Chichester Corporate Challenge still going strong - 30 years on

The Chichester Corporate Challenge is back – and celebrating its 30th anniversary.

In March 2020, the Corporate Challenge road races were in full swing, Cheltenham Races were allowed to go ahead – then suddenly a nationwide lockdown was announced with the instructions to ‘stay at home’.

Two of the three city centre races went ahead and now two years later the race organisers, Chichester Runners, have given the green light for this year’s series.

It means 2022 will be the 30th anniversary of the event, which started in 1992, and the 30th running of the event.

In the early years the series was for seniors only but it soon became evident younger athletes were eager to take part – and there are now six junior races to accommodate those wanting to run.

The seniors will again be split into A and B races to minimise the top runners having to overtake lapped athletes on the four-lap 4500m course.

It is six years since American doctor Chris Zablocki, in the final race of the 2016 series, swept the opposition aside to shave a second off the course record with a time of 12min 38sec, the record previously held by former Commonwealth Games 1500m champion Michael East.

The women’s record is held by ex international Zara Hyde who set a time of 14.15 in 1996, which has withstood the challenge of everyone since.

A major reason for the popularity of the event has been the team aspect with many local runners having their first taste of competition having been persuaded by their work colleagues to enter for fun and make a team.

In the very first year Keith Toop, formerly a keen footballer, was persuaded by his Waitrose manager to start running training. He won the first ever race but led his team to glory. Toop, after a few years away from the sport, has put on his running shoes again and regularly takes part in the Chichester parkrun on Saturday mornings.

All three races this year will be held in March on Wednesday evenings – March 2, 16 and 30.

You can enter via the Chi Runners website. Queries can be sent to Phil Baker – [email protected]