Jones makes it six at a sweltering Snowdon
Jones breaks the tape
After failing to finish in 2012, 5-time winner Andi Jones made it number six on Saturday, as the Englishman stormed home to win the 38th Tyn Lon Volvo International Snowdon Race / Ras-yr-Wyddfa in stiflingly hot conditions.
With temperatures reported to be almost 30 degrees centigrade on the mid-part of this famous mountain, the runners were going to be tested to the maximum for not only their ability to handle the heat, but also the unrelentingly-tough underfoot conditions of Snowdon.
The day had started with first ever running of the Snowdon Super Cup / Cwpan yr Wyddfa – a demonstration, uphill-only race to the summit of Snowdon, starting at 11am on race day and featuring recent European Mountain Running Champs 5th-placer, Steve Vernon, Scots-based Ethiopian runner Wegene Tafese and GB international female runner Olivia Walwyn, amongst the starters. The event was sponsored by the Snowdonia National Park and finished outside of the flagship Hafod Eryri visitors centre and cafe on the summit.
Tafese leads Vernon at the Snowdon Super Cup
Tafese and Vernon quickly took hold of the race and matched each other stride for stride until the raced reached the crucial Allt Goch incline, one of the steepest parts of the course. It was here that the Ethiopian runner took flight and opened up a 25 metre gap on Vernon, this proved to be decisive as he extended his advantage gradually over the final mile to win by around 50 metres and 16 seconds by the finish line, in 40:53. Ireland’s Brian MacMahon (first runner to the summit in the 2012 Snowdon International) finished a very good third.
The women’s race proved to be a far more clean-cut affair as top UK mountain runner Olivia Walwyn took hold of the race from the gun and ran a controlled race to record a clear win in 50:45, ahead of Wales’ Gina Paletta and Siobhan Evans.
Olivia Walwyn with her Super Cup trophy!
The heat had even played a significant hand in this uphill-only race and was a taster of what the runners could expect in the up and down race later in the day, however all participants were also full of praise for the inaugural event and with this success event organisers were confident that the event can move on from this spring-board race to become an annual fixture.
Glyn Griffin digs in at the Super Cup
Speaking after the race Tafese commented, “It was a very good race, very hard and challenging”, with Walwyn adding, “I don’t really like the heat and was hoping it would cool off as we got up the mountain, but it didn’t seem to happen, it was very hot!”.
However, the Super Cup was merely a starter in this great day, as 2pm neared and the main course of 10 hot and challenging miles was about to be served up for the record number of 550 starters of the race, now it’s 38th year.
Race organiser Stephen Edwards was clearly expectant of yet another memorable race, as he stated just before the start:
“This is going to be a great race, the atmosphere is electric here in Llanberis and the heat along with the tough conditions on the mountain will make for a memorable event for every single one of these runners. I think Andi Jones means business today, he is looking really focussed this afternoon!”
And so it proved, as guest starter and long-time event volunteer Dic Jones got the runners underway Englishman Jones hit the front as the runners wound their way out of Cae’r Ddol in Llanberis and onto the early tarmaced slopes of Snowdon. It was apparent from his cadence that the Stockport runner was setting his stall out very early, and was intent that there would be no repeat of 2012 where he faltered on the ascent only to pull out of the race before half-way.
Andi Jones on Allt Moses
Behind local runner Alun Vaughan and 2012 winner Murray Strain were keeping Jones within sight, however the leader was in no mood to hang around as he had a considerable advantage through halfway and onto the first part of the Clogwyn section up Allt Moses.
In the women’s event pre-race favourite, and 2011 winner, Pippa Maddams was running strongly, returning to the sport after giving birth some 5 months ago. Alongside the Cumbrian was Ireland’s Sarah Mulligan, who was running a steady tempo as she aimed to be the first ever Irish winner of the women’s race.
Meanwhile Andi Jones was driving for the summit and reached the peak in 43:01, a fair chunk down on his best for the 5-mile ascent, however times were to be irrelevant in the heat as 2013 was all about racing and that goal of winning this classic race. Strain reached the summit in second place some 76-seconds down on Jones and it would be fascinating to see if the Scot could use his superior descending skills to catch Jones as they plummeted back down to Llanberis. Behind these two things were changing as Vaughan summited in third, with England’s Rob Hope now showing his hand in fourth close behind.
As far as the women’s race was concerned the proceedings were looking a little more clean-cut as Mulligan had driven hard over the second part of the ascent to the summit. Maintaining that smooth rhythm through Clogwyn, All Goch and onto the top of the mountain, her lead was almost 2 minutes as they turned for descent, with Maddams and Scotland’s Jill Mykura in behind as they started to descend.
Sarah Mulligan
If the thoughts of those watching had turned to whether or not men’s leader Andi Jones would be caught as they hurtled back to Llanberis, they needn’t have worried, as the 5-time winner remained focussed on the descent. 2012 winner Strain proved he is a great competitor though, as he edged close to Jones with the gap of 76 seconds down to just 40 as they hit the halfway station.
Murray Strain descends Allt Moses
However, Jones was not to be denied as he dug deep into his reserves and used his superior basic speed to good effect on the last 2 mile section into the village, and as he approached the race field it was clear that he wasn’t to be caught, with the crowd’s adulation of this popular winner clear to see as he crossed the line in 1:08:50 to take one of his most satisfying wins. Speaking immediately after the race he said:
“I was adamant today that I was going to be first up the mountain and first back down! After last year I felt I had let lots of people down, including my family and the people of Llanberis, so today was about making amends for that. I would have liked more of an advantage over Murray at the top to be honest, as I know how good a descender he is, but it proved enough in the end as I had worked so hard to build that lead at the top”
Regarding the event which he has made his own over the last fews years, he concluded:
“This race is simply amazing – the atmosphere on the mountain, the crowd here at finish. It has been going for 38 years and hope it will be going for another 38 to be honest!”
As Jones cooled off Murray Strain had clearly settled for second as he ‘high-fived’ the crowd on the finish straight, and with a record of one win and two second place finishes in the last 3 years, the Scot is also building quite a fan base in the village of Llanberis. Rob Hope completed the podium after a very good descent, with Wales’ Alun Vaughan finishing a valiant fourth. Hope led the English boys to the team title, wrestling the crown back off the Scots, who had won the team prize for the last two years.
The international flavour of this race was to be underlined in the women’s race as Sarah Mulligan was to become the first ever women’s winner from Ireland, following in the footsteps of the great John Lenihan, winner of the men’s race in 1989. Her advantage of around two minutes at the summit was cut to just 49 seconds by the finish, but it wasn’t to matter to the slight Irish mountain runner, as she was clearly delighted with the win:
“It’s a brilliant feeling, but I am glad it’s over! It was really hot on the mountain but I had it as a race plan to run steady the whole way up and see what happened after that. Luckily I had a pretty good lead at the summit, but it didn’t mean that I could relax on the way down as I know how good some of these girls behind are at descending. It feels great to win though, and I’ll be back next year for sure”.
Mulligan takes the women's race back to Dublin!
Behind Mykura had descended brilliantly, but was unable to catch Mulligan and finished a gallant second, with Wales’ Jackie Lee ripping back down the mountain to take third spot after summiting almost 5 minutes down on Mulligan. Mykura led the Scottish women to the team title.
38th Tyn Lon Volvo International Snowdon Race / Ras Rhynglwadol yr Wyddfa – Race Results
Men’s Top 3
1. Andi Jones (England) 1:08:50
2. Murray Strain (Scotland) 1:10:14
3. Rob Hope (England) 1:10:54
Team: England
Women’s Top 3
1. Sarah Mulligan (Ireland) 1:26:25
2. Jill Mykura (Scotland) 1:27:14
3. Jackie Lee (Wales) 1:27:51
Team: Scotland
Snowdon Super Cup / Cwpan yr Wyddfa
Men’s Top 3
1. Wegene Tafese 40:53
2. Steve Vernon 41:09
3. Brian MacMahon 42:28
Women’s Top 3
1. Olivia Walwyn 50:45
2. Gina Paletta 52:15
3. Siobhan Evans 55:04
Full race results are online at the TDL Events Services website
Race highlights can be viewed on S4C’s Clic service via this link
For further race information visit www.snowdonrace.co.uk
