Short/Medium Welsh Championship 2026 race results

Pipe Dream (6.7km/390m) was chosen as the Short/Medium Welsh Championship fell race for 2026, with the winners being crowned Welsh Champions. A record turnout of 166 fell runners (165 finishers) tackled this short but challenging race in Eryri national park in north Wales.

This was the 22nd edition of Pipe Dream, which starts in the village of Dolgarrog in the Conwy valley. Runners initially clamber up a steep set of steps alongside a pipe, before emerging on a grassy hilltop and continuing alongside the pipe. A beautiful spring day meant fantastic views of the valley before turning back towards Dolgarrog with a descent through woodland and a short final stretch along the pavement to the finish outside the community centre.

Congratulations to the winners Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (1st man and overall winner) in a time of 00:33:52 and Bronwen Jenkinson (1st woman) in a time of 00:41:06. Both are from Eryri Harriers. Gavin Roberts and Rhys Goodrick were 2nd and 3rd men, and Suzie Richards and Jessica Evans 2nd and 3rd women. View the full results here.

I decided to run hard from the off to get into the pipe steps in a good position which made it quite hard for myself but I really enjoyed it. I got to the summit in first place so I just tried not to look back and run hard to the finish! It’s such a fun and technical descent as well so I really enjoyed that.

Being Welsh Champion feels really special! I started running again last year (2025) after a break since 2019 due to recurring stress fractures so it’s very fun to be back running again and feeling like I'm getting stronger.

- Bronwen Jenkinson (1st woman)

My race went pretty well, I managed to play it to my strengths and make up time on those around me on the steps, pushing hard over the top of the course and trying to focus on the descent. Was particularly pleased with the descent, an area I’ve been trying to work on!

Being Welsh Champion is a lovely feeling, I had it as a goal for the year and you can’t always have a good day on the right day, so to come away with the title is wonderful.

- Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (1st man)

As well as a high turnout overall, there was a wide range of runners with 6 people in the Under 23 category and 11 aged 70 and over (including 3 aged 80 and over). Runners came from across Wales and further afield, and new WFRA Chair Jules Mathias and Secretary Briony Latter also came from south Wales to support the Championship.

One runner was Mike Waring (Chester Triathlon Club) who said:

This is one of my favourite fell races. It felt significant this time with it being close to the 100-year anniversary of the dam disaster. My uncle’s father looked after the sluice gates, lived at the top of the pipe incline and witnessed the disaster! The incline we run up used to have a winched tramway that my uncle rode on to go to school.

Race Organiser Craig Jones also noted in his race report:

I initially believed that no records were broken but after checking more carefully I realised that one record was actually smashed to bits, that being the MV70 time which had stood since 2015 when it was set at 51.02 by the famous veteran record breaker Don Williams. This year Steve P. Jones (previously Eryri, now of Arran Runners), took an incredible 3 minutes and 5 seconds off, to set the bar at 47.57, finishing in 68th place overall.  Steve now holds both the V60 and 70 records at the same time and for two different clubs!

Thank you to Craig and the wider race support team. Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to all the category winners.

Could you be Welsh Champion for the Long distance?

Each year, there are two Welsh Championship fell races for Wales and the Borders which alternate between the north and south of the country: a Short/Medium (S/M) distance race and a Long (L) distance race. 

This Long Welsh Championship race will be the Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons on 20th June. The Welsh Championships, North Wales Series and South Wales Series are organised by Coordinator Ellie Salisbury.

Take part in the North Wales Series

Pipe Dream was also the first race in the WFRA North Wales Series, a series of 7 races between February and November. The next race is 3 Hills Penmaenmawr (4.7km/489m) on 28th April.

To qualify for the North Wales Series, you must be a WFRA member by 1st July 2026 and have completed a minimum of 3 races in the Series.

Join the Welsh Fell Runners Association here.

Photos: Briony Latter (winners photos) and Mike Waring (race photos).