Ras Y Garn Race: Wales: AS: 3m/1500’: Saturday 1st August
(INCORPORATING)
THE WELSH
MOUNTAIN RUNNING
CHAMPIONSHIP
& WELSH
MOUNTAIN RUNNING INTER
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
A counter in the 2009 UKA Fell and Hill Running
Championship, sponsored by Pete Bland Sports and Walsh Sports.
Entry:
£4 pre entry only by 30th June. No entry
on day. Use standard WFRA Entry Form on website or available from Organiser.
Send entries to Organiser and make cheques payable to ‘R Powell’. Enclose SAE
if acknowledgement required.
Race numbers will be issued at Registration
on the day.
Venue:
The race takes place from Rhyd Ddu between
Caernarfon and Beddgelert on the A4085. Registration will be at the Outdoor
Centre (GR SH 569527) which has the following facilities - showers, changing
and toilets. Parking will be on forest roads and could be up to 1 mile from
registration so please arrive early and park as directed. There is limited
parking so please share cars if possible. From registration it is approximately
0.25 mile to the start. No toilets at start.
Start
Times: Ladies: 1.00pm, Men: 2.15pm
Course: This is a classic
short fell race - steep up and down. It is mostly grassy, but with some rock on
and around the summit. Good studs recommended. It was last included in the British
Championships in 2002. The ladies winner, Louise Sharp, later described it as
the best short race in Britain.
Checkpoints
(Refer map OS Explorer OL 17 ‘Snowdon’ 1:25,000).
START: Road / Forest
road junction (569529)
CP 1: Summit
of Y Garn (551526)
CP 2: Stream / Path Junction (558517)
FINISH: Kissing Gate (566526)
Numbers will be taken at all checkpoints.
Please ensure that your number is recorded
by the checkpoint marshal.
Description:
The race starts on the road at the outskirts of the
village near the entrance to the forest. Follow the B4418 towards Nantlle for
0.25 mile. Then pass through a kissing gate at Grid Ref 566526 onto a footpath.
Follow the public footpath onto the open mountain and ascend Y Garn using
gates/stiles to cross any fences. The ascent is steep and grassy. As you
approach the summit the grass gives way to rocky ground and you will cross a
stile over a wall. At the summit you will see two cairns. The summit checkpoint (CP1) will be
on the larger left-hand cairn. You must go around this cairn anticlockwise. Note
that there are dangerous crags to the north and west of the summit. You are
advised to keep to the path on the ascent.
On leaving the summit follow the flags in a
southerly direction to a gap in the wall (approx 100m). Continue in a south
easterly direction down to Cwm Marchnad. Follow the valley down keeping the
stream on your right. Checkpoint 2 is where the stream crosses the path at the
bottom of the hill. The descent is steep and grassy. You must run anticlockwise
around the marker at the checkpoint. From here follow the path back to the
finish at kissing gate (566526).
Do not cross any fences / walls other than
at the crossing points indicated.
No dogs are allowed in the race. Spectators
must keep dogs on leads.
Junior
Race: There will also be a Junior Race (1.2m/330’)
£1. Enter on day only. U/12, U/14, U/16. Age as at 1st January 2009.
Minimum age 10. Start time 1.05pm. Start and finish will be same as for senior
races. Juniors will turn around at stile (GR 560523). This is the final race in
the Snowdonia Junior Series.
Please note Under 18’s will run in the
senior races and must enter in advance.
Records:
M: 26.05 1989 Colin Donnelly F: 32.59 2008 Helen Fines
2008
Results: Winning Times
Male:
U/40 – 28.36, O/40 – 28.17, O/50 – 34.15, O/60 –
35.33.
Female:
U/40 – 32.59, O/40 – 37.55, O/50 – 43.16, O/60 -
44.02.
Prize
giving : This will be held at the Outdoor Centre at
about 4.00 pm. Prizes will probably be awarded as follows – MU23 1, MU40 1,2,3,
MO40 1,2,3, MO50 1,2,3, MO60,1,2,3, MO70 1, FU23 1, FU40 1,2,3, FO40 1,2,3,
FO50 1,2,3, FO60 1,2.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available
here.
Accommodation:
Accommodation of all types is available in the
surrounding area.
Caernarfon Tourist Office, Oriel
Pendeitsh, Stryd y Castell, Caernarfon, LL55 1SE. Tel 
(01286) 672232 
Fax:
(01286) 676476. E-mail: caernarfon.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk
Useful website www.gwynedd.gov.uk.
Organiser
: Ross Powell, Pen Y Buarth Farm, Upper
Llandwrog, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL54 7RD. Tel
01286 881491
. E mail
ross@wfra.org.uk.
Website: www.wfra.org.uk.
