FOR the second year in nine the Bude Lifeboat Run was sold out well before race day for both junior and senior races.

Two hundred and fifty juniors of 15 years and under raced a one-mile course around Bude’s cycleways and canal towpath.

The 400 seniors ventured farther afield over the Whalesborough estate on a six-mile course. Staff of both the town council and Cormac should be thanked for ensuring the route was in such good condition.

Competition was at its very best and the evening was a resounding success for organisers, volunteers, participants and sponsors alike.

Main sponsor Outdoor Adventure and organisers Bude Run and Tri saw two strongly contested races in this RNLI fundraising event.

The first race starting at 6.30pm was the one-mile Junior race. This year’s School Year 7 and above winner for the third year running, 15-year-old Samuel Yearling, Ivybridge Community College, finished in an impressive five minutes and 36 seconds, yet again reducing his course record by a further second.

The first girl was Holsworthy Community College’s Issy Edworthy, aged 14, who finished in an excellent fifth overall in six minutes 27 seconds.

Other winners were: School Years 5 and 6 boys — Saul Barraclough, Bradworthy Primary School, 6m 27s; girls — Ella Shaw, St Joseph’s, 6m 46s. School Years 3 and 4 boys — Liam Higgins, Jacobstow Community Primary School, 6m 51s; girls — Eleanor Foster, Bradworthy Primary School, 7m 27s. School Years 2 and under boys — Harrison Shaw, St Joseph’s, 7m 04s; girls — Alexa Lyon, Bude Infants, 9m 00s.

The youngest finisher, three-year-old Evie Bickle, demonstrated the Lifeboat Run is a run for all. The School’s Trophy, donated by Bude Run and Tri, was presented to Warbstow Community Primary School with the highest percentage of school pupils taking part, 41%.

The senior race, part of the Cornish Multi-Terrain Race series, is a six-mile, single lap course using two miles of flat cycle-ways for the route out, three miles of flat canal towpath for the route back and a connecting one mile hilly cross country footpath around the Whalesborough estate.

Spectators watched an exciting sprint to the line won by Dan Romeril in 34 minutes and 14 seconds with 2nd placed Jacob Dobson of Falmouth Road Runners just 1 second behind. Fellow Falmouth RR, James Barnet, was 3rd in 34m 51s.

The Ladies winner was Hannah Astley in 40m 22s with Helen Newton 42m 31s in 2nd place and Marilyn Blair in 3rd. The first three in both male and female races were presented with amazing hampers kindly donated by Lidl. Lidl also donated cakes for all the category winners as well as bottled water for every runner.

The men’s team prize was awarded to a very strong foursome from Falmouth RR comprising Jacob Dobson, James Barnet, Stephen Strachan and Robin Watson. The ladies’ team prize went to Revis Crowle, Helen Morse, Tracey Brown and Hayley Stacey of East Cornwall Harriers and the Non-Running Club Team trophy went to Liam Reynolds, Kevin Rowe, Laura Frank and Jack Coleman with the rather inventive name Hartland Hillbilly Gruffs.

Stephen Hutchinson, race director, said: “Local businesses are tremendously supportive. Since 2010 Outdoor Adventure, an activity centre based near Widemouth Bay, has been the event’s main sponsor. Bude Rugby Club host the Race HQ, local scaffolding firm Bude Tubes kindly erects an impressive finish gantry and Lidl provides high quality category prizes and bottles of water for all.

“Local sports shop HPT Sport regularly donates team trophies and kit storage is managed with the use of a trailer supplied by Bott Ltd.

“Another generous partner of the event is accountancy firm Metherell Gard, which has supported the event since inception.

“After our eighth year the Bude Lifeboat Run has raised equivalent funds to pay for an Inshore Safety Boat for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

“A special thank you must be given to the 112 marshals around the course and Race Centre, RNLI Lifeguards who provide first aid cover and the Lifeboat Crew who provide the barbecue.”

For information about the race next year on June 13 2018, contact the race director Stephen Hutchinson at [email protected]