Dan And Hannah On The Victory Trail In Builth

Dan Nash and Hannah Jarvis were convincing winners at the fourth edition of the Royal Welsh Trail Running Festival, part of the Royal Welsh Smallholding and Countryside Festival in Builth Wells.

The usually sleepy mid-Wales countryside welcomed hundreds of runners to the valleys, fields, woodland tracks and stunning forestry surrounding the Royal Welsh Showground on Saturday with the 10K race playing host to the short course Welsh Trail Running Championships and Welsh-Inter-Regional Championships.

Nash took overall race victory along with the Welsh Trail (short) Championship title and Welsh Inter-Regional honours.

The Cardiff AAC athlete took 36:28 to negotiate the technical undulating course through mid-Wales just weeks after running a personal best 2:18.51 at the Brighton Marathon.

The race also acted as a test for Nash ahead of the IAU World 50km Championships in Romania where he will claim a first British vest. “I didn’t know what to expect”, commented Nash, “it was a tough course but I’m glad to take the title”.

Joseph Reardon of Aberdare Valley AC was the next man home followed by John Howells of Pontypridd Roadents. All three men represented South Wales who in turn were emphatic team winners in the Inter-Regional Championships.

Mynydd Ddu athlete Jarvis’ women’s victory came nearly two minutes ahead of Katie Beecher in second with Sandra Chipper third. Jarvis commented “It was a really great, varied course and I really enjoyed it. A huge thank you to all the volunteers and marshals out on the route as well – they were fantastic”.

Brecon based Jarvis led her East Wales team to victory followed by Chipper with Niki Morgan as the last scorer.