Oswestry Olympians provided the leading Shropshire athletes in the third Majestic Travel North Wales League held on the Treborth Playing Fields Bangor.

Oswestry's Josh Ogden from St Martins, won the Under 17 mens race repeating his victory from the opening fixture at Colwyn Bay, as he came home with a comfortable lead in 15.24, 38 seconds clear of his nearest rival, Gethin Edwards of Menai whilst David Mountford of Deeside was 3rd.

Alison Lavender led the Oswestry Olympian womens team to take first place in the team race as she came second in the race behind Wrexham's Anna Frost. It was Alison's best ever performance in the league in her first season as an Under 20. She is having a superb season having finished 3rd at Colwyn Bay and 4th at Lilleshall and is the leading finisher who has run in all three races. The Pulverbatch based athlete, a student at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College finished in 16.34, just 18 seconds behind the winner. Sandra Kleeman from Eryri was third in 16.49.

Oliver Blake another Oswestry Olympian, led the Shropshire finishers in the senior mens race as he came home 4th, his highest posittion of the season, behind a duo of Eryri athletes. Alun Vaughan, led the field home in 29.24 with Gwyn Owen second in 30.35 whilst Menai's Andy Walling was third in 31.19, just 17 seconds ahead of 4th placed Blake. This was his best ever league placing as he was also the first under 20, having finished 11th and 12th previously this season.

Doug Morris, Oswestry club president joined in on the act as he was the first over 70 home finishing his race in 24.36.

Shrewsbury AC's Welsh International Fell Runner, Anna Barlett had one of her best ever cross country races finishing 5th in 17.21, 20 seconds ahead of Telford's Julie Kirby in 6th, her highest North Wales League finish for some 10 years. Alison Tickner,11th and Birgit Eyke, 12th were given the same time of 18.38.This pair completed the Oswestry scoring three giving them 25 points the same as Wrexham, but Wrexham's third scorer Ali Whitelaw from Gobowen was 17th, whilst Oswestry's third scorer was 12th, so Oswestry were given first place on the day. Sam Hutchinson, Shrewsbury AC's winner of the Bells of Pattingham race was 13th,18.42 whilst their international triathlete Grace Chillingworth was 14th,18.52 as the Shrewsbury team comfortably won the Division Two team race. Host club Eryri were third in the womens team race with 29 points whilst Telford were 4th with 45 points.

Telford's Greg Wilson, crwoned the British over 50's champion the previous week end in Scotland celebrated with his highest league placing of the season as he finished 5th in 31.43, with Eryri's Richard Roberts, 6th in 31.57. Wrexham's Mike Weedall was the second over 50 in 32.05, whilst Maldwyn's promising under 20, David Cheshire was 8th in 32.09. Kevin Francis led the Shrewsbury Ac contingent home in 23rd poistion,34.01 whilst Dave Wilde led home the Bridgnorth squad in 53rd, 36.34.

Eryri who had 4 runners in the top 9, comfortably won the team race with just 53 points,with league champions Telford having to settle for second place, but a distance behind with 201 points whilst Abergele had their best team finish of the season taking third with 203 points. That massive victory puts Eryri in the lead overall with 325 pts, whilst Telford are secsond with 334 pts with Shrewsbury AC third on 511pts.

Telford AC won the veteran mens team race on the day with 21 pts whilst Abergele wewre second with 32pts and Shrewsbury were 3rd with 34 points.

Mens Team positions (overall league points in brackets )

Division One
1. Eryri 53 (325 - 1st)
2. Telford AC 201 (334 - 2nd)
3. Abergele 203 (707 - 4th)
4. Shrewsbury AC 216 (511 - 3rd)
5. Colwyn Bay 232 (844 - 6th)
6. Buckley 303 (1223 - 7th)
7. Wrexham 395 (787 - 5th)
8. Oswestry 479 (1414 - 8th)

Division Two
4. Maldwyn H 495 (1361 - 4th)
9. Bridgnorth 775 (2664 -10th)

Mens Veterans Team Positions
1. Telford AC 21 ( 42 - 1st)
2. Abergele 32 ( 122 - 3rd)
3. Shrewsbury AC 34 ( 86 - 2nd)
4. Prestatyn 55 ( 219 - 6th)
5. Eryri 58 (184 - 5th)
6. Wrexham 80 ( 174 - 4th)
7. Buckley 85 ( 302 - 9th)
8. Oswestry 90 ( 285 - 8th)
9. Denbigh 96 ( 282 - 7th)
10. Menai 105
11. Maldwyn H 115 ( 322 - 10th)
12. Bridgnorth 176 (666 - 12th)
13. Deeside 177 ( 560 - 11th)

Womens Team poistions
Division One
1. Oswestry 25 ( 80 - 2nd)
2. Wrexham 25 ( 64 - 1st)
3. Eryri 29 ( 193 - 5th)
4. Telford AC 45 (136 - 3rd)
5. Buckley 55 (233 - 6th)
6. Colwyn Bay 57 (145 - 4th)
7. Denbigh 111 (296 - 7th)

Division Two
1. Shrewsbury Ac 32 ( 470 - 5th)
8. Maldwyn H 194 ( 610 - 10th)

Womens Veterans Teams
1. Wrexham 26 ( 109 - 2nd)
2. Telford 26 ( 110 - 3rd)
3. Eryri 29 ( 120 - 4th)
4. Oswestry 31 ( 86 - 1st)
5. Buckley 52 ( 164 - 5th)
6. Shrewsbury 61
7. Prestatyn 65 ( 190 - 6th)
8. Denbigh 90 ( 201 - 7th)
9. Bro Dysynni 123 (334 - 8th)
10. Maldwyn H 127

Leading local finishers
Women
Maldwyn H
59th T. Jones 23.06
60th L. Chapman 23.11
75th C. Orrells 25.53

Oswestry Oly
2nd A. Lavender 16.34
11th A. Tickner 18.38
12th B. Eyke 18.38
27th S. Greaves 20.18
36th J. Jarvis 21.10
49th A. Bates 22.23

Shrewsbury AC
5th A. Bartlett 17.21
13th S. Hutchinson 18.42
14th G. Chillingworth 18.52
77th S. Richards 26.24


Telford AC
6th J. Kirby 17.41
16th C. Evans 18.57
23rd L. Blagden 19.52
38th J. Hailey 21.21

Men
Bridgnorth
53rd D. Wilde 36.34
133rd B. Walters 46.13
139th R. Griffin 54.13

Maldwyn H
8th D. Cheshire 32.09
31st H. Jones 34.46
69th G. Fletcher 37.40
123rd D. Pugh 43.07
128th S. Orrells 44.41
136th P. Hillman 47.50
Oswestry Oly
4th O. Blake 31.36
58th C. Kirtley 37.11
62nd D. Newton 37.25
86th S. Nicholls 39.18
119th N. Ballard 42.57

Shrewsbury AC
23rd K. Francis 34.01
25th D. Beales 34.23
26th T. Smith 34.29
28th S. Waters 34.35
55th C. Wakeman 36.46
59th A. Lewis 37.18
67th A. Beeston 37.35
91st D. Owen 39.30
98th D. Rose 40.25
132nd T. Scales 45.49

Telford AC
5th G. Wilson 31.43
12th R. Hailey 32.33
17th C. Bagshaw 33.01
37th P. Williams 35.26
51st M. Dawes 36.28
79th P. Sanderson 38.31
89th A. Smith 39.22
114th D. Davies 42.22
134th A. Hodgkiss 46.14


Paul Sandersosn