After several days of gloomy weather it was great to see the short good weather window arrive just in time, the skies clearing in the early morning hours to give brilliant blue skies & excellent visibility.

56 runners gathered at the start line, no kit check but please take what you'll need & they were off towards Moel Siabod. By now the wind had increased & clouds were beginning to gather, this could be a close call.

Some 20 minutes in Mike Blake, marshalling at the top style, radio'd in, Lloyd Taggart's got a hell of a lead, must be 2 to 3 minutes at least! The race was set as Mike again radio'd a similar message during Lloyd's subsequent descent, he would go on to win in 52:09 (also Ist M. O.40) beating Sam Orton (54:33) into 2nd by two & a half minutes. Indeed Lloyd was bathing in the Afon Llugwy before Sam ran across the bridge to the finish. Dylan Griffiths came in third in 56:09 (also 1st M. U40).

The leading woman was Eryri's Sarah Harley who finished in 1:06:44 (1st F. U.40) nearly a minute ahead of Gemma Moore, 1:07:28. Megan Hughes was third in 1:09:01 to also be first woman O.40 as well as first local (man or woman).

In the Male O.50's there was stiff opposition with the first three being 7th, 8th & 9th in the race placings, it was to be Rob Downs (1:01:26) who triumphed over Russel Owens by just 11 seconds with James Downs in third.

Male O.60 had a clear winner in Iwan Edgar in an excellent 1:06:55 some 7 minutes ahead of his nearest contender Nik Bradley.

Onto the other women categories despite her protests at the prize ceremony Ellie Salisbury did indeed win the O. 50's in 1:23:50 so well done Ellie & once again Maggie Oliver won the O.60's in 1:34:33. At least I won't be typing that next year as she'll be in the O. 70's, sure I'll be excused for letting that cat out of the bag!

We did just sneak it with the weather as a heavy shower let itself loose on the later finishers by which time they were all off the higher slopes, we had been lucky for yet another year.

Of course none of this would have been possible without the 9 Marshalls who helped, thank you guys & of course to Dorina & Marion at registration & Gaby for her Goulash reward which greeted the runners at the finish.

Finally thanks to the organiser's of the Capel Curig show & last but not least the runners themselves.