Athletics

Japanese-style Ekiden race hits the UK

July 2, 2024

Relay event in Thames Valley kicks off our weekly round-up of endurance running results from around Britain

FT Nikkei UK Ekiden, Thames Valley, June 24

The inaugural FT Nikkei UK Ekiden brought the spirit of Japanese relay racing to the UK for the first time ever in an official capacity with Oxford University emerging as the winners.

The race took place on the eve of the emperor and empress of Japan’s state visit to the UK, the first in more than 25 years.

The long-distance relay race involved 18 teams of 10 runners who ran a 76-mile route along the scenic Thames Path, starting in Oxford and finishing in Windsor. Each runner wore the traditional Japanese tasuki sash instead of using a baton.

UK Ekiden founder Anna Dingley said: “It was inspiring to see the energy and endurance from the runners and to feel their sense of camaraderie, which is what the ekiden is all about. We are deeply impressed that the Hakone Ekiden reached the milestone of 100 races, and hope that the UK Ekiden also continues for the next 100 years. Thank you to all the runners and supporters.”

TEAM (universities): 1 Oxford Uni 7:48:14; 2 Cambridge Uni 8:25:12; 3 Birmingham Uni 8:41:41.

TEAM (companies and clubs): Team Paris Marathon 9:15:07

ALAN BROWN MEMORIAL 10km, Kesgrave, Suffolk, June 30

John Millar, the UK Inter-Counties ninth placer, set a personal best when winning by two-and-a-half-minutes in 29:55.

The Ipswich Harrier had earlier set a 5km best of 14:26 as his running career resumed last year after nearly four years out. This followed a DNF in the 2019 European Cross-Country Championships. Earlier in that year, Millar was fourth in the English National at Leeds.

Claire Jacobs set a personal best of 35:06 when winning the Great East Anglia run in May and here notched up another local win in 35:30

Overall: 1 J Millar (Ips H) 29:55; 2 A Beaumont (B Stort) 32:25

M55: 1 A Mark Ips H) 36:11

M70: 1 J Self (Kesgrave) 42:56

Women: 1 C Jacobs (H’leigh) 35:30; 2 K King (St Ed) 37;26

W65: 1 S Lockhart (Ips J) 48:39

BARNSLEY 10m, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, June 30

Great Manchester Run Half-Marathon winner and under-20 UK marathon record-holder, with 2:41:01, Eleanor Baker took the women’s race in 34:58.

Overall: 1 S Hinchcliffe (Barns) 32:34

Women: 1 E Baker (Barns, U20) 34:58; 2 N Drakeford (Barns) 36:01; 3 R Sykes (Holmf) 36:38

W45: 1 S McGill (Peni) 40:41

W50: 1 F Davies (Roth) 40:52

W55: 1 H Morgan (Ack) 41:30

W60: 1 B Coomber (Denby D) 41:13

DROITWICH HALF-MARATHON, Worcestershire, June 30

Overall: 1 M Parker (Hales) 70:08

KIRKBRIDE HALF-MARATHON, Wigton, Cumbria, June 30

Overall: 1 D Young (Heaton) 71:46

M60: 1 C Phelan (Eden) 86:28

Women: 1 J Woodstock (Heaton) 83:49

W55: 1 K Bridge (Eden) 93:02; 2 T Medley (Border) 95:02

LINDLEY 10km, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, June 30

Overall: 1 H Johnson (Hali) 32:31

NORTHWICH 10km, Cheshire, June 30

Overall: 1 C Williams (Vale R) 32:19

Women: 1 K Gough (Best A) 39:12

RIMROSE VALLEY PARK, HALF-MARATHON, Merseyside, June 30

Emily Haggard-Kearney, who set a half-marathon best of 70:47 in Valencia last year, found 78:46 here good enough for fourth place overall.

Overall: 1 A Haggard-Kearney (Warriors) 72:30; 2 O Chadwick 72:49

Women: 1 E Haggard-Kearney (Warriors) 78:46

W55: 1 M Alty 1:41:45

SEA WALL 7, Haverrigg, Cumbria, June 30

Former Bristol & West runner Kate Maltby, the 2022 Midland Cross-Country third placer, won overall in 43:17

Overall: 1 K Maltby (Border, W35) 43:17; 2 K Wallace 43;47

Women: 1 Maltby 43:17

SOLWAY COAST MARATHON, Wigton, Cumbria, June 30

Overall: 1 E Garner (Shrews) 2:48:58

Women: 1 C Williamson (Loftus & W, W40) 2:51:27

W50: 1 F Todd (Border) 3:17:48

STEVE MORRIS 5, Desford, Leicestershire, June 30

Mo Hussein and Gemma Steel came out on top of this Leicestershire Road Race League five miler, but their times will not appear on the Power of Ten rankings site as the event was an ARC Licensed race.

Overall: 1 M Hussein (R’hoggs) 24:57; 2 M Scarsbrook (Badgers) 25:26

M55: 1 P Critchlow (Beau) 28:49

M60: 1 A Green (Hunc) 30:34; 2 B Benson (Hunc) 30:35

Women: 1 G Steel (Charn, W35) 27:53; 2 C Frankland (W End) 28:46; 3 R Nealon (Hunc) 29:35; 4 C Nurse (W End) 29:49

W60: 1 R Whittlestone (Birst) 34:44

THAME 10km, Oxfordshire, June 30

Overall: 1 M Lock (Wit) 32:07

M40: 1 W Burrard-Lucas (Wyc P) 34:13

M50: 1 J Richardson (Oxf C) 36:06

M60: 1 M Turney (Chilt) 37:48

M75: 1 J Exley (Oxf C) 49:43

Women: 1 H Rees H Rees 38:25

W50: 1 D Godwin (M;head) 42:24

ERME VALLEY RELAYS, Devon, June 28

Men (4×2.5M): 1 Erne V 52:20; 2 Tavistock 52:30; 3 Teignbridge 54:58

Fastest: B Neale (Tav) 12:17; A Holland (Tav) 12:43; M Gilvear (Erme V) 12:48

M40 (4×2.5M): 1 Erme V 57:07

Fastest: R Haynes (Erme V) 13:08

M50 (4×2.5M): 1 Teignbridge 61:49

Fastest: A Bristow (Erme V) 14:20

M60 (4×2.5M): 1 Teignbridge 73:04

Fastest: N Rutley (Teign) 17:46

U18 (4×2.5M): 1 Portsmouth 57:12

Fastest: I Lamerton (Ports) 13:17

Women (4×2.5M): 1 Tavistock 60:36; 2 Portsmouth U18 65:56

Fastest: C Walker (Tav) 14:48

U18: E Goodspeed (Ports) 16:06

W45 (4×2.5M): 1 Exmouth 72:45

Fastest: L Nuttall (Teign) 16:04

W55 (4×2.5M): 1 E Cornwall 76:27

Fastest: R Crowle (E Corn) 18:18

96 teams finished

POWER OF 5km JUNE, Morecombe, Lancashire, June 28

Luca Messenger-Jones was just two seconds outside his best when winning in 14:54 after narrowly heading Edinburgh University team-mate Matthew Knowles.

Women’s first placer Emma McColm repeated her winning performance from the May race of the series, with a 16:48 clocking and this was her sixth win in the series over the past three years.

Overall: 1 M Messenger-Jones (Edinburgh U, U20) 14:54; 2 M Knowles (Edinburgh U) 14:55; 3 M Emmerson (Bolt) 15:08

Women: 1 E McColm (Preston) 16:48

W45: 1 K Longley (Liv PS) 17:17

SERPENTINE LAST FRIDAY 5km, Hyde Park, London, June 28

Belgrave’s Sam Gabreselassie equalled the course record for the recently used two-lapper in 14:42 and is now equal fifth fastest for the race over a course.

The Belgrave Harrier won by more than a minute from ultra man Ollie Garrod, as Naomi Lenane made it a club double when taking the women’s section in 17:52.

Overall: 1 S Gabreselassie (Bel) 14:42; 2 O Garrod (Bel) 15:49

M60: 1 S Corfield (SoC) 18:12; 2 A Green (North Tri) 18:20

Women: 1 N Lenane (Bel, W35) 17:52

W45: 1 Z Oldfield (Lought) 18:46

W50: 1 A Farrell (Tun W) 19:59

W55: 1 S McDonald (S Lon) 20:15

W60: 1 M Wadman (Horsh J) 23:52

W70: 1 A Riddell (Serp) 25:52; 2 N Stanford (Sertp) 26:23; 3 R Tabor (Dulw R) 26:28; 4 M Raynor (W4H) 28:15

STOWMARKET FRIDAY 5, Suffolk, June 28

Overall: 1 K Clements (SB) 25:12

M45: J O’Brien (St Ed) 26:39

Women: 1 E Moyes 29:04

GREAT CHALFORD 10km, Wiltshire, June 27

There was a Team Bath over-50 double from Stephen Rose and Suzanne Clarke.

Overall: 1 S Rose (T Bath, M50) 36:52

Women: 1 S Clarke (T Bath, W50) 42:01

MOTAVATION SERIES, Race 3, Coombe, Oxfordshire, Oxford, June 27

Marcus Shantry made it three wins out of three in this evening series of varying length distance races, with a narrow victory of multiple previous series winner Matthieu Marshall.

The Headington runner’s time for the 3M 1585 yards trip was 19:41, as Matthew Lock, second in the previous round of the series, slipped to third, a place lower than in last month’s race.

There was also a repeat winner in the women’s section as Steph Giles comfortably came out on top

Overall (3M 1585yds): 1 M Shantry (Head RR) 19:41; 2 Marshall (Head RR) 19:46; 3 M Lock (Wit) 19:57; 4 D Blake (Wit, M40) 20:09; 5 C Jardine (Abing) 20:24

M45: 1 L Newell (Abing) 21:35

M50: 1 J Bolton (W’stock) 22:29

M55: 1 D Watkinson (W’stock) 24:14

M60: 1 C Haden (Oxf C) 24:58

M70: 1 R Grant (Oxf C) 28:50

TEAM (6 to score): 1 Abingdon 79; 2 Head RR 81; 3 Witney 179

Women: 1 S Giles (Alch) 23:39; 2 F Hannon (Oxf C, W35) 24:04; 3 A Scrivens (Wit, W35) 24:27

W45: 1 S Davies (Oxf C) 25:09

W55: 1 J Pennington (Abing) 28:45

W65: 1 J Fabes (Abing) 30:43

W75: 1 K Williams (Eynsh) 34:10

TEAM (6 to score): 1 Head RR 53; 2Alchester 91; 3 Witney 111

RUN MEDIA CITY 10km, Salford, Greater Manchester, June 27

Duathlete and mountain runner Martha Tibbott finished second overall.

Overall: 1 J Manning 34:23

Women: 1 M Tibbott (Saddleworth) 35:27

SCOTTS MIDWEEK LEAGUE Royston 10km, combined Div 2 & Div 3, Race 4, Trent Park, Cockfosters, June 27

The second and third divisions completed their four-race programme and now go to the mob match with division 1 on July 10.

Overall:1 A Lepretre (Barn) 32:05

M50: 1 K Sambridge (Ware) 35:22

Div 2 TEAM: 1 Dacorum 236

M40 TEAM: 1 Ware 50

Final standings

Div 2 TEAM: 1 Ware; 2 Garden CT; 3 Dacorum

M40: 1 Ware

Div 3 TEAM: 1 Bishops Stortford

M40 TEAM: 1 Bishops Stortford

Women: 1 H Turner (Dac, W45) 40:18

W55: 1 K Murphy (Barn) 42:56; 2 J Kent (Barn) 44:21

Div 2 TEAM: 1 Garden CR 116

W35 TEAM: 1 Garden CR 25

Div 3 TEAM: 1 Harlow Run & Tri 158

W35 TEAM: 1 Harlow Run & Tri 33

Final standings

Div 2 TEAM: 1 Ware; 2 Garden CT; 3 Dacorum

M40: 1 Ware

Div 3 TEAM: 1 Bishops Stortford

W35TEAM: 1 Bishops Stortford

BEXHILL 5km, East Sussex, June 26

The 2014 English Schools champion and 2015 European junior fifth placer Robbie Fitzgibbon won by more than two minutes in 15:13 as top woman Kate Natkiel took second overall in 17:19.

Overall: 1 R Fitzgibbon (Phoe) 15:13

Women: 1 K Natkiel (Phoe) 17:19

W55: 1 O Webb (Hailsh) 21:41

LAKESIDE 5km Series, Portsmouth, Hampshire, June 26

Overall: 1 R James (Soton) 15:14

M60: 1 A Turner (Liss) 18:10

Women: 1 S Winstone (Soton, W35) 17:44

W50: 1 N Moxham (Gosp) 18:44

W55: 1 E Prinsep (Roms) 21:33

W60: 1 J Harrop (Chich R) 21:12

EMGP WEEDON 10km, Northamptonshire, June 25

Overall: 1 P Melling (R&N, M45) 34:14

M60: 1 A Green (North Tri) 40:27

TEAM: 1 R&N 2:20:04

M40 TEAM: 1 R&N 2:21:54

WOMEN: 1 A Bourne (R&N) 38:17

W45: 1 K Godof (Olney) 39:59

W50: 1 R Cooke (Bucks & Stowe) 40:38

W75: 1 A Copson (R&N) 57:25

TEAM (3 to score): 1 R&N 1:59:49

W35 TEAM: 1 R&N 2:08:53

LINCOLN WELLINGTON 5km SERIES, Race 2, June 25

EllaRose Whitworth, the fourth ranked 3000m under-17 in the UK this year and English Schools cross-country fifth placer, ran her maiden 5km in 17:05, as Lincoln Wellington team-mate Will Strangeway made it a club double.

Overall: 1 W Strangeway (Linc W) 15:21

Women: 1 E Whitworth (Linc W, U17) 17:05; 2 C Thornton (Linc W) 17:38

W50: 1 J Baldwin (Donc) 20:59

SRI CHINMOY DASHING DEER 5km, Battersea Park, London, June 25

Jack Ramm just got the verdict over Nick Bester and Josh Mitchell in 14:46, as the women’s race saw race record holder Lucy Reid come out on top in 16:16.

There was a close battle for second among the women as Elisabeth Apsley got it ahead of top W45 Helen Gaunt in 16:57.

Overall: 1 J Ramm (Dulw R) 14:46; 2 N Nester (Best A) 14:47; 3 J Mitchell (Battersea) 14:47

M50: 1 A Bond (Dulw R) 15:56D Marsden 16:24

M55: 1 S Mugglestone (Bide) 16:38

M75: 1 M Mann (Dulw R) 23:20

Women: 1 L Reid (Ton) 16:16; 2 E Apsley (THH) 16:57; 3 H Gaunt (Ton, W45) 16:58

W35: 1 T Barlow (TVH) 17:14

W40: 1 R Bunting (Lon H) 17:21

W50: 1 M Lennon (Dulw R) 21:16

W70: 1 R Tabor (Dulw R) 26:26

ANITA KNOTT MEMORIAL WOMEN’s 5.4km, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear, June 24

Women: 1 L Turner (Birt) 17:55; 2 N Pace (NSP) 18:18; 3 S Haston (Gste) 18:36