Ras Moel y Ci,Tregarth, Gwynedd    BS / 8km / 290m 23.02.2013

The cold snap and hard, frosted ground didn’t deter 145 runners from visiting the Moelyci Environmental Centre this year. All 11 juniors finished their race, and all but 3 seniors finished the main race at Tregarth on Saturday. Run in cold but ideal conditions the win went once again to Martin Cliffe – his 3rd win so far this year. Cliffetop ran home in 38.53 – it looks like his climb won the race as 2nd finisher, the ever-improving, Dylan Wynn Jones was only 36 seconds behind. If it wasn’t for Daniel Kashi running well to finish in 3rd in 40.01, the vet 40s would have taken the first 3 positions as John Parkinson came home 4th in 40.05. Aled Edwards, Jim Bacon and Adrian Williams ensured the first 7 finishers were all Eryri runners !

Dragons Back conqueror Steve P Jones reigned supreme in the vet 50s to win in 43.23 – no mean feat considering Michael Belshaw, Iwan Edgar and Arwel Lewis were also running. Such was the quality of the race that the first 34 runners were separated by only 5 minutes – a cracking advertisement for North Walian fell running ! Local legend Phil Tân Jones stormed to victory in the male 60s finishing in 49.35 with Peter Roberts of Buckley winning the male vet 70s. Heddwyn Bye was first junior male home in 49.07.

In the ladies, Chester Tri’s Lisa Grantham had a speedy descent to win in 49.00, a mere 13 seconds ahead of Bangor Uni’s Beckie Taylor. 3rd lady home, and 1st FV50 in 49.38, was a true legend – Angela Brand-Barker, one of the most prolific female fell runners in history. Clwydian’s Sandra Rowlands won the ladies 40s in 51.32 with Ellie Salisbury taking 2nd in the FV50s in 55.02. Maggie Oliver strode to victory in the FV60s in 64.14.

The junior race winner was Julius Muyombya of St David’s College in 10.06 with Eleanor Jones first girl at 2nd in 10.16. Eleven juniors ran.

Many thanks go to the Centre staff, marshals, ‘Team Dolly’ radio network, the registration and finish team, friends and families. Projects at the Moelyci Environmental Centre focus on sustainability, local produce, local employment and crafts www.moelyci.org.