Charlie Worsfold made it back-to-back Dursley Dozen victories as he was crowned the winner of the 36th running of the Dursley Dozen today, Sunday, writes Ash Loveridge.
The Dursley RC runner stepped on the gas to come out on top in a field of more than 500 runners, clocking a chip time of 1:24:12 to win the popular event for the second successive year.
Coaley-based Richard Pearcy finished second, posting a time of 1:26:04. Sam Moppett from King’s Stanley was third in 1:26:36.
Host club Dursley RC saw James Everett become their first finisher for the second consecutive year, crossing the line in seventh position, posting 1:30:58.
Anne Kenchington was the first female to hit the finishing line as she came 19th in 1:35:01. On a blustery, wet day, the aptly named Storm Trow was the second female runner to finish, recording a time of 1:39:37. She secured 27th place for Cirencester AC alongside her club colleague Helena Sexton, who also finished in 1:39:37.
Runners tackled 12 challenging miles of multi-terrain over hillsides, woodland, open country, mud, road and solid rock.
The race started in the car park of May Lane Surgery with runners passing The Old Spot and before they could catch a breath, they were straight into the challenging Hill Road, ascending steeply for almost two hundred metres before entering woodland and climbing onto Stinchcombe Hill Golf Course. The race route then re-entered the woods.
The runners descended on land at the popular Leaf and Ground café, where runners arched around the pond are before climbing back up into the woods and onto the golf course.
A mile and a half of muddy woodland paths took runners to a brief section of road and into more woodland before a steep descent down Axe Lane to the New Inn at Waterley Bottom. A steep ascent followed back to the hilltop and a circuit of Breakheart Quarry.
A section of quiet country road saw runners back into the woods before the last descent into the town.
The final sprint saw runners hit the pedestrianised Parsonage Street to the finish line in front of the Dursley Town Hall, where all received their hard-earned technical T-shirt.
Pictures by Matt Bigwood – scroll through the gallery below
For full race results, click HERE
