A fine day in the park for the final endurance championship race of the year hosted by Penarth and Dinas Runners.
While the Porthkerry 5 MT is not a pure trail race, the mixed terrain felt like a perfect warmup to cross-country season with some slippery hills and plenty of flat well-mown grass which is somehow one of the hardest surfaces to run fast on!
Adam Whittaker (CDF Runners) was out to defend his title and trail championship from 2025 but had to settle for second after a great battle with James Griffiths (Pontypridd Roadents), with Oliver Williams in third starting what turned out to be a big medal haul for Les Croupiers RC.
In the women’s race, regional stalwart Julie Chamberlain took the win, ahead of Les Croupiers clubmates Armorel Jackson and Rachel Lammin in a clean sweep of the podium.
Into the age categories, and it was a first regional medal of the year for Brackla Harriers as David Price was the first M35 across the line, followed by Matt Watkins (Les Croupiers RC), and Jon Portelli similarly winning a first 2026 medal for White Rock Runners.
Cheryl Evans (Les Croupiers RC) won gold in the F35s, with Shell Gould (White Rock Runners) second, and Jade Bazylkiewcz (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) third.
In both cases the V45 winners finished ahead of the V35s, showing this is a course for experienced runners!
In the men’s race, the 3 regional medal winners were serious challengers finishing 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the overall race. First amongst them was James Thie (Pontypridd Roadents AC), with Matthew Turner (San Domenico RC) and Luke Starkey (Les Croupiers RC) following.
Also 4th in the overall women’s field was Deb Roberts (Porthcawl Runners) who took gold in the F45 category. Donna Hamer (Les Croupiers RC) was second, and Amy Edwards (Rhondda Valley Runners) third.
In the M55s, Brackla Harriers picked up another gold courtesy of Ian Ogilvie, who finished ahead of Bryan Meredith (Rhondda Valley Runners), and Nathaniel Palmer (Les Croupiers RC).
There was plenty of success for the far west of the region in the F55 category as Denise Fitzgerald bagged a second gold for Porthcawl Runners, followed by a brace of Brackla Harriers Charlotte Johns and Jane Ogilvie.
Howard Kent (Les Croupiers RC) took his third regional medal of the year winning the M65+ category, with Michael Murphy (Les Croupiers RC) second, and Howard Jones (Brackla Harriers) third.
Finally, and of course never least, was the inevitable Julie Scholey (Les Croupiers RC) with her third regional gold of 2026. Perhaps we can tempt her into the fell race next year for the clean sweep?
These positions are provisional in line with the overall race results. Please send any corrections or queries to endurance.swrac@gmail.com.
A huge thank you to Penarth and Dinas Runners once again for another well-delivered race day, with more marshals than some city marathons!
Race results, report and photos.
We didn’t have silver and bronze positions confirmed on the day, so medals will be distributed at the first Gwent League fixture which is also our Championship race and main selection race for the upcoming Inter-regionals.
(Photos by Nigel Adams)