The Ellesmere Port RC 5K once again lived up to its reputation as one of the fastest road races in the North West, although this year’s event presented runners with a very different challenge. Extreme heat made conditions exceptionally tough, while the evening’s partial solar eclipse provided an unusual backdrop to racing on the fast, flat roads around Capenhurst.

The men’s race was won by Luke Burgess, who has previously represented Deeside AAC, in an impressive 14:47. Jack Bromley of Buckley RC pushed Burgess at the front, finishing runner-up in a superb 14:54, just seven seconds behind the winner, with Max Taylor completing the top three in 14:56.

Deeside AAC also celebrated victory at the front of the women’s race, with Eden O’Dea producing an excellent run to take the women’s title in 16:50, with a chip time of 16:46, placing an impressive 39th overall.

There was plenty more to celebrate for Deeside AAC, particularly among the club’s exciting crop of young athletes. Ryan Delaney produced an excellent 15:56 to take the men’s Under-20 title, finishing 13th overall.

Another of Deeside’s emerging young talents, Harri Morris, continued his rapid progress with a superb 16:29. The youngster, who is rapidly emerging as one of the club’s new sensations, finished third in the Under-20 category and 25th overall in a high-quality field.

One of the standout performances of the entire evening, however, came from Deeside AAC’s Ella Hayes. Still only 13 years old, Ella produced a remarkable run to win the women’s Under-20 title, despite competing against athletes several years her senior.

Ella crossed the line in a gun time of 18:40, with a chip time of 18:36, placing her an excellent 10th woman overall. Even more impressively, her 18:40 represented a new personal best.

Achieving a PB in such difficult conditions made the performance all the more remarkable. On a sweltering evening when the heat was hardly conducive to fast distance running, Ella not only lowered her best time but also claimed the Under-20 title at just 13 years of age.

There were strong performances in the veterans’ categories too. Wrexham AAC’s Ryan Davis clocked 15:34 to finish an impressive seventh overall and take second place in the Vet 35 category.

Prestatyn RC’s Thomas Carter showed that he has lost little of the speed that once carried him to a 3:57.30 mile, producing an excellent 16:07 to finish 17th overall and take victory in the Vet 40 category.

There was further success for Prestatyn RC in the veteran ranks. Martin Cortvriend took the Vet 70 victory in 24:56, with clubmate Brian Williams completing an impressive Prestatyn one-two in the category, finishing second in 25:38. Alongside Carter’s Vet 40 victory, it proved a particularly successful evening for the club’s masters athletes.

With the partial eclipse unfolding overhead and unusually high temperatures testing the entire field, the 2026 Ellesmere Port RC 5K proved a memorable edition of one of the region’s quickest 5K races.

For Deeside AAC, the performances of Eden O’Dea, Ryan Delaney, Harri Morris and Ella Hayes provided plenty to celebrate, but Ella’s achievement was particularly striking — a new 5K personal best, the Under-20 title and a top-ten finish in the women’s race, all achieved at just 13 years of age and in exceptionally demanding conditions.