The Trail Blazers of Monross ran the Tintern Trot on July 3rd in the shadow of Tintern Abbey. A total of 222 runners took on the course which starts and finishes at the Tintern end of the old railway bridge, next to the Abbey Mill. The race crosses the bridge and then follows the river for about a mile, along the course of the old railway line. It then climbs up through the woods to reach Offa's Dyke path, going north along the path for a mile or so. At the 3 way post the route goes down past HAPPA horse sanctuary, and then turns left back along the lane to rejoin the outward route and back to finish at the same point as the start. The course distance is approximately six miles with a height gain of around 260m (850 feet).

Three Trail Blazers finished in the top 15 with Captain Richard Bevan finishing in 12th place in 42 minutes 23 seconds closely followed by Andrew Stephens in 14th (42:30) and Luke James 15th (42:33). James Fletcher (48:50) and Matt Hall (50:17) completed an excellent night for the Monross team.

The team are now looking to their next race in the Summer Cross country league series, July 9th at Westhope, Canon Pyon.

For more stories in full please see this week's Ross Gazette.