Around 150 runners are set to tackle some of the steepest climbs and descents in the South of England when the 32nd Isle of Wight Fell Running Series takes place in and around Ventnor this coming weekend.
The event, being held across Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September, will see competitors tackle 3 races covering a combined 24 miles of off-road running and more than 4,300ft of ascent.
Once again, the races will host the SEAA Fell Running Championships.
While the Isle of Wight does not have traditional fell terrain, the races meet Fell Running Association classifications for ascent and distance, with the hills around Ventnor providing a demanding challenge.
The events are named in honour of Eddie Leal, a founder member of the Fell Running Association with membership number 2, and Brenda Lawson. The pair started the Ventnor Fell Running Championship Association in 1995 to organise the events.
The action gets underway at 11:00 on Saturday with the St Boniface Fell.
Runners will make a straight dash from Ventnor seafront to the top of St Boniface and back down, covering 3 miles and 776ft of ascent.
Half of that ascent takes place over a half-mile stretch, before runners face a testing descent on the return journey.
There is little time to recover before the Ventnor Horseshoe gets underway at 15:00.
Starting once again from the seafront, competitors will ascend St Boniface before descending towards Wroxall and continuing through Cooks Castle and along the railway line.
They will then face a long ascent to St Martins Down, followed by the cliff and Luccombe Down, before descending St Boniface to return to the finish.
The second race covers 8 miles and includes 1,600ft of ascent.
At 10:00 on Sunday, runners will line up for the longest event of the weekend – the Wroxall Round.
The 13-mile race features 2,000ft of ascent and begins relatively flat through La Falaise Park before climbing towards Watcombe Bottom and Stenbury Down.
A steep descent to Stenbury Manor Farm is followed by another ascent towards Gat Cliff and Freemantle Gate.
Competitors will then head towards the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary and the railway line before another long climb to St Martins Down, the cliff and Luccombe Down. A descent of St Boniface takes runners towards the finish.
Around 150 runners are expected to compete this year, with teams from London Frontrunners, Mynydd Du, Compton Harriers, Serpentine Running Club, Victoria Park Harriers and Ryde Harriers among those taking part.
Wightlink is providing travel sponsorship for runners.
This year’s race venue is St Catherine’s School on Grove Road in Ventnor. The races will continue to start on the Esplanade, with the finish located in the school grounds.
Runners will be able to enter on the day from 09:00 at St Catherine’s School.
