Butser Hill Challenge - 25 September 2005
THE hills were alive to the sound of runners at the weekend.
The Butser Hill Challenge presented 341 runners with the tough challenge of a Grade A Fell race - four-and-a-half miles made up of three gruelling ascents and descents of the 888ft hill at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park which forms the highest point of the South Downs.
Stubbington Green Runners finished fourth in the team rankings, with Alisdair Ewing leading the way with fifth place overall in a time of 35min 16sec. Alisdair also won the M45 veteran's category.
The 25 th running of this popular race was jointly organised by SGR, Victory AC and Portsmouth Joggers with several Stubby members marshalling the route for both the senior and junior events.
The City of Portsmouth's Chris Thompson crossed the finish line 53 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Denmead Striders' Pete Turrell, to win in 32:43. Janine Francis from Hart Road Runners was the first lady finisher with a time of 39:40.
Denmead Striders pipped Portsmouth Joggers in the men's team rankings, with Portsmouth Joggers winning the women's team title, and both veterans' categories.
Twig Ponsford was the second fastest Stubbington runner placing 65 th in the men's race in 42:03, with Dave Hall not far behind in 78 th with 42:50.
Lauren Coates, fresh from a fine run at the New Forest Half Marathon, was the only Stubbington lady to take part with 19 th in the women's race when she crossed the line in a time of 48:39.
Other Stubbington finishers included Neil Jarvis who came home in 145 th : with 46:32 and Peter Adams with 51:06 for 202nd.
Besides the feature race, there was also a junior fun run held over one-and-half miles for 11 to 15-year-olds which included one ascent to the top.
John Exley's son, Lloyd, finished eighth in 15min 55sec, just behind fellow Brookfield School pupil Andrew Nicholson in 15:51.
There was a strong turn-out from the Sarisbury Green school where John is a maths teacher . The Brookfield boys team finished second behind Churcher's School from Petersfield in the team rankings.
Other Brookfield pupils who took part included: 14 th : James Russell 16:20; 33 rd : Paul Alderton 19:05 and 41 st : Phillip Merritt 23:33.
Seventy seven runners took part in the junior fun run. There were also mini runs for seven to nine years and nine to 11-years.
The first run was held in 1978 and has raised nearly £250,000 for charity. This year's race is being held in aid of the Portsmouth Hospitals' Rocky Appeal, which aims to raise £2million to set up a purpose-built cancer laboratory.