The July heat wave chose to relent on race morning, making conditions more bearable for the 40 entrants in the first running of this shortened version of the classic event.
Now based at the Cwmfforest Riding Centre, the race still has its sting-in-the-tail uphill finish on the Castle hill after the spectacular descent of the picturesque dragon’s back of Y Grib.
Young Duncan Birtwistle of Harrogate Harriers and Swansea’s M40 Eamonn Kirk (in his first-ever fell race) ran neck-and-neck up to the Waun Fach summit, but Eamonn had to yield to Duncan’s descending skills in the return half.
Two Chepstow men contested third place with James Bloor prevailing over Dave Williams.
The first two women were only separated by 46 seconds: Mynydd Du’s Hannah Jarvis followed by Helen Marshall of Swansea, with Chepstow’s Vanessa Lawson in third and first 40 year-old.
Other category winners were Alice Bedwell, Steve Lancaster, Steve Herington and Rob West.
D Finch