Hastings Runners run for Barry - and are kings of castle.. Hastings AC break records

Runners set off from the foot of Galley Hill, going out along Bexhill seafront and continuing as far as the turnaround point by the Cooden Beach Hotel.

Winner was Will Withecombe in 36.24, continuing his rich vein of form, finishing over two minutes clear of nearest rivals Adam Weller and Ashley Vora, who ended four seconds apart.

Ladies winner, also in fine form this year, was Zoe Fairclough in 43.33. Kieran Price picked up another MV50 award, while Annette Fry was the first FV50 finisher and picked up her first club trophy. Cub junior Amy Ashby, tackling her first 10k race, struggled in the heat, but produced a gutsy performance to finish in 64 minutes.

A number of runners dropped out en route; but Marie Appleton knocked 4.34 off her time last year to win the Improvers’ Award. Jackie Scott recorded a nine-second improvement.

Thanks went to race director Nick Webb, chief marshal Alan Croucher and volunteers. Finlay Garlick, Cathy Jones and Heidi Rossetter made their club debuts, while Michael Norris was marking his 56th birthday.

Full results were: Will Withecombe 36.24; Adam Weller 38.05; Ashley Vora 38.09; Colin White 38.51; Martin Snape 41.25; Stuart Piper 41.34; Finlay Garlick 42.16; Kieran Price 42.23; Simon Linklater 42.57; Martin Noakes 43.08; Zoe Fairclough 43.33; Paul Lambert 43.38; Paul Burchett 44.07; Joe Moore 44.50; Patrick Bermingham 45.14; Andrew Shipilov 45.17; Neil Jeffries 45.33; Mark Storey 45.40;

Michael Norris 46.35; Charles Bowley 47.37; Andy Knight 47.58; Stephen Ingram 48.27; Sarah Bendle 49.29; Luke Evans 50.00; Piers Brunning 50.16; Matthew Miller 51.12; David Harding 51.27; Simon Weatherley 51.32; Laurence Bell 51.32; Tamsin West 51.52; Peter Noakes 52.55; Annette Fry 55.22; Ashley Sapsford-Brooks 55.56; Sue Quincey 56.46; Heidi Rossetter 57.22; Marie Appleton 58.09; Sean Dwyer 59.06; Jackie Scott 59.36; Susan Wilkinson 59.36; David Bratby 61.20; Marie Crawford 61.23; Steven Slater 61.38; Debra Van Aalst 61.46; Jessica Hayward 62.08; Jessica Cull 62.33; Mike Ellis 62.47; Amy Ashby 64.25; Christopher White 66.51; Pete Heasman 67.08; Louise Cavill 67.39; Adam Holland 69.53; Catherine Jones 70.30; Julia James 70.36; Irene Kitson 72.29; Catherine Southgate 76.24; Erica Wilson 78.22; Henry Worthington 94.10; Alan Croucher 94.16 (sweep).

* There was a thrilling finish to the Herstmonceux Castle relays, with Hastings Runners star junior Finlay Goodman reeling in a 13-second deficit on the last leg to take the lead in the last 100m and seal victory for the senior men's team by just one second.

The return of the Hailsham Harriers event drew 49 teams from 11 clubs contesting the four-leg affair with runners tackling an undulating, mixed terrain loop of 1.5 miles, finishing with a long descent through the grounds to finish opposite the castle.

Martin Snape got HR off to a good start with an opening leg of 8.12, and Adam Weller maintained the team's third place with 8.27 on the second. A tremendous third leg by Will Withecombe in 7.58 saw him overtake Eastbourne Rovers and shave Bexhill Runners & Triathletes' lead to 13 seconds, giving Finlay a chance of bringing home the baton which he did in some style, posting the quickest time of the night in 7.23. The team's overall time was 32.00, with BRT second in 32.01.

The men's vets were 11th in 38.28. Times: Kevin Blowers 9.37; Neil Jeffries 9.57; Andy Knight 9.49; Darren Barzee 9.05.

Close behind were the senior ladies team, coming 13th and 2nd behind Hailsham Harriers (result tbc) in 39.37. Times: Claire Thomas 9.42; Zoe Fairclough 9.37; Tamsin West 10.38; Nicki Steed 9.40.

HR's mixed teams finished 29th and 33rd.

Hastings triathlete Roy Beeley competed in the Bewl sprint triathlon in perfect conditions. In a 750m swim, 20k bike race and 5k run Beeley finished in 1hr 44min 46sec, first in the over-75s.

HASTINGS AC

It has been a season the like of which hasn't been seen in years at Hastings Athletic Club – with a huge wave of club records being smashed across all age groups and events, some that have stood for as long as 40 years.

For the women; Mieke Henderson has set three new club records in the V35 category: in a 400m, she ran 63.7sec to break a record that has stood since 2018, and she broke her own record with 63.3 at Lewes.

She broke another record in a 200m – 29.7s – and in the 100m:,14.4sec, records held by Jacquie Poole since 1996.

Rae Le Fay has set two new HAC records in the U17 category, first in the 1500m with 4:41.6 at Eltham in May, previously held for a whopping 41 years by Tanya Astley with 4:42.5 in 1981.

Rae beat her own record at English National schools in Manchester with 4:40. She also broke the record by three seconds in the 800m with 2:14.69 at Tonbridge – previously held by Harmony Cooper with 2:17.66 in 2018.

Mary Sanderson has set two records in the V55 category: in the 800m with 2:58.4 and the 1500m 6:09.0, both of which had been held by Jane Dicker since 2004.

Charlotte Wynne-Pennels improved on her own previous outdoor pole vault record with 2.45m in Lewes.

There are new entries in the top 10 records for Delicia Pascall, Rosa Pitt, Jenna Levett, Mary Sanderson, Laura Gill, Amy Rodway, Joanna Body, Kimberley Martin, Chloe Le Fay, Rosy Clements, Lucienne Simkiss-Day, Jules Lovell and Charlotte Wynne-Pennels.

For the men; Wayne Martin, the club’s field coach, threw senior weights at SAL in Crawley and now holds the V60 records for shot put, discus, hammer and javelin. He threw 20.68m in May but improved on this in Lewes by throwing 24.81.

Martyn Reynolds has two new records in the V40 category - 200m in 23.7sec at Lewes, which had been held for 22 years, but he improved on this in Lewes with 23.3.

Steve Baldock improved on his existing 400m record in Lewes with a time of 55.9sec (previously 56.0 in 2021) – he has been on fire this season.

There are new entries in the top 10 men's records for Jack Madden, Thomas Cleary, Jordan Pola, Nate Cahill and Anthony Corby.

Meanwhile Hastings Athletic Club attended the final Youth Development League event in Worthing.

The day started with the hurdles and both Lily Clements and Olivia Henham won their races despite this being their debut in the event. Lilly and Olivia went on to win their 75m and 150m races respectively with PBs in both races.

Dewi Edwards, an U11 Javelin star, achieved a PB despite the wind of 15.30 and there was another PB for Olivia in long jump and Lily in high jump.

Lucienne Simkiss-Day was another U11 success story, winning the 800m with a PB and high jump with an even bigger PB of 1.42m. Amy Hunneman completed the 1200m and then raced second in the relay and the girls team came in first. Nate Cahill (U15) won his 800m by a substantial margin.