It’s a race to the finish!
The 32nd Chichester Corporate Challenge road races came to a successful conclusion – just before a storm swept through the area.
More than 750 runners crossed the line, making a fine total of more than 2,500 over the series.
The standard of the senior races has been high and Jonny White from Southampton Endurance led teammates Cameron Walker-powell and Malek Roostaei to a clean sweep in 13min 17sec on the 4.5k course. They beat Team Purser to be top sports team.
Another good run from Chi’s Mike Houston saw him finish top veteran in a speedy 13.59 and a minute farther back was Noah Collins, top U17 of the evening.
Rob Fryer led his DSTL team to another convincing team victory to reinforce their position.
There was a new winner of the women’s race with Rhiannon Navesey more than 20 seconds ahead of Chloe Jones from Portsmouth.
Navesey’s run came just a few weeks after giving birth to her first child.
Teamwise, the Worthing U17 trio of Emily Carman and twins Lillie and Laila Hellyer finished in front of a Chichester team, with Imogen Matthews leading them home.
Oakwood School won the women’s team award on the day in front of Felpham CC and Southbourne Springers.
This series has seen a number of runners make the all-time top 10 in their age groups.
On the final night, Bishop Luffa pupil Max Gayle shaved one second from the record time set last year by schoolmate Ben Stewart, clocking 6.30 over 2.1k.
Runner-up Luca di Giovanni from Petersfield is now equal third on the alltime list.
In the other age groups, Ben Stewart (Bishop Luffa) got the better of Harry Dunne from Bohunt in the four-lap Years 9/10 race to put him second all-time, with Stanley Wilkes winning the Year 10 race.
Oliver Cameron won the Year 7 boys’ race in 7.20 in front of Levi Pearce of Bishop Luffa and Hugo Johnson of the Free School.
In the secondary girls’ race, Year 9’s Evie Bramell from Churchers won in 6.58. Fellow Year 9 pupil Elodie Hill (Bishop Luffa) headed off leading Year 10 Holly Cunningham of Oaklands with Year 7 Romilly Baker in 7.28 just in front of Year 8 Isabelle Lendrum of Bishop Luffa.
When the primary school races began in 1998, one small race was sufficient – now four full races are needed to accommodate the near-400 entries.
For the boys, Charlie Carman from St Mary’s Climping repeated his win in race two while first-race winner Rocco Hughes from Downview and Southbourne’s Sebastian Berger occupied the next two places.
These three were all home in under five minutes for the two-lap course as was Nathaniel Jolly convincing winner of the Year 5 race.
Southbourne got the better of Kingsham with Downview in third.
Emmy Pemberton made it a clean sweep in the girls’ Year 6 race but was pressed hard by Portsmouth-based Emmeline Fowler with times of 4.50 and 4.51, both in the top 10 all-time. Pemberton’s Oakwood School won the team gong ahead of North Mundham and Bosham thanks in part to a fine Year 5 win from Amelie Adams.