Nos Galan ( cy, Rasys Nos Galan) is an annual five-kilometre (3.1 mi)

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ...

event, held on New Year's Eve in

Mountain Ash Mountain ash may refer to: * '' Eucalyptus regnans'', the tallest of all flowering plants, native to Australia * Mountain-ashes or rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosa ...

, in the

Cynon Valley Cynon Valley () is a former coal mining valley in Wales. Cynon Valley lies between Rhondda and the Merthyr Valley and takes its name from the River Cynon. Aberdare is located in the north of the valley and Mountain Ash is in the south of th ...

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

History

Nos Galan celebrates the life and achievements of Welsh runner Guto Nyth Brân. Founded in 1958 by local runner Bernard Baldwin, it is run over the route of Bran's first competitive race. At its height covered by the BBC nationally as part of its New Year's Eve celebrations, the races were halted in 1973 due to concerns expressed by the Glamorgan Police regarding the undue delay to traffic. Nos Galan was resurrected in 1984, when a reduced field of 14 runners ran a race. The race also broke with tradition, with three mystery runners, representing the present, past and future of athletics, carried the Nos Galan Torch. Nos Galan still attracts runners from all over Great Britain. The 2009 race attracted over 800 runners, and 10,000 people into Mountain Ash for the associated entertainment. A virtual race was held in 2020.

Route and traditions

The main race starts with a church service at Llanwynno, and then a

wreath A wreath () is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a circle . In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, most commonly as an Advent and Chri ...

is laid on the grave of Guto Nyth Brân in Llanwynno graveyard. After lighting a

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end, which is ignited and used as a light source. Torches have been used throughout history, and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggling entertainment. I ...

, it is carried to the nearby town of Mountain Ash, where the main race takes place. The format of the race has changed several times over its history. The current race consists of three circuits of the town centre, starting in Henry Street and ending in Oxford Street, by the commemorative statue of Guto. Traditionally, the race was timed to end at midnight. But in recent times it was rescheduled for the convenience of family entertainment, now concluding at around 21:00. Rescheduling has resulted in a regrowth in size and scale, and now starts with an afternoon of street entertainment, and

fun run A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors pr ...

races for children, concluding with the church service, elite runners race and presentations.

Mystery runner

The race is started and run by a mystery runner, normally a running or local sporting celebrity. The mystery runner lays the wreath: *1958 –

Tom Richards Tom Richards may refer to: * Tom Richards (actor) Thomas Richards (born 22 March 1948) is an Australian former actor on television soap operas. He is best known for roles including in ''Matlock Police'' as Steven York from 1972 and 1976 and in t ...

*1959 – Ken Norris *1960 –

Derek Ibbotson George Derek Ibbotson (17 June 1932 – 23 February 2017) was an English runner who excelled in athletics in the 1950s. His most famous achievement was setting a new world record in the mile in 1957. Biography Ibbotson was born in Huddersf ...

*1961 – John Merriman *1962 – Martin Hyman *1963 – Bruce Tulloh *1964 – Stan Eldon *1965 –

Ann Packer Ann Elizabeth Packer MBE (born 8 March 1942) is an English former sprinter, hurdler and long jumper. She won a gold medal in the 800 metres and a silver in the 400 metres at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Early life In 1959 Packer won the English ...

*1966 –

Mary Rand Mary Denise Rand, MBE (née Bignal on 10 February 1940) is an English former track and field athlete. She won the long jump at the 1964 Summer Olympics by breaking the world record, the first British female to win an Olympic gold medal in track ...

*1967 – Ron Jones *1968 – Lyn Davies *1969 – Lillian Board *1970 –

John Whetton John Whetton (born 6 September 1941)John Whetton
Athletics-hero ...

*1971 – David Bedford *1972 –

David Hemery David Peter Hemery, (born 18 July 1944) is a British former track and field athlete, best known as the winner of the 400 metres hurdles at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Early life Hemery was born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, but ...

*1973 –

Berwyn Price Berwyn Price (born 15 August 1951) is a former Welsh international athlete. Price was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, and studied at Lewis School, Pengam Steve Jones Steve or Steven Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Steve Jones (English presenter) (born 1945), English musician, disk jockey, television presenter, and voice-over artist * Steve Jones (musician) (born 1955), English rock and roll guita ...

, David Bedford, Lisa Hopkins *1985 – No Race *1986 –

Kirsty Wade Kirsty Wade (née McDermott, born 6 August 1962) is a British former middle-distance runner. She is a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist representing Wales, winning the 800 metres in Brisbane 1982 and both the 800 metres and 1500 me ...

*1987 – Tony Simmons *1988 – Tim Hutchings *1989 – Bernie Plain *1990 – Phillip Snoddy *1991 – Dennis Fowles *1992 – Guto Eames, Tremayne Rutherford *1993 – Simon Mugglestone *1994 – Steve Robinson *1995 –

Neil Jenkins Neil Jenkins, (born 8 July 1971) is a Welsh former rugby union player and current coach. He played fly-half, centre, or full back for Pontypridd, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors, Wales and the British & Irish Lions. Jenkins is Wales' highest ever ...

*1996 –

Robbie Regan Robbie Regan (born 30 August 1968) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1996. He held the WBO bantamweight title in 1996, the IBF interim flyweight title in 1995, and once challenged for the WBO flyweight title in 199 ...

*1997 –

Iwan Thomas Iwan Gwyn Thomas (born 5 January 1974) is a Welsh sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 metres, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is a former European, Commonwealth Games and W ...

*1998 –

Jamie Baulch James Stephen Baulch (born 3 May 1973) is a retired Welsh sprint athlete and television presenter. He won the 400 metres gold medal at the 1999 World Indoor Championships. As a member of British 4 × 400 metres relay teams, he won a gold medal ...

, Ron Jones *1999 – Garin Jenkins,

Dai Young David "Dai" Young (born 26 July 1967) is a Welsh rugby union coach and former rugby union and rugby league footballer. He was recently Director of Rugby at Premiership Rugby club Wasps but departed the club after initially stepping down from f ...

*2000 –

Christian Malcolm Christian Sean Malcolm (born 3 June 1979) is a retired Welsh track and field athlete who specialised in the 200 metres. In 2020 he was appointed Head Coach of the British Athletics Olympic Programme. Early life Malcolm was born and was brough ...

*2001 –

Darren Campbell Darren Andrew Campbell, (born 12 September 1973) is a British former sprint athlete. He was the sprint coach at Wasps Rugby Club for the 2015–16 season. He competed in the 100 metres and 200 metres, as well as the 4 × 100 metres relay. ...

*2002 – Matt Elias *2003 – Stephen Jones *2004 –

Nicole Cooke Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE (born 13 April 1983) is a Welsh former professional road bicycle racer and Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion. At Beijing in 2008 she became the first British woman to win a Gold Olympic medal in any c ...

*2005 –

Gethin Jenkins Gethin Jenkins (born 17 November 1980) is a Welsh former rugby union player. He won 129 international caps for Wales and five for the British & Irish Lions. Jenkins was the record cap holder for Wales until he was overtaken by Alun Wyn Jones o ...

Martyn Williams Martyn Elwyn Williams, (born 1 September 1975) is a former Wales and British & Irish Lions international rugby union player. A flanker, he was Wales' most-capped forward with 100 caps until surpassed by Gethin Jenkins on 30 November 2013. He ...

, T. Rhys Thomas *2006 – Rhys Williams *2007 – Kevin Morgan *2008 – Linford Christie *2009 – James Hook,

Jamie Roberts Jamie Huw Roberts (born 8 November 1986) is a former Wales, Welsh rugby union player, who most recently played for the New South Wales Waratahs, Waratahs. His usual position is Rugby union positions#Centre, centre. Beginning in 2005, Roberts ...

*2010 –

John Hartson John Hartson (born 5 April 1975) is a Welsh former professional association football, footballer, coach and sports television pundit for S4C, Sky Sports, Premier Sports TV and BT Sport. As a player he was a striker (association football), stri ...

, Mark Taylor *2011 – Shane Williams, Ian Evans *2012 – Dai Greene, Samantha Bowen *2013 – Alun Wyn Jones *2014 – Adam Jones *2015 –

Colin Jackson Colin Ray Jackson, (born 18 February 1967) is a Welsh former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. During a career in which he represented Great Britain and Wales, he won an Olympic silver medal, became wo ...

*2016 – Chris Coleman *2017 – Nathan Cleverly and

Colin Charvis Colin Charvis (born 27 December 1972) is a former captain of the Wales national rugby union team and also played for the British & Irish Lions. A back row forward, Charvis was equally adept as a flanker or as the no. 8. Charvis became the w ...

*2018 – David Bedford,

Sam Warburton Sam Kennedy-Warburton, OBE MStJ (born 5 October 1988), commonly known as Sam Warburton, is a Welsh former international rugby union player. Warburton played rugby for Cardiff Rugby and was first capped for Wales in 2009. He usually played as a ...

and Rhys Jones *2019 – Nigel Owens *2020 – VIRTUAL RACE

References

External links

* (Rhondda Cynon Taf authority website) {{New Year Athletics competitions in Wales Sport in Rhondda Cynon Taf Road running in the United Kingdom 5K runs Recurring sporting events established in 1958 1958 establishments in Wales Winter events in Wales Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf