Chichester Corporate Challenge makes grand return after Covid year off

March 11, 2020, was the last occasion when the streets of central Chichester were packed with runners of all ages. A few days later everything was halted by Covid and the third race night in the series never took place.

Fast forward two years and the Assembly Rooms was once again a hive of activity as the race HQ.

Organisers Chichester Runners & AC feared entries may be lower this years after a break in proceedings but the total of 700 finishers across the ages groups showed the event has lost none of its popularity.

Senior A & B races

The senior A race has been won in recent years by a number of under-17s and under-20s and once again youth was to the fore with Portsmouth-based Cameron Walker-Powell at the head of the field after a very fast opening lap at record equalling pace.

The 17-year-old had won a number of the event’s schools races over the years but this was his first appearance in the senior event.

In the absence of the 2020 top two, Liam Dunne and Ned Potter, Walker-Powell maintained his lead to finish in a time of 13min 47sec for the 4500ms course in front of a fast finishing Mike Houston, the only other runner to break the 14-minutes barrier in 13.56. Third was Adam Dart, just edging multiple winner James Baker into fourth.

Road closures in place for Corporate Challenge.

In the Corporate team event, it was great to welcome back previous winners DSTL who once again got the better of their rivals, on this occasion runners-up Bottrill’s Flyers, with Cowdray in third.

There was a strong rivalry among the sports teams with Hampshire-based Team Pur-ser too good for the rest by occupying the first two places with Chichester Casuals in third, hoping to have some returning university students back for the last two races.

Chichester’s team was a mixture of youth and experience with veteran Baker leading home George Ashby and Chris West with club chairman Jim Garland the last scorer, a fine achievement from the 57-year-old.

Eastbourne half marathon in pictures.

There was a Hampshire clean sweep in the women’s race with Holly Watson, Mia Billins and Kate Stilwell taking the first three places. Team Purser were again top sports team from Chichester Casuals Rachel Laurie, Cerys Dickinson and Fay Cripps.

In the women’s Corporate standings, Parklands Pacers lead from Cowdray Ladies.

Primary school races

As usual, proceedings were started with the enthusiastic primary school challenge, now split into four separate races such are the numbers taking part.

The Year 6 boys were first in action over the smaller junior course of two laps measuring 1,400m.

Herne pupil Luca Di Giovanni put up a fine performance in front of Jamie Gregory from Fishbourne and Reuben Shewan from Parklands.

The top three in the Year 5 race were as impressive with Jonah Tildesley of St Swithins chased home by Sebastian King from Oakwood and Oliver Cameron from Horndean.

Half marathon winner - My Time was irrelevant.

Oakwood hold the top two team places but another four teams are within 30 seconds of the leaders: Kingsham, Parklands, Jessie Younghusband and Walberton and Binstead.

Freya Briggs from Highbury won the Year 6 girls race from Daisy Hillyer from Westbourne and Phoebe Concannon from Oakwood while sisters Bella and Mia Hollands from Walberton made it a family one-two with Oakwood’s Roseanne Foster in third helping to give her Oakwood team a commanding gap over Westbourne in the team race with St Richards third.

Secondary schools

In the two secondary schools races numbers were down on previous years but there was some exciting racing.

In the girls’ race for Year 7 to 10 pupils, three Year 9 runners had the fastest overall time of the day, led home by Florence East from Mayfield with twins Laila and Lillie Hellyer close behind.

Hampshire-based runners won the Year 7 and 8 races, Isla Sanders and Poppy Taylor. Anya Barrett from Midhurst Rother prevented a clean sweep. In the boys’ secondary race Hampshire’s Casper Wilson and Onjoro Sumba won the Year 8 and 10 races while Midhurst’s Adam Bramley won Year 7 and Ditcham’s Ben Ward Year 9.

The next races are on Wednesday, March 16 and there is space for further entries, particularly in the secondary school races.

See the Chichester Runners website to enter and for the full set of results from race one.