Many thanks to Chris Lewis from the Ryde Harriers for this report of the Eddie Leal and Brenda Lawson Memorial Isle of Wight Fell Running Series which took place at the weekend in Ventnor. Ed
The Fifteenth Isle of Wight Fell Running Series was held at the weekend and consists of three races held over two days with the runners covering 24 miles of off road running with over 4300 feet of ascent.
This year we had a record number of finishers with 156 runners registered and 350 finishing the 3 races. The races were hosting the SEAA Fell Running Championships for the eleventh year.
Whilst we have no proper ‘fell’ terrain on the Island the races meet the FRA classifications for ascent and distance and the hills around Ventnor have some of the steepest climbs and descents around.
Race one, the St. Boniface Fell is held on the Saturday morning and consists of a straight dash from the seafront at Ventnor to the top of St. Boniface and back down, the runners covering 3 miles and 776 feet of ascent.
It’s then all too short a gap to race two, The Ventnor Horseshoe, held on Saturday afternoon. The runners again start at the seafront and ascend St. Boniface before descending to Wroxall, through to Cooks Castle and then the railway line before the long ascent to St. Martins Down, Luccombe Down before returning via a descent of St. Boniface. The runners cover 8 miles here with 1600 feet of ascent.
Sunday morning sees quite a few stiff runners lining up for the Wroxall Round, the longest with the runners covering 13 miles and 2000 feet of ascent. The race starts off relatively flat through La Falaise Park before ascending to Watcombe Bottom and Stenbury Down. It’s then a steep descent to Stenbury Manor Farm before another ascent to Gat Cliff, Freemantle Gate. Then through to the Donkey Sanctuary and the railway line before another long ascent to St. Martins Down and Luccombe Down before the descent of St. Boniface to the finish.
The races were slightly lengthened through the town this year for safety concerns with new records starting for all races.
The very good weather for all three races led to some fast times with the first 3 runners in Race 3 beating the old record on a longer course!
Results
Race One
In Race 1, The St. Boniface Fell first was Nicholas Torry in 18:45 followed by Richard Phillips in 19:04 and Hugh Torry in 19:11 all of Serpentine Running Club. First vet 40 was Andrew Owen of London Heathside in 21:23 with Garry Parsons of London Heathside second in 21:24 and Vinny Booth of Cheshire Hill Racers third in 21:32.
First vet 50 was Mark Richards of Goyt Valley Striders in 21:50 with Tony Crossley of East Grindstead & District AC second in 22:48. First vet 60 was Geoff Newton of Tadworth AC in 24:33 with first vet 70 Frank Makin of Holme Pierrepont Running Club in 30:45. First woman and first vet 40 was Astrid Wingler of Highgate Harriers in 22:20 with Suran Dickson of London Frontrunners second in 23:03 and Kate Laforet of Serpentine Running Club third in 23:12.
Second vet 40 was Lesley Whiley of Reading Road Runners with Lorna Gaffney of Loughton AC third in 25:06. First vet 50 and first Island Woman was Judy Brown of Ryde Harriers in 29:01 with Gay Shillaker of Loughton AC second in 29:45.
First Island Man was Stuart Backhouse an unattatched runner in 21:47. Other Island finishers were Ryan Leal (RH) in 22:53, Paul Judge (WWRR) in 24:30, Phil Mannall (IWRR) in 24:36, Cole Pearce (RH) in 26:26, Dave Baker (Wight Tri) in 27:54 and Lorraine Baron (RH – the sweeper) in 37:35.
Race Two
In Race 2, The Ventnor Horseshoe first was Nicholas Torry in 55:08 followed by Richard Phillips in 55:49 and Hugh Torry in 56:26 all of Serpentine Running Club.
First vet 40 was Vinny Booth of Cheshire Hill Racers in 1:02:41 with Garry Parsons of London Heathside second in 1:03:32 and Martin Fray of Compton Harriers third in 1:05:36. First vet 50 was Mark Richards of Goyt Valley Striders in 1:04:41 with Nicholas Holmes of Fleet & Crookham AC second in 1:07:25. First vet 60 was Geoff Newton of Tadworth AC in 1:10:10.
First woman was Jane Fanning of Serpentine Running Club in 1:06:47 with Suran Dickson of London Frontrunners second in 1:09:32 and Helen Wallington of Serpentine Running Club third and first vet 40 in 1:09:57. Second vet 40 was Astrid Wingler of Highgate Harriers in 1:13:08 with Lucy Gettins of Compton Harriers third in 1:14:39. First vet 50 and first Island Woman was Judy Brown of Ryde Harriers in 1:28:17 with Gay Shillaker of Loughton AC second in 1:29:00.
First Island Man was again Stuart Backhouse an unattatched runner in 1:05:53. Other Island finishers were Richard Stapleton (RH) in 1:12:21, Phil Mannall (IWRR) in 1:15:54, Cole Pearce (RH) in 1:20:17, Paul Judge (WWRR) in 1:20:26, Dave Baker (Wight Tri) in 1:24:37, Richard Hughes (Unattatched) in 1:27:17 and Lorraine Baron (RH – the sweeper) in 1:57:29.
Race Three
In Race 3, The Wroxall Round first was Richard Phillips in 1:20:19 followed by Nicholas Torry in 1:20:57 and Hugh Torry in 1:22:28 all of Serpentine Running Club. With the slightly longer course all three were inside the old record with Nicholas inside by 3 minutes!
First vet 40 was Vinny Booth of Cheshire Hill Racers in 1:32:06 with Garry Parsons of London Heathside second in 1:33:47 and Martin Fray of Compton Harriers third in 1:36:41. First vet 50 was Mark Richards of Goyt Valley Striders in 1:35:06 with Nick Brooke of Wells City Harriers second in 1:41:52. First vet 60 was Geoff Newton of Tadworth AC in 1:46:24.
First woman and first vet 40 was Lesley Whiley of Reading Road Runners in 1:37:54 with Jane Fanning of Serpentine Running Club second in 1:43:28 with Suran Dickson of London Frontrunners third in 1:43:29. Second vet 40 was Astrid Wingler of Highgate Harriers in 1:44:35 with Lucy Gettins of Compton Harriers third in 1:52:21. First vet 50 and first Island Woman was Judy Brown of Ryde Harriers in 2:10:01 with Gay Shillaker of Loughton AC second in 2:21:47.
First Island Man was again Stuart Backhouse an unattached runner in 1:36:12. Other Island finishers were Phil Mannall (IWRR) in 1:57:07, Dave Baker (Wight Tri) in 2:07:06 and Lorraine Baron (RH – the sweeper) in 2:58:09.
Over the series of three races men’s winner and SEAA Fell Running Champion was Nicolas Torry of Serpentine Running Club. Ladies Series winner and SEAA Champion was Jane Fanning of Serpentine Running Club.
In the men’s series team event first and SEAA Champions were Serpentine Running Club (Nicholas Torry, Richard Phillips and Hugh Torry) and in the women’s series team event first and SEAA champions were Serpentine Running Club (Jane Fanning, Kate Laforet and Laura Denison).
Judy Brown of Ryde Harriers was winner of the Chris Blow Memorial Trophy for the first Ryde Harrier to finish over the series of three races.
This year the events were renamed in Honour of Eddie Leal, a founder member of the Fell Running Association (Membership No. 2) and Brenda Lawson who both started the Ventnor Fell Running Association.
The races are organized by the Ventnor Fell Run Association with assistance from Ryde Harriers.
Many thanks to the Red Cross, Maureen Cawley and Geoff Lawson. David Martin from Ventnor Rugby Club for organizing marshals on Sunday, George Harlow for organizing marshals for Saturday and Sunday from the Rotary Club and the many other marshals for their help, without which the event would be impossible to stage.
Thanks also to WightLink for sponsoring the ferry fares for the competitors and Paul Judge of the Leconfield Country House Restaurant Bonchurch for race sponsorship.
Many thanks to Bob Niblett, David Yates, Dave and Joy Furmidge and Chris Powell, for timekeeping and recording. Thanks also to Lorraine Baron for the race sweeping.
If you would like information or an entry form for any Ryde Harriers Open Road Races or the Fell Running Series for next year see our Web site.
Image from last year’s event featuring Nicholas Torry (Serpentine Running Club) – SEAA Champion 2009
