Brecon Fans Races

Pen y Fan Results 2012

The results are all on this page and photos can be seen here.

Report

11.00am Saturday 14th July 2012.

The forecast was dismal, most of Wales under water, and we woke up to drizzle and charcoal clouds… business as usual for the Pen y Fan Race, at least since we started organising in 2006. But as we put up the registration tent the clouds lifted, and by the start we could even see the tiny summit marshals and some dabs of blue sky.

Welsh Championship status attracted a fantastic turnout, somewhat stretching our logistics, particularly when several runners insisted on getting lost in the lanes and turning up at the last minute (sigh, Mercia boys!). So after a 5 minute delay the hooter honked, and 130 seniors and 6 juniors set off up the track.

A few minutes later Lois Flower re-appeared to take the Junior Race in 9:36, closely followed by two precocious 8-year olds who battled all the way, Patrick Deveney Billinge and Robin Flower (Robin insists he only lost this one because he stopped to admire the view half way down – I’ve used that excuse before now).

In the senior race, the Jones brothers were not finding things quite as easy as in 2011, and they found themselves a few yards behind Tim Davies at the summit. And while anything can happen on the Pen y Fan descent, Tim kept firm control, finishing 9 seconds ahead of Felipe, while Andres fell back a bit but held on to third place.

Fastest descender on the day was Roland Stafford, whose gravity-enhanced 08:52 descent time hauled him from 28th position at the summit to 13th at the line. “Roly” assures us that lard is not a banned substance.

A couple of minutes later we were treated to a fine sprint finish between Mynydd Du’s Jon Barnes and Sean Taylor, and, with Richard Johnson not far behind, this secured the team prize for the home club.

Andrea Rowlands won the ladies race convincingly, leading Eryri to the ladies team prize, with Liza Barry in second place overall.

Times in most categories were better than 2011, but nobody came remotely close to the records, so the prize money goes up again for next year.

Huge thanks to Mike Law, Mark Palmer and Rona at the summit, Sally Law for home baking, Jeff and Sylvina Tilbury for photography and registration duties, John Chidlow, Dimitri Vorres and Helen Flower at the finish, and Emma and Ricky for general help - it would be a shambles without you!

Crispin and Naomi

Prize Winners

Junior Results