The Bournemouth AC squadron were out in force for the first ever edition of the SOBO 5

A recent Friday evening saw a brand new addition to the local race calendar as Littledown Harriers hosted the inaugural SOBO 5.

Lara Hudson was making her Bournemouth AC debut

Starting and finishing outside the SOBO Beach Bar, the race followed a deceptively simple five-mile out-and-back route along Bournemouth promenade to the Dotto train turnaround point at Hengistbury Head before returning to the finish. On paper it was about as flat and fast as they come, but as is often the case on the south coast, the weather had other ideas.

Craig Palmer was back in race action

With many Bournemouth AC members keeping something in reserve for the Lordshill 10k later in the weekend, the Yellow Blues still fielded an impressive squad on home territory.

Among them was Rob McTaggart, who had already been in action just two nights earlier at the JPMorgan Challenge, blasting round the 3.5-mile course in a rapid 18:30. Tag has enjoyed an outstanding year already, finishing runner-up to Charlie Collins at the Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon in 1:12:35 before improving further with a superb 1:09 at Fleet Half Marathon. He also dipped under the magical two-and-a-half-hour barrier at the London Marathon, so it was no surprise to see him arrive as one of the pre-race favourites.

Rob McTaggart led the charge for the yellow and blues

Louisa Rowland was another athlete in sparkling form. Two marathon performances under three hours this year had firmly established her credentials, beginning with a 2:59 in Barcelona before she produced an even more impressive 2:55:46 at London.

Katie Gunn and Louise Rowland

Jack Barwick

Jack Barwick and Katie Gunn were fresh from representing Bournemouth AC at the Alresford 10k, the penultimate fixture in the Hampshire Road Race League. Jack had a five-mile best of 29:55 from Overton last September, while Katie’s PB of 31:05 came at the May 5 last year.

Ellie Taylor

Tom Sclanders

One of the club’s brightest young talents, Ellie Taylor, was also in the field. After setting the fastest female time at the Run Bournemouth Supernova 5k last autumn, she had already shown she was more than capable of mixing it with much more experienced athletes.

Helen Beddoe

David Crowther

Tom Sclanders, Helen Beddoe, David Crowther, Clint Taylor, Jud Kirk, Janine Pattison and the evergreen Ian Graham all added strength and experience to the Bournemouth AC contingent, while Lara Hudson was making her debut in yellow and blue and was hoping to complete the course somewhere between 35 and 40 minutes.

Clint Taylor

Jud Kirk

In an ideal world the runners would have been hoping for calm conditions or perhaps even the rare easterly breeze. Instead they were greeted by a fairly brisk westerly, which could only mean one thing – a helpful push on the way out and a much tougher battle on the return journey.

Janine Pattison

Craig Palmer

The evening also produced a surprise appearance from Bournemouth AC legend Craig Palmer.

Rob McTaggart

Craig Palmer

Craig was one of the area’s dominant road runners during his peak years, winning numerous local league races in 2019 and producing a phenomenal 2:24 marathon in Berlin. Although he had stepped away from competitive running and never quite rediscovered that level, it was fantastic to see him back on a start line. Could the SOBO 5 be the beginning of another comeback?

Rob McTaggart

Tag Takes Control

Rob McTaggart

Rob McTaggart knew the return journey into the wind would make life uncomfortable, so rather than leave himself vulnerable to a tactical battle later on, he opted to make the race his own from the gun.

Rob McTaggart

Craig Palmer

Exploding away at sub-five-minute-mile pace, only Craig Palmer was brave enough to go with him initially, although even he couldn’t live with the relentless early tempo.

Tag won the race in 27:22

The opening mile took runners from SOBO Beach Bar towards Hengistbury Head before climbing the short ramp and continuing alongside the headland onto Broadway.

Tag covered it in an impressive 5:08 and already had daylight between himself and the chasing pack.

Craig passed the marker in 5:31, around 20 seconds adrift, while Jack Barwick settled nicely with a 5:38 opening mile.

Craig Palmer

Tag continued to extend his advantage during the second mile along the harbour path, clocking 5:16.

Jack Barwick

Craig recorded 5:43, with Jack remaining remarkably consistent on 5:40.

The third mile included the halfway turnaround and although the headwind was now looming, Tag was still flying, registering another excellent split of 5:22.

Craig reached halfway in 5:46 and Jack followed with a 5:44.

Then came the difficult bit.

Craig Palmer

Turning back towards Bournemouth, the runners immediately felt the full force of the westerly wind. Even Tag’s relentless pace finally began to ease as he posted a 5:38 fourth mile, underlining just how tough conditions had become.

Jack Barwick

Craig and Jack both dug deep to record matching 6:05 splits as the race entered its decisive stages.

Despite the headwind, Tag remained completely in control. A final mile of 5:41 brought him home in a superb winning time of 27:22, completing a dominant front-running performance.

Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium places took an unexpected twist.

Craig snatched second place in 29:12

Finn O’Mahoney appeared set to finish second but was struck by illness on the final promenade section, forcing him to stop after being sick. Sensing the opportunity, Craig Palmer moved back through into second place and crossed the line in 29:12.

Finn O’Mahoney

Jack Barwick

Considering how little competitive running he has done in recent years, it was a remarkable performance and a reminder of the class that once made him one of the South’s finest distance runners. Although Tag finally ended Craig’s remarkable 11-year unbeaten head-to-head record, it still felt like a hugely encouraging return.

Finn O’Mahoney was third in 29:27

Finn bravely recovered to claim third in 29:27.

Jack Barwick looked set for fourth before being caught late on by Littledown Harriers’ James Rogers, who edged ahead in the closing stages to finish fourth in 29:41. Jack was only ten seconds behind in an excellent 29:51 to secure fifth overall.

Jack Barwick came fifth in 29:51

Aaron Robertson has been training with Bournemouth AC

Will Vincent took sixth in 30:21, while Aaron Robertson, who has recently been training with Bournemouth AC, produced one of the performances of the evening. His time of 30:56 earned seventh place overall and even included a new 5k personal best within the race itself.

Aaron came seventh in 30:56

Louisa Rowland

Yellow and Blues Dominate the Women’s Race

Louisa was first female and 11th overall in 31:30

Just two days after a hen weekend, Louisa Rowland might have been forgiven for feeling slightly below her best.

Instead she produced another outstanding run.

Louisa crossed the line in 31:27, averaging 6:13 per mile to claim first female and finish an impressive 11th overall.

Katie Gunn

Katie was second female in 32:24

Katie Gunn backed that up perfectly, finishing second female in 32:24 for 13th overall.

Harry Rosa

Tom Sclanders

Aaron Robertson’s training partner Harry Rosa followed in 32:32 before Tom Sclanders led home the next Bournemouth AC contingent in 33:27.

Tom Sclanders

Tom came 22nd in 33:27

Ellie Taylor completed a Bournemouth AC clean sweep of the women’s podium, finishing third female in 34:07 while also taking first Under-18 honours.

Ellie Taylor

Ellie Taylor

Ellie was third female in 34:07

David Crowther and Helen Beddoe once again found themselves racing together, just as they had at the May 5 earlier in the year.

David Crowther

Helen Beddoe

David stopped the clock in 35:33 for 35th place, with Helen only 14 seconds behind in 35:47, earning sixth female overall and first place in the women’s 40-49 category.

David came 35th in 35:33

Helen Beddoe

Helen was first female in the 40 to 49 category

A Successful Debut

Several Bournemouth AC members came along purely to support, including Rich Brawn, Kitty Cook and Tom Casson, who stationed themselves near Hengistbury Head to cheer everyone on through the toughest section of the race.

Lara Hudson

Clint Taylor

Spotting Lara Hudson and Clint Taylor battling into the headwind, Rich jumped in for the final mile to provide a little shelter from the wind.

Rich Brawn helped shield Lara from the wind

Lara nears the finish

Lara had judged her effort brilliantly on her club debut and, despite having to dig deep over the closing stages, crossed the line in 35:57. Averaging 7:07 per mile, she finished as ninth female and comfortably inside her pre-race target.

Clint digs in on the home straight

Lara was 9th female in 35:57

Clint was just two seconds ahead in 35:55, placing 40th overall.

Clint came 40th in 35:55

Janine Pattison continued her excellent run of masters performances, finishing in 40:30 to claim second place in the women’s V60 category.

Janine Pattison was second in the female 60 to 69 category

Jud Kirk

Jud Kirk followed shortly afterwards in 40:36, while Bournemouth AC’s oldest competitor, Ian Graham, once again demonstrated incredible longevity by completing the course in 55:21, finishing fifth in the 70+ category at the age of 79.

Even people on bikes couldn’t keep up with Jud

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

Ian Graham

It was also fantastic to see former Bournemouth AC runner Stu Glenister back racing after enduring an incredibly difficult period in his life. Seeing him healthy and enjoying racing again was undoubtedly one of the feel-good stories of the evening, and he marked his return with a solid 36:50 for 48th place.

Ian finished 5th in the 70+ category in 55:21

Stu Glenister

A total of 257 runners completed the inaugural SOBO 5 from a race capacity of 300, and afterwards competitors were able to relax together at SOBO Beach Bar, making the most of the half-price cocktails and the superb post-race atmosphere.

Stu Glenister got round in 36:50

Tag picks up his winning prize

Craig collects his prize for second place

Louisa Rowland picks up the prize for first female

When the prizes were handed out, Bournemouth AC had plenty to celebrate. Rob McTaggart and Louisa Rowland collected the individual victories, Ellie Taylor added the Under-18 honours, Helen Beddoe topped her age category and the Yellow Blues also secured both the men’s and women’s team prizes.

Jack Barlow collects his prize

Katie Gunn takes the prize for second female

Ellie Taylor collects her prize for third female

Jack got his proper photo in the end

For a first attempt, Littledown Harriers delivered an excellent event. Fast, friendly and brilliantly supported, the SOBO 5 has all the ingredients to become a firm favourite on the local racing calendar for years to come.

Helen Beddoe took the prize for first in the female 40 to 49 category

It was a splendid evening on the beach for Louisa

Nick Marshall wasn’t in a giant screw outfit this time

Bournemouth AC youngster Marvin Marshall also took part

It was thoroughly enjoyable evening for the BAC rabble

Issy Hammer throw

Isaac Pole Vaulting

This was our home match, so it was good to see a handful of new people competing, though sadly some were away on holiday. It was hot again and variable wind conditions affected some performances.

With apologies for any omissions, the team consisted of:

Women

Chloe Burrows

Holly Collier

Sarah Kearsey

Lola Ktisti (U18)

Jasmine Munden (U18)

Nikki Sandell

Isabella Shepherd

Harriet Slade

Tonaya Welsh (U18)

Joy Wright

Men

Michael Akers

Christian Baptist

Ewan Brown

Oliver Canavan

Luke De-Benedictis

Oliver Thompson

Stewart Cotterill

Steve Cox

Joe Haywood

William Launder

James Lelliott

William Moss

Adam Nicholass

Isaac Sandell

Noel Slade (U18)

Manuel Stone

Pavel Tesar

Vince Taylor

Notable performances included:

Tonaya Welsh (u18) winning the 100mH, noting the hurdles are higher than her U18 event, and also running the 400mH for the first time.

Harriet Slade (800) Holly Collier (1500) and James Lelliott (Javelin) winning events.

Tonaya 100mH

Our officials were:

• Dave Clarke (Chief timekeeper)
• Janet Dickinson (Track Ref)
• Juliet Dobson (Field Ref)
• Tim Hughes (Starter)
• Hazel Bates (Starter’s assistant)
• Barry Surman (Field)
• Robin James (Field)
• Andy Smith (Field)
• Sandie Smith (Field)
• Craig Munden (Field)
• Ruth (Track)

Team managers: Jemma Bates and Adam Nicholass

The next SAL match will be at Guildford on Saturday 8^th August with free coach travel.

]]> 39075 https://www.bournemouthac.co.uk/tag-and-dave-newman-show-an-interest-at-jpmorganchase-challenge/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 23:45:42 +0000 https://www.bournemouthac.co.uk/?p=39053

Dave Newman (left) was ready to get down to business at the JPMorganChase Challenge

Bournemouth AC’s two leading distance men, Rob McTaggart and Dave Newman, took on one of the strongest fields of the summer when they competed in the prestigious JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge in Battersea Park.

The Corporate Challenge is far more than just another midweek race. The global series spans 16 locations across six continents, bringing together more than 150,000 runners representing companies from around the world. While the emphasis is on corporate participation and camaraderie, the sharp end of the field is stacked with athletes of national and international calibre.

The smart money was on Rob McTaggart to be the top contender for Nationwide Building Society

The London leg was staged over two evenings on a 3.5-mile multi-terrain course in Battersea Park rather than the lightning-fast circuit familiar to runners from the Podium 5k series. With more than 20,000 competitors spread across the Wednesday and Thursday races, it provided a spectacular backdrop for some outstanding performances.

Wednesday evening saw Rob McTaggart line up in Nationwide Building Society colours. Tag has enjoyed another excellent campaign, finishing runner-up behind Poole AC’s Charlie Collins at the Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon in 1:12:35 before dipping under the 70-minute barrier with a superb 1:09 at Fleet and later clocking 2:29:38 in the London Marathon.

The competition was in safe hands with Dave Seaman (right) starting proceedings

His preparations, however, could hardly have been less than ideal after being struck down by illness the night before the race. Lesser athletes might have called it a day, but Tag dug deep and still produced a performance of real quality.

Opening with a spirited 5:07 first mile, he followed that with splits of 5:16 and 5:23 before finding another gear over the closing half mile, covering it at 5:07 pace to stop the clock at an impressive 18:30.

The start of the race on Day 2 of the event

The following evening it was the turn of Dave Newman, representing JPMorganChase. Newman has also been enjoying a tremendous season, winning the Weymouth Half Marathon in March in 1:12 before producing an outstanding 2:28:51 to finish 157th overall at the London Marathon.

Dave wasted no time asserting himself, flying through the opening mile in 4:59 before maintaining the pressure with a 5:03 second mile. A 5:18 third split set up a determined finish, and he closed the final half mile at 5:15 pace to record 18:09, averaging a blistering 5:07 per mile and securing a place in the top ten on his night.

The athletes exchanged corporate suits for lycra

When the results from both evenings were combined, Dave finished an outstanding 20th overall, while Tag claimed 34th from a staggering field of 20,626 runners.

The scale of the event becomes even clearer when the worldwide rankings are considered. Across all 16 host cities and 154,355 competitors, Dave finished 80th globally, with McTaggart an equally impressive 126th.

Dave Newman was third fastest for JPMorganChase

The London event also attracted a host of familiar names from the local racing scene. Poole AC’s Mark Ruby produced a magnificent 16:55 to top the London standings and finish fifth in the worldwide rankings. Jonathan Coates, representing JPMorganChase, was second in London with 16:59 to rank tenth globally, while Kurt Taylor of Petauri completed the London podium in exactly 17:00, placing 11th worldwide.

Despite being sick the night before, Tag delivered a strong performance

Another familiar face, Hercules Wimbledon’s Fred Slemeck – well known to Hampshire runners through his victories at the Alresford 10k – clocked 17:41 to finish 12th in London and 33rd in the global standings.

Mark Ruby recorded the fastest time at the London event

At the head of the worldwide leaderboard, Moges Dargie Mengesha dominated the Frankfurt race in 16:06. Fellow Frankfurt competitor Yihun Gezahign Fantahun followed just one second behind in 16:07, with Samuel Blake also racing in Frankfurt taking third in 16:21. Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz, competing in Chicago, recorded a 16:51 to place fourth overall.

The winners collect their medals and get a photo with Dave Seaman

Against a field packed with elite club runners and international-standard athletes, Dave Newman and Tag once again demonstrated that Bournemouth AC continues to boast two of the finest endurance performers currently racing on the domestic circuit.

Jason Christian was tackling one of his most brutal challenges yet in the shape of the Giants Head Half Marathon

Fresh from his encouraging return to racing at the Lymington Lifeboat 10K, where his comeback gathered further momentum, Jason Christian took on one of the South West’s toughest trail races by lining up in the Giants Head Half Marathon.

Based in the picturesque Dorset village of Sydling St Nicholas, the Giants Head event has earned a formidable reputation among trail runners. The half marathon is anything but a conventional 13.1-mile race, taking competitors deep into the rolling chalk downland of the Dorset countryside, across ancient ridgeways, farmland and woodland tracks before returning to the showground beneath the famous chalk Giant’s Head hillside figure.

There was a huge amount of elevation on the route

The route serves up relentless climbing and technical descents, with steep grass slopes, loose chalk tracks and uneven trails demanding concentration as well as endurance. Although advertised as a half marathon, Jason’s GPS watch measured 14.4 miles, while recording almost 2,000ft (610m) of elevation gain, underlining just how demanding the course really is.

Having shown promising signs of returning to form at Lymington, Jason produced another determined performance to negotiate the testing terrain, crossing the finish line in 2:34:11.

Jason nears the finish of his epic adventure

His run earned 75th place overall from a field of 234 finishers and, more significantly, third place in the MV50 category, a fine reward on one of the region’s most challenging trail courses.

The race was won by Alan Jones in 1:53:14, with John Pickford second in 2:00:41 and Liam Farrell completing the podium in 2:01:31. The women’s race was headed by Hannah Howard in 2:17:05, with Emily Kendall coming in as second female who in 2:19:07. They were 11th and 12th overall, with Gemma Russhard finished third female and 19th overall in 2:28:16.

Jason went over the line in 2 hours 34 minutes

Jason’s performance continues the encouraging progress shown recently. Having returned to racing at the Lymington Lifeboat 10K following a lengthy spell away from competition, he has quickly demonstrated that both his endurance and climbing strength remain firmly intact. Tackling a course as demanding as Giants Head is a significant step beyond a road 10K, making his podium finish in the MV50 category all the more satisfying.

It was a run where Jason certainly had to earn his bling

The Giants Head weekend actually began 24 hours earlier, with the event’s equally demanding marathon and popular 10K taking place on Saturday. Both races attracted strong fields of trail runners from across the South and South West, with competitors facing the same spectacular Dorset scenery, rolling hills and notoriously energy-sapping chalk climbs that have become synonymous with the Giants Head event.

Jason finished 3rd in the MV50 category

The marathon once again lived up to its reputation as one of the UK’s toughest off-road marathons, while the shorter 10K offered an equally challenging introduction to trail running, packing plenty of climbing into a relatively short distance.

Marcus Biles won the marathon in 3:24:30, with Paul Russhard taking second in 3:29:23 and Michael Harrington third in 3:34:20. Abigail Jones was first female and 7th overall in exactly 3 hours 54 minutes.

Jason steps into the role of the Cerne Abbas Giant

Daniel O’Boyle won the 10k in 42:28, with Ryan Johnstone taking second in 43:37 and Adam Wollard third in 46:29. Freya Sutcliffe was first female and 14th overall in 55:45.

For Jason, however, the weekend belonged to another important milestone in his comeback. From the fast roads of Lymington to the unforgiving hills above Sydling St Nicholas, his recent performances suggest his return to competitive racing is gathering pace, with a third-place MV50 finish at Giants Head providing further encouragement for the remainder of the summer season.

Stu Bowers (Black), Stu Nicholas (BAC vest) and former Bournemouth AC man Jacek Cieluszecki were in the Coombe Keynes 10k

The opening round of the 2026 Purbeck Trail Series saw four Bournemouth AC runners head to the picturesque but punishing Coombe Keynes 10k, with Stu Nicholas making an encouraging start to his bid for a third successive series title.

The six-race competition, which also includes the Lighthouse Loop, The Beast, Black Hill 10k, Studland Stampede and Blue Castle Run, has become one of the highlights of the Dorset off-road calendar, with competitors counting their best four results towards the overall standings.

Having claimed the overall title in each of the last two years, Stu Nicholas returned to the Lulworth Estate determined to lay down an early marker.

A tasty field had been assembled for the first race of the Purbeck Trail Series

The Coombe Keynes 10k has already produced mixed fortunes for him. He stormed to victory in 2024 before enduring one of the cruellest moments of last year’s series when, while leading comfortably, he was sent the wrong way by the lead marshal, ending his hopes of back-to-back victories in the race.

Fortunately, the series scoring system meant he was able to discard that result and recover brilliantly. Knowing there was little room for error, he responded by winning the Lighthouse Loop and Black Hill 10k while finishing runner-up at both The Beast and the Studland Stampede to retain his overall crown.

The 2026 Coombe Keynes 10k gets underway

Stu Nicholas arrived this year arguably in even stronger form. He opened the road season with an excellent 33:22 personal best at the Stubbington 10k, has recently lowered his parkrun best to just over 16 minutes, won the Norfolk Marathon and finished runner-up for the second consecutive year at the North Dorset Village Marathon.

The Coombe Keynes course is never one for fast times. Set entirely within the private Lulworth Estate, close to Lulworth Cove and the Jurassic Coast, the route packs around 550 feet of climbing into a distance that’s slightly longer than 10 kilometres.

Stu Nicholas was in the hunt for a third consecutive Purbeck Trail Series win

The opening climb begins almost immediately and continues relentlessly for the first mile and a half, yet Stu Nicholas still powered through the opening mile in 5:50 before cresting the hill.

A welcome mile-long descent allowed him to regain some momentum as he clocked a 6:04 second mile before another climb took him to the end of mile three in 5:58.

With the fourth mile mainly downhill he returned a 6:05 split before tackling the final significant ascent, where the gradient inevitably took its toll as he recorded 6:35.

Once over the top there was still plenty left in the tank. He covered the sixth mile in 6:10 before flying through the final third of a mile at an impressive 5:21 pace to stop the clock in 38 minutes 30 seconds.

Stu was a minute quicker than when he won it two years ago

Remarkably, the performance came at the end of an exceptionally busy weekend. Stu had finished ninth in Friday evening’s Purbeck 10k before turning out again at Highcliffe parkrun on Saturday morning, making the Coombe Keynes 10k his third race in as many days.

Jacek Cieluszecki showed he’s still the man to beat

Despite the accumulated miles, he still ran half a minute quicker than when he won the race two years ago, although the strength of this year’s field meant that was enough for fourth place.

Former Bournemouth AC runner Jacek Cieluszecki rolled back the years with a superb display to take victory in 36:14. The hills barely interrupted his rhythm as he consistently produced mile splits between 5:30 and 5:40 before easing slightly over the closing stages.

The hills never seem to trouble JC too much

Egdon Heath Harriers’ Jamie Barrington finished second in 37:32, George Goodall claimed third in 38:03 and Poole AC’s Luke Terry crossed the line just behind Nicholas in 38:52.

Jamie Barrington finished runner up to JC

Rob Parker of Bridport Runners took sixth in 38:58 while Poole Runners’ David Penwarden was seventh overall and first M50 in 39:20. Former Bournemouth AC athlete Julian Critchlow, now representing Poole Runners, finished 11th in 41:21.

George Goodall took the final podium place

Stu Bowers was third in the M40 category

Stu Bowers also enjoyed an excellent run around the demanding course. Having won last summer’s Maverick Exmoor Goat 15km and later tackled The Stickler, Bowers showed his strength on the hills to finish 16th overall from 305 finishers in an impressive 42:56.

Stu completed the course in 42:56

Stu Bowers did well to finish 16th overall

Making a last minute switch with Twemlow Track Club man Jon Clemas, Kate Bowers seized the opportunity to pen a result for the first race of the Purbeck Trail Series and finished in 47:34. That put her in 44th place overall and was enough to see her come in as fifth female, just ahead of Sally Bugler of Bridport Runners.

Kate Bowers managed to get a last minute number change

Kate was fifth fastest female in the race

Kate dishes out a high five as she goes past

Caroline Rowley was making another appearance in a series she thoroughly enjoyed last year. Although now taking a more relaxed approach to racing and no longer chasing results as fiercely as in previous years, she still produced an excellent series in 2025, finishing second in the F50 standings.

Caroline Rowley (right) battles it out at the end of the race

Caroline (right) was second in the F50 category for the series last year

She shaved six seconds off last year’s Coombe Keynes performance, completing the challenging course in 58:06. That earned her 151st overall, 38th female and eighth in the F50 category, giving her another solid platform on which to build her series campaign.

Caroline (right) was 38th female and 8th F50

Dulcie Gatehouse was first female

Dulcie Gatehouse of Bridport Runners was first female, finishing 22nd overall in 44:34. Westbourne’s Carys Gallagher claimed second female in 45:27, while Louise Fox of Dorchester RIOT completed the podium in 45:59. Purbeck Runners’ Jenny Lee Marshall was fourth female in 46:36.

Julian Critchlow was first over 60

Luke Terry of Poole AC was fifth in 38:52

With the opening race complete, Stu Nicholas is well placed to launch another title challenge as attention now turns to the second round of the series, the notoriously testing Lighthouse Loop over 5k at Durlston on 12th August, where the climbs may be shorter but are every bit as demanding.

David Penwarden was first M50 and 7th overall

JC was back on top

Massive thanks as ever to Ken Hewitt for chronicling the action superbly with his magnificent photos.

Julian Critchlow collects his prize for first M60

A clash with the Diamond League event in London meant there were fewer athletes at this match, but this provided opportunities for several athletes to step up

.

With apologies for any omissions, the team consisted of:

U14s

Zachary Armitage

Liberty Batt

Isabella Baptist

Leo Bholah

Joey Cullis

Edward Davies

Sophie Dixon

Andrei Gaina

Reuben Gates

Edward Mahoney

Sofia Roscoe

Harry Selwood

Benjamin Trimby

Hugo Walker

Robyn Woolley

U16s

Olivia Armitage

Isabella Crawford

Eleanor Fisher

Issac Grey

Connor Grocott

Fin Hurst-Atkins

Oliver Jennings

Jessica Long

Isla May

Sienna Munden

Callum Pearson

Logan Potter

Barney Smith

Aspen Stobart

Thomas Taylor

Lola Thomasson

Travis Vanjara

Tayana Welsh

Notable performances included:

• Barney Smith sub 2m performance in 800m
• Sienna Munden High Jump pb 1.53m
• Andrei Gaina Shot pb 13.31m
• Sophia Roscoe Shot pb 8.63m
• Aspen Stobart winning discus 36.97m and hammer 49.76m

Full results can be found on the Power of 10

Our officials were:

• Dave Clarke (BAC timekeeper)
• Janet Dickinson (BAC track ref)
• Dave McManus (NFJ field)
• Tina Wilding (NFJ field)
• Tim Hughes (BAC Starter)

Team manager: Bernard Buron (BAC), Tom Butler(NFJ) and Keira Everit (NFJ)

The next YDL lower match will be at Southampton on Saturday 1^st August.

The following BAC athletes represented Dorset at the English Schools championships:

Seniors

• Theo Knott (high jump)
• Isabel Cherrett (3000m)
• William Launder (Long Jump)

Inters

• Sienna Pope (80m hurdles)
• Logan Potter (hammer)
• Seni Purnell (Long Jump)

Juniors

• Junior Buron (100m)
• Imogen Pope (High Jump)

Congratulations to these athletes and their coaches: James Hind, Dave Clarke, Dave Pain, Bernard Buron and Brian Camp.

Imogen Pope had a podium performance taking the silver in the High Jump.

Others made the final 8: Junior Buron 7^th in the 100m, Theo Knott 7^th in High Jump, and William Launder 4^thLong Jump.

Sienna

Theo

Junior

Will

Imogen with coach James

A more details high jump report can be found here: English Schools High Jump report

Full results can be found on the Power of 10

The previous week the SW combined events championship took place at Yeovil 27-28^th June. Here Imogen Pope claimed yet another medal, this time gold in the pentathlon.

Imogen (on right) at CE Championship

Some of the team

This was our home match so important for us to do well. It was a beautiful sunny day, albeit a little windy and very hot!

Always a privilege to compete for the National League team so it sad to see some last-minute dropouts. The clash with English Schools Championship also meant several U18s were not available. Fortunately, many athletes stepped up to compete in their full 5 events (3 events for U18s), taking on events outside their comfort zone for much needed points. The result a brilliant 2^nd place. The team photo (sorry to have missed some athletes) says it all as the team really came together.

With apologies for any omissions, the team consisted of:

Women

Chloe Burrows

Holly Collier

Janet Dickinson

Florence Dootson

Kitty Cook

Catherine Holdsworth

Lola Ktisti

Nikki Sandell

Isabella Shepherd

Harriet Slade

Winter Stobart

Tonaya Welsh

Joy Wright

Men

Simon Armstrong

Christian Baptist

Oliver Canavan

Ben Collins

Stewart Cotterill

Steve Cox

Luke De-benedictis

Cameron Hale

Joseph Haywood

James Lelliott

Isaac May

Robert McTaggart

William Moss

Isaac Sandell

4×100 team

Isaac and Nikki (mother and son PV team)

Harriet

Holly

4×400

4×400

4×400

End of day

Notable performances included:

Kitty Cook – a welcome addition from the road runners.

James Lelliott, Cameron Hale and Isabella Shepherd for making the top performances list on Power of 10.

Everyone for the great team spirit at the match.

Full results can be found on the Power of 10

Our officials were:

• Dave Parsons (Meeting manager and results)
• Tim Hughes (Starter and meeting manager)
• Nigel Harding (Chief timekeeper)
• Bryan Murray (Starter)
• Hazel Bates (Starter’s assistant)
• Jemma Bates (Starter’s assistant)
• Adie Saunders (Clerk of Course)
• Sam White (Shadow Field Referee)
• Dave Clarke (Timekeeper)
• Dave Pain (Results)
• Barry Surman (Field
• Sandy Smith (Field)
• Andy Smith (Field)
• Paul Whitty (Track helper)
• Simon Saunders (Track)
• Richard Hunt (Track)
• Ruth (Track)

Ruth – track official

Barry – Field judge

Simon – track judge

Dave Parsons and Dave Pain – results

Jemma, Tim and Hazel – the start team

Richard – Track judge

Sam – Field official

Ian – timekeeper

Timekeepers looking busy

Tim starting

Team managers: Tim Hughes and Suzi Shepherd

Suzi (team manager) with Steve

The next NAL match will be on 22^nd August at Yeovil with free coach. Get this date in your diary if you want to compete in our top league.

]]> 38964 https://www.bournemouthac.co.uk/bac-men-power-to-purbeck-victory-as-league-battle-intensifies/ Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:55:55 +0000 https://www.bournemouthac.co.uk/?p=38845

The Bournemouth AC possie had every reason to be optimistic when they gathered at Corfe Castle for the Purbeck 10k

The Dorset Road Race League reached its halfway stage on Friday evening with the always popular Purbeck 10k, and with championship positions beginning to take shape, every place carried added significance.

There is always something special about the Purbeck 10k. Friday night racing has a unique atmosphere and, considering the Isle of Purbeck’s reputation for brutally steep hills, the course itself is surprisingly forgiving.

Some of the Bournemouth AC runners go through their warm up routine

There are certainly enough undulations to keep runners honest, but it is a route that rewards those prepared to run positively. This year’s out-and-back course also featured a noticeable headwind on the return journey, making the second half that little bit tougher.

Rich Brawn and Arthur Riley

Clint Taylor

The Bournemouth AC men arrived knowing they had work to do. They were locked level on points with both Egdon Heath Harriers and Wimborne AC, while Poole AC held top spot in what has developed into an exceptionally competitive Men’s First Division.

Helen Beddoe

Kitty Cook

The ladies had also made an outstanding start to the campaign, sitting joint leaders of the Second Division alongside Dorchester RIOT with promotion firmly within their sights. Unfortunately, only Kitty Cook and Helen Beddoe were available on this occasion, leaving BAC unable to register a scoring team.

Jud Kirk

Kitty Cook

Kitty nevertheless arrived in excellent form. She had finished seventh female at the May 5 before smashing through the 20-minute barrier for the first time with a superb 19:39 at Poole parkrun and then backed it up with another sub-20 performance at the Poole Festival of Running Relays.

Helen Beddoe

Ian Graham

Helen has also been enjoying a productive campaign, racing both the May 5 and the opening two rounds of the Upton Summer Series, while earlier this year she celebrated a memorable milestone by breaking four hours in her first officially measured marathon at the ABP Southampton Marathon.

Luke Martin

Stu Nicholas

The Bournemouth AC men’s squad, meanwhile, was arguably its strongest of the season.

Casper Jakobsen

Ben Collins

Luke Martin led the team after finishing third at the Alton 10. Stuart Nicholas had already put together a remarkable season, winning the Norfolk Marathon, finishing runner-up at the North Dorset Village Marathon and lowering his 10k personal best to 33:22 at Stubbington.

Harry Butcher

James Hulbert

Harry Butcher had produced a sensational 28:50 PB at the May 5, while James Hulbert and Arthur Riley had both dipped under the coveted 30-minute barrier at the same race. Ben Collins was making his first Dorset League appearance of the year and Casper Jakobsen made it a formidable-looking Bournemouth AC line-up.

Arthur Riley

Tom Casson

There was quality throughout the field.

Patrick Kingston

Nathan Mearns

Poole AC fielded regular race winner Lewis Clarke alongside Callum Wadlow, Rob Doubleday and Adam McCrea. Charlie Williams represented Egdon Heath Harriers, while Littledown Harriers were led by Gergely Arvay. Twemlow Track Club included North Dorset Village Marathon winner Chris Wood together with former Dorset League individual champion Lee Dempster, whose recent performances suggested a welcome return to form.

Clint Taylor

The front of the field

The women’s race was equally competitive. Current individual leader Victoria Pye lined up for Egdon Heath Harriers, Dawn Andrews continued her impressive season for Poole AC and home favourite Jenny Marshall was always expected to feature prominently around roads she knows so well.

The start of the race

Luke Sets the Barometer

Luke Martin

Luke Martin wasted little time establishing himself near the front of the race.

Luke Martin

His opening mile of 5:28 was followed by an even quicker 5:21 second mile before settling into an impressive rhythm with consecutive 5:37 miles. Turning into the headwind, Luke refused to let the conditions disrupt his momentum, closing with miles of 5:43 and 5:50 to cross the line in an excellent 34:43.

Luke Martin came 3rd in 34:43

Thomas Payn won it in 33:51

Only unattached winner Thomas Payn (33:51) and Poole AC’s Callum Wadlow (34:14) finished ahead of him, giving Martin a superb third-place finish.

Callum Wadlow took 2nd in 34:14

Charlie Williams was 4th in 34:53

Charlie Williams claimed fourth in 34:53 ahead of Lewis Clarke, who stopped the clock on exactly 35 minutes.

Lewis Clarke came 5th in exactly 35 minutes

Casper Jakobsen

Behind them came an outstanding Bournemouth AC surge.

Casper Jakobsen and Stu Nicholas

Casper Jakobsen produced another excellent league performance to finish sixth in 35:03, with Ben Collins making an immediate impact on his first league outing of the season by taking seventh in 35:10. Stuart Nicholas completed an outstanding quartet inside the top nine, crossing the line ninth in 35:36 after another consistently strong run.

Ben Collins and Luke Martin

Stu Nicholas

Casper Jakobsen

Casper came 6th in 35:03

Ben Collins

Big Ben came 7th in 35:10

Stu Nicholas

Stu came 9th in 35:36

Harry Butcher

Harry Butcher completed Bournemouth AC’s scoring five with a fine run to 14th place in 36:29, securing a decisive Men’s First Division victory. At just 17 years of age, he was first in the Under 21 category.

Harry Butcher was 5th scorer for the team in 36:29

James Hulbert

Between Bournemouth AC’s scorers, Gergely Arvay took eighth in 35:29, Cam Clarke rounded out the top ten in 36:03, Lee Dempster finished 11th in 36:04, Mark Savage was 12th in 36:14 and David Penwarden claimed first MV50 honours with 13th place in 36:26.

Harry Butcher

James Hulbert

Christian Rodiger finished 15th before Twemlow Track Club pair Nick Reynolds and Steven Rigby took 16th and 17th. Rob Doubleday was Poole AC’s third scorer in 19th, while Myles Peacham completed Poole Runners’ scoring quartet in 20th to earn them victory in the Men’s Second Division.

James Hulbert

James came 21st in 37:12

James Hulbert continued Bournemouth’s excellent evening with 21st place in 37:12, while Arthur Riley followed in 27th, clocking 37:39.

Stu Nicholas

Arthur Riley and Tom Casson

Adam McCrea completed Poole AC’s scoring team as they finished second in Division One despite not fielding one of their strongest line-ups. Louis Verdi, who continues to lead the men’s individual standings after completing all six races, finished 23rd before Littledown Harriers completed their scoring team through James Rodgers and Mark Packer to secure second place in Division Two, narrowly edging Poole Runners.

Arthur Riley

Arthur Riley came 27th in 37:39

Further down the field, Rich Brawn finished 34th in 38:15, while Chris Wood endured an unusually quiet evening by his high standards, placing 35th in 38:22.

Rich Brawn and Arthur Riley

Rich Brawn

Julian Critchlow claimed first MV60 honours in 38:35.

Rich Brawn

Rich Brawn

Rich came 34th in 38:15

Tom Casson

Nathan Mearns

Patrick Kingston

Tom Casson

Tom Casson was Bournemouth AC’s next finisher in 39:28, before Patrick Kingston crossed the line in 41:14 and Nathan Mearns completed another solid run in 41:24.

Tom Casson

Tom finished 43rd in 39:28

Patrick Kingston

Nathan finished 60th in 41:24

Patrick came 57th in 41:14

Clint Taylor

Clint Taylor added another valuable finish for the club, clocking 46:04, while Jud Kirk negotiated the course in exactly 50 minutes, finishing seventh in the MV65 category.

Jud Kirk

Clint Taylor

Clint finished in 46:08

Jud Kirk

Jud finished in 50:09

Ian Graham

Ian Graham rounded off Bournemouth AC’s performances, completing the course in 1:03:56, which earned him third place in the MV75 category.

Ian Graham

Ian Graham got round in 1:04:23

Kitty Just Misses the Podium

Kitty Cook

The women’s race produced one of the closest finishes of the evening.

Kitty Cook

Kitty Cook was locked in a battle with Egdon Heath Harriers’ Victoria Pye for third place throughout the closing stages. Despite another outstanding performance from Kitty, Victoria just held on by a single second, finishing in 41:42 to Kitty’s 41:43.

The pair finished 68th and 69th overall.

Abigail Jones of Poole Runners was first female in 39:57, with Dawn Andrews continuing her excellent campaign by taking second in 41:09.

Kitty was 4th female in 41:43

Jenny Marshall delighted the home crowd by finishing fifth female in 41:52, while Ella Laird placed sixth in 42:19. Sally Miller of Dorchester RIOT claimed seventh in 42:51, narrowly ahead of Carys Gallagher of Westbourne in 42:53, with Lauren Baker-Little ninth and Phillippa Loakes tenth.

Helen Beddoe

Helen Beddoe continued her encouraging season with another determined run, finishing in 45:16 to place 21st female and fifth FV40.

Helen O’Neile completed Poole Runners’ scoring team in 44:13, giving them victory in the Ladies First Division ahead of Egdon Heath Harriers and Poole AC.

Helen Beddoe

Elsewhere, Hamish Murray claimed first MV70 honours in 44:05, while Littledown Harriers’ Ken Parradine once again demonstrated remarkable longevity by taking the MV80 category in 1:01:19.

Helen Beddoe

Elisabetta Moscato, who has since joined Bournemouth AC, completed the course in 51:14.

League Tables Taking Shape

The victory proved hugely significant for the Bournemouth AC men.

Helen was 21st female in 45:20

Maximum points lifted them clear of both Egdon Heath Harriers and Wimborne AC into outright third place in the Men’s First Division standings. Poole AC continue to lead the way, with Twemlow Track Club remaining second, but Bournemouth’s convincing victory keeps them firmly in the title race heading into the second half of the campaign.

Ben’s girlfriend Sanghavi was also running

Poole Runners strengthened their position at the top of the Men’s Second Division after another victory, although Littledown Harriers remain close behind.

In the Ladies First Division, Poole Runners’ victory closed the gap on leaders Egdon Heath Harriers, while Poole AC remain third.

There was every reason to celebrate for the Bournemouth AC team

The Ladies Second Division saw a significant reshuffle. Purbeck Runners’ home victory moved them to the top of the table ahead of Dorchester RIOT, while Bournemouth AC slipped to fourth after being unable to field a scoring team.

The BAC team were truly flying on the day

Verwood Runners strengthened their promotion credentials by winning the Men’s Third Division ahead of Dorchester RIOT, while Purbeck Runners continue to lead the overall standings.

They took the male team win and a couple of age category prizes

Lytchett Manor Striders recorded a fourth victory of the season in the Ladies Third Division and look increasingly likely promotion candidates, despite Bournemouth Joggers currently holding top spot overall.

Attention then turned to the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon, where another demanding test awaited. In midsummer conditions, the combination of heat, hills and half marathon distance promised to make for another fascinating chapter in what is developing into one of the closest Dorset Road Race League seasons in recent memory.

A good turnout for our home match especially by the U12s who filled all the quad kid places available. It was a hot day, so a big shout out to all the officials who were in the sun for many hours. With other matches competing for officials, the club did well to bring this together.

With apologies for any omissions, the team consisted of:

U12s

Kaya Atie

Floyd Billings

Emily Brooks

Layla Cheater

Theodore Damiani

Imogen Drew

Zara Hammond

Seth Jackson

George Jenkins

Haden McDAde

Alicia Mysliwska

Anderson Peaty

Samuel Rameriz

Skye Rees

Amy Shephard

Austin Stocken

Joshua Wells

Jayton Welsh

U14s

Lonnee Archibong

Isabella Baptist

Liberty Batt

Leo Bholah

Sophie Dixon

Andrei Gaina

Cian McCarthy

Edan Mulvey

Alegra Ramirez

Sofia Roscoe

Harry Selwood

Benjamin Trimby

Ava Unuigbe

Hugo Walker

Robyn Woolley

Malachi Yekini

U16s

Riley Austin

Mikey Bean

Isabella Crawford

Tydan Farley

Eleanor Fisher

Finley Hurst-Atkins

Edward King

Isla May

Ethan McDade

Callum Pearson

Sienna Pope

Logan Potter

Charlie Powell

Barney Smith

Andrew Szewczyk

Lola Thomasson

Tonaya Welsh

U18s

Jayden Benstead-Brooks-Dravecz

Gabriella Pitman

Noel Slade

Notable performances from all the officials and athletes for coping with the hot weather, particularly Dave Clarke (starter) and Ann Thatcher (starter’s assistant from Swindon) for working all day in the sun keeping the track to time.

Congratulations to Allegra Ramirez, Sienna Pope, Jayden Benstead-Brooks-Dravecz, Andrew Szewczyk, Alicja Mysliwska, Sofia Roscoe and Logan Potter for their wins.

Full results can be found on the Power of 10

Our officials were:

• Robin James (Meeting Manager and Field Referee)
• Dave Parsons (Meeting Manager and Recording)
• Dave Clarke (Starter)
• Janet Dickinson (Track Referee)
• Ian Graham (Chief Timekeeper)
• Martin Long (Recording)
• William Kearsy (Field)
• Suzi Shepherd (Field)
• Barrie Smith (Field)
• Richard Hunt (Track)
• Simon Saunders (Track)
• Ruth (Track Recorder)

Thanks also to team managers Caleb Buys (u12s), Bernard Buron (u14s) Caroline Pope (u16s)

The next Wessex match will be hosted by Radley at the Abingdon track on Sunday 26^th July. A free coach will be provided.