Hundreds of runners take on the Three Forts marathon

Participants run either a 13 mile half marathon or the full 27 mile race, which took them around Iron Age hill forts on the South Downs, Cissbury Ring, Chanctonbury Ring and Devil’s Dyke.

The marathon includes a climb of 3,450 feet as the course dips and rises up and down to almost sea level as it crosses the Adur River twice. Town Crier Bob Smytherman marshalled the 673 runners at Hill Barn fields and rang his bell to start the two events and commentated during the race.

Organisation of the event involved the input of six rotary clubs – Worthing, West Worthing, Worthing Steyne, Shoreham, Southwick and Steyning & Henfield and Brighton & Hove.

More than 50 Rotarians turned out from 6am on the day to organise and marshal the event, assisted by local running clubs who helped with the marshalling.

First aid stations at Hill Barn and along the route were provided by the St John Ambulance Brigade.

Helen Mayors-Peach of the Broadwater Osteopathic Service had drawn together a team of volunteers to provide a much needed free after- race massage facility to the runners.

The Mayor of Worthing, Cllr Michael Donin, greeted the runners as they returned to Hill Barn. He ensured each was presented with a medal to mark the completion of the course.

He also presented cups to winners David Pompairac, a runner from Avignon, France, who took the winner’s cup with a time of 3 hours and 13 minutes, while the fastest women was Jane Fanning with a time of 3 hours and 49 minutes. First in the Half Marathon was Marcus Kimmins and first woman was Elizabeth Staureski.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

Always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.