to form in the Llanddoged 12.5k at the weekend.

Blazier retained the title he won last year, taking over the lead at four kilometres and running out the victor by about two minutes.

His time of 47.23 was slightly slower than last year but bore testament to the fact he had little or no competition after the 5km mark.

Susan Calvert clocked 71.30, taking 20 seconds off the time she posted last year.

On the previous Tuesday, Sean and Steven McCormack travelled to the final Grand Prix of the season in Trafford.

Sean again competed in the 3,000m, finishing first veteran in 9.49, while Steven took on the sprinters and recorded a pb28.04 for 200m.

Grahame Shone recently ran in the Avignon 10k in Provence, France, finishing in 41.55 (108/410).