THE Chilly Hilly run in the West Wight does exactly what it says on the tin, but it’s a challenge athletes of all ages and abilities want to come back to do each year.
This year’s race was sold out well in advance and there were 231 finishers.
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A mist hanging over Tennyson Down added to the chill factor for those who took on the gruelling ten-mile circular route, which began at the West Wight Sports and Community Centre In Freshwater and took in The Needles, Headon Warren and Totland Bay, with the event carefully timed to avoid high tides.
This year’s youngest competitor was 16 year old Gethin Hepworth, a member of the Isle of Wight Triathlon Club, who finished 20th overall.
He was 60 years younger than the eldest competitor, Derek Lee, with the Lymington Tri Club, who came 226th and was the only runner in his age category.
The 2019 Chilly Hilly winner, Joe Driscoll, who came to the Island unaffiliated to any running or athletic club, repeated the feat this time around in 1hr 4mins and 43secs.
Ross Wilkes, representing the Isle of Wight Road Runners, was the first Islander home, third overall, in 1.07.52.
The first woman to finish was Valeria Sesto, of the Lymington Athletes, in 1.15.10, to finish 12th overall.
Holly Newton, of the Ryde Harriers, was the first Island woman to cross the finish line — 15th overall in 1.16.05.
Simon Randall, of Love Running, created the route, and Clare Griffin, who manages the sports centre, organised the event, which was established in 2015 as a shorter alternative to The Needles XC Half Marathon, which has also become very popular.
The Chilly Hilly attracted athletes from 27 different clubs and groups.
“For some south coast clubs, it has become a Christmas ritual to visit the Isle of Wight for the Chilly Hilly — regardless of the weather,” said Simon.
A team of 60 volunteers made the event possible.
“This year, we had some fine people covering two different positions — one at the start of the race, and another in the final few miles — and we also had the amazing help of the Needles Coastwatch Team again, who manned all the marshal points from High Down to the Battery road and kept an eye on the weather for us,” added Simon.
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