Swansea Harriers were the defending champions in both races but it was the teams from the capital city that were by far the strongest this time around.

The event returned to Pembrey Country Park near Llanelli, hosting a trial trace for the ERRA National Road Relays for the first time and with competitors enjoying far better weather conditions than when torrential rain blighted the races 12 months ago.

The Cardiff women’s team enjoyed a gun to tape victory, led off by Lucy Marland who came home with a 90 second margin after the first leg. Uk Inter-Counties Champion Jenny Nesbitt was third off for the Cardiff team, comfortably fastest with a time of 19:11. Clara Evans enjoyed the glory leg in a time of 19:25 as the second fastest of the day.

Swansea Harriers cleared out the podium places with silver and Bronze team medals.

Photo: Alex Donald

Cardiff Men make it a double

The Cardiff men’s team took the lead at the end of the second leg courtesy of British 50km record holder Dan Nash. Jake Smith increased the lead on the penultimate leg, recording the fastest time over the 5.6km course in 16:48.

Ciaran Lewis was second fastest of the day on the final leg, bringing his team one step closer to taking the victory at the ERRA National Autumn Relays that they have been targeting.

Pontypridd Roadents were the silver medallists led by Paul Graham who was their fastest man and had led after the race outright on the first leg. Aberdare Valley AAC regained their Bronze medals from last year.

Cardiff Athletics Team Manager Mark Gold said; ‘ It’s been an absolutely outstanding day for Cardiff Athletics, collecting both the senior men’s and women’s races and also do very well in the junior races. The club is moving along in all directions, both at road running and Track & Field’.

‘We’re looking forward to the six and four stage where we can do really well and put down a marker for Wales’.

Masters and youth championships

The event also hosted the Championships for masters with team victories going to Les Croupiers RC, Parc Bryn Bach RC, Pontypridd Roadents and Swansea Harriers.

Lloyd Sheppard was the fastest U17 of the day, leading his Cardiff team to victory just three seconds faster than Welsh 1500m record holder Ben Reynolds. Nia Clatworthy was the quickest U17 women helping her Cardiff team to a substantial victory over second placed Cardiff Archers.

Maldwyn Harriers were U15 boys victors with local club Carmarthen Harriers retaining their U13 Boys crown. Cardiff took the remaining U15 and U13 Girls honours.

Full results here.

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Cardiff AC and Swansea Harriers will lead the battle to National honours across the six race programme, which includes races for all the junior age-groups through to masters.

Places for clubs to compete at the ERRA National Autumn Relays will be on the line for the first time at the event with automatic entry no longer guaranteed for Welsh clubs. This is expected to make the senior races more competitive as clubs look to guarantee their spots for the national showcase in Sutton Park on the 6th of October.

Swansea Harriers were comfortable men’s race winners a year ago despite horrendous weather conditions. Harriers Josh Griffiths and Jon Hopkins shared the fastest leg honours over the 5,480m loop on that occasion.

Cardiff Metropolitan University Cardiff 10k Champion Jake Smith and fellow sub 30 minute 10k runner Ciaran Lewis will lead a strong Cardiff team which also features Morgan James and James Vincent.

Swansea Captain Marc Hobbs is an ever present at club events in Wales and will spearhead his clubs campaign in the senior men’s race. Track specialist Jon Tobin will be in action and should be among the candidates for the fastest leg. Former UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Champion Dewi Griffiths is amongst his team entries but it’s not known whether the 2:09 marathoner will be in action at Pembrey.

In any event, both clubs are likely to progress to the ERRA National Relays on 6th October which both have won in recent years.

Aberdare Valley AAC were the third team in 2018 and also appear strong on paper along with Pontypridd Roadents.

Photo: Paul Stillman

Women’s relays

The Harriers were also comfortable winners in the women’s race last time but are likely to face strong opposition from a Cardiff team that has been unstoppable recently, with achievements including a team title at the British 10km Championships in London.

The team set to represent the Welsh Capital here are equally as strong, led by 2019 UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Champion Jenny Nesbitt and Welsh 5km Champion Clara Evans. The pair were second and third at the Cardiff 10k two weeks ago ahead of some top English challengers.

Swansea’s women appear to be weaker than usually expected and than they were 12 months ago when they took victory ahead of Lliswerry Runners and Bridgend AC.

Cardiff Athletes Ben Reynolds, younger brother Jacob and Lloyd Sheppard will form a very strong partnership in the U17 men’s race. Ben was part of their winning trio last year for this age-group.

Menai Track & Field and local club Carmarthen Harriers took all the titles across the U13 and U15 age-groups last time. Newport Harriers, Cardiff Archers and both Swansea Harriers and Cardiff AC are also likely to feature near the front throughout the day.

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Relentless rainfall was not able to dampen spirits however as the 51st edition of the Welsh Road Road Relay Championships on Saturday (September 22).

The event returned to Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire for 2018, but this time used the newly built National Closed Road Cycling Circuit that recently hosted the Grand Depart of the Tour of Britain.

Swansea’s men’s team contested the Welsh national title as the current ERRA National Autumn Road Relay Champions, with the greatest competition always likely to come from Cardiff AAC who held the ERRA title in 2016.

However, Swansea’s quartet was far superior on the day with fastest leg honours shared between 2017 British Marathon champion, Josh Griffiths and 2018 Commonwealth Games steeplechase seventh placer Jonny Hopkins.

The pair were given the same time of 16:54 for the 5,480m loop.

Cardiff AAC was the second club home over four minutes later with a strong Aberdare Valley team delighted with their third-place finish just a minute back from the Cardiff team.

Alaw Beynon-Thomas led her Swansea team off, posting 19:42 to take fastest leg honours in the women’s race.

Kate Roberts made a welcome return to racing steering the club to the title on the last leg, with the second fastest time of the day.

Lliswerry Runners and Bridgend AC were the next teams home in the race that also saw a masters titles for Swansea Harriers in the MW35 category.

A little earlier in the day, Cardiff AAC had claimed U17 men & women’s victories with wins in the younger age groups shared between Menai Track & Field, and local club Carmarthen Harriers.

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