Hastings athletes show their colours – Harriers embrace Downs – World silver for Thomas

The warm-up was provided by HY’s Emma Welch and Jemma O’Gorman.

Taking part was Amelia and Matilda Skelton with mum Kayleigh, dad Dean and Teddie, Florence Tewkesbury, Zion Ojoke, Daisy Welch, Henry Sully, Sophie Smith, Ellen Gates, Kitty Morgan, Tera Buckland, Aiden Larkin, Ben Sims, Elsie Harmer, Michael and Cody Larkin, Miley and Holly Wigmore, Francesca Tarrant, Amelia and Olivia Pryor.

Over the weekend Jason Wright raced in the European obstacle race championships in Tata in Hungary, participating in the 3k (25 obstacles) and 12k (52 obstacles) races.

Jason explained: “You are given three wristbands (lives) at the start and you lose one every time you fail an obstacle.”

He was running in a possible third place in each race and lost some bands to silly mistakes with his final band in each race on the penultimate obstacle.

It was a great event and a good gauge for training for the world championships in Belgium in September.

Meanwhile Chris Shipley completed and finished sixth in 3k and 7th in 12k in 35-39 age group.

Barry Buchanan raced in the Spartan European championships in Andorra and finished sixth in his age group.

Elsewhere, a fiercely determined Katie Turner took on the Endure 24 in Reading, covering an incredible 101 miles in 24 hours to finish first female.

On another scorching Sunday HY Runners were out in force in Tenterden and Hastings.

In the Tenterden 5k John Ralph finished second in 18:54 with John Badrock 3rd in 19:50.

Other finishers were Susan Dunn 29:35 (16th), Holly Wigmore 29:41, Rachel Wigmore 29:42, Michelle Harrod 37:15. In the 10k race Stuart Piper was 5th in 37:39, Nicky Stiles 48:32, Becky Mabon 49:18, Jimmy Sladden 50:23, Deb Read 52:04, Nathan Thompson 52:14, Dave Brunger 54:36.

Miley Wigmore came second in the kids’ race.

Susannah Gates finished first in the Race for Life in Alexandra Park in 24:54. Juniors Alyssa and Evelyn Cornford, Ivy Buchanan and Hallie Gorman took part in the 3k race.

The girls worked amazingly together with strong finishes so close to each other, with Evelyn and Ivy over the line in 16.20 first and second, Alyssa closely behind in third and then Hallie finishing fourth.

It was a brilliant run for a brilliant cause.

Hailsham Harriers have been embracing the South Downs.

Harriers Lisa G oldsmith, Natasha Hawkes, Lianne Leakey, Tracy Erridge and Tina Macenhill took part in the UK Ultra 50k. Starting near Falmer they joined 220 runners in following the South Downs Way to Helen Gardens in Eastbourne, ending with a red carpet finish.

For Natasha this was her first taste of the distance and she crossed the line with huge smiles. The girls stuck together to finish in 6:16:27.

Fellow Harrier Tom Bilton (Bilts) chose to run the 100k ultra which started on the same day at Arundel. In sweltering conditions but cheered on by his family and fellow Harriers, he completed the distance in 16hr 26min.

He said “It was possibly the hardest thing I have ever done, the heat and the wind zapped me of everything, however, I got to the end thanks to all my support from fellow runners, friends and my family.”

A week later the Harriers fielded two teams in the South Downs 100-mile relay, competing against 55 teams from clubs across Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire.

The annual race involves teams of six runners (plus a driver and navigator) racing the 100 miles of the South Downs Way starting from Beachy Head (on a handicapped time) to Winchester and is a test of trail running, navigation, speed, endurance and recovery as each runner takes on three separate relay legs.

In the men's A team were men's captain Carl Barton, Rob Chrystie, Matt Southam, Sam Unwin, Graham Woolley and Adam Davies with club chairman Andy Ruffell as driver and Graham Purdye navigating. In the mixed team were ladies’ captain Helen O'Sullivan, Lianne Leakey, Charlie Long, David Woollard, Martin Bell and Paul Mealing with club treasurer Darren Gillett driving, and Julie Deakin navigating.

Both teams made the cut-off times – the men's team finishing in 12hr 30min and the mixed team in 13.20.

Ruffell said: “A South Downs Relay team takes eight people. Both our teams excelled on a very hot, challenging day.

"Congratulations to race winners Brighton and Hove AC, Stubbington Green and Pheonix AC. We look forward to returning in 2024.”

A Lewes athlete has won silver at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Austria.

Thomas Roach was runner-up in Innsbruck for the so-called ‘short race’, a 45km battle through the mountains which he did in 4hr 21min.

He also helped bring home gold for the GB team.

Roach, of Lewes AC, has entered several major events in recent months in order to qualify for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships which were held in his home town in Austria last week.

Among the qualifying races were the Madeira Ocean Trail in October, the Yorkshire Three Peaks Fell race in April and the Zegama in the Spanish Pyrenees in May.

In all of these events he took medals and podium positions.

As the title of the world event implies, the championships are held in hilly or mountainous regions of various countries with altitude ascents covering distances of over 40km.

Roach said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ to have scooped the silver Medal at the World Championships, along with his part in the gold medal for the GB team.

He was pleased to have covered the distance, with a total ascent of over 3100m, in the beautiful Tyrolean mountains in a time that was less than two minutes behind the leader.

Dad Peter said: “He got a stone in his shoe in the final descent but knew he had to keep going – and you can guess the mess that made of his foot by the finish. Now it’s time for him to relax the training programme and enjoy family life. He is getting married this summer.”