6 members of Isle of Wight Road Runners battled high winds and torrential rain to record the club’s 2nd fastest South Downs Relay time.
The Newport-based athletics club took on the 100-mile South Downs Relay on Saturday, with a team of 6 runners completing the route from Eastbourne to Winchester.
The event, which follows the South Downs Way National Trail, is one of the UK’s most iconic club trail running events. Having started as a small race in the 1980s, it has grown significantly and is now invitation-only, with around 50 teams competing from across the South of England.
Each team is made up of 6 runners, who take turns carrying the baton across 18 relay legs, completing 3 legs each. Competitors need strong pace over long distances, basic navigation skills and the ability to cope with high elevation and difficult terrain.
This year’s event was made even tougher by high winds and torrential rain, which continued from the 07:00 start through to the evening finish.
Despite the conditions, the Isle of Wight team exceeded expectations, with several runners completing their legs quicker than predicted.
Nathan Docksey, Euan Hutcheson and Simon Newman made their debuts in the competition, joining returning team members Ross Wilkes, Ashley Crabbe and Steve Apsey.
Ross said:
“This was my 4th time doing this race and it was by far the worst weather I’ve encountered.
“I’m so proud of the lads, everyone did their bit on raceday and the support crew were perfect. It was an incredible result”
As the race entered its final stages, it became clear the team was on course for a much faster time than expected, eventually finishing in 12 hours and 15 minutes.
The result is the 2nd quickest time the club has recorded in the competition since first taking part in 2015.
Team support crew member Zoe Elliot said:
“The team camaraderie and support for each other was amazing and spirits stayed high despite the hideous conditions”
