Looe Summer Run 10k
Last Tuesday Pearl Barnes travelled to Looe for the Looe Summer Run 10k (actually 5.75 miles, just under 10k). It’s a multi-terrain race which is part of Looe Carnival week. The race starts and finishes at the Millpool Centre in West Looe. The scenic course takes runners along the West Looe riverside, through Kilminorth Woods, and then returns along the lower path of the woods.
Pearl said it was a brutal 800ft ascent, but a stunning route and she finished in a time of 1:03.
Wessex 10k
On Saturday evening she was out racing again in the Wessex 10k at Somerton. The race starts from Somerton Recreation Ground and the route drops down onto some of the most gorgeous scenery the Somerset Levels has to offer, running on the old country droves before re-joining the road and heading back up to the start.
Pearl finished in 1:00:21 (it was the hill at the end that did it!) 6th in her age category.
Totnes 10k
Going for the record of most races this week, on Sunday Pearl ran the Totnes 10k, which turned out to be a Devonian 10k of actually 11k!
The race itself is nearly all off road, following alongside the beautiful River Dart, starting and finishing on Borough Park. The hilly, hot route totalled 525ft ascent and Pearl was rewarded with friendly faces and beautiful scenery. She finished in a time of 01:13:00.
Youth Skyrunning World Championships
On Friday Luke Stannus was in Italy to take part in the 2025 Youth Skyrunning World Championships in Gran Sasso, Aquila, in Italy’s Apennine mountains.
Luke joined participants from 30 countries to compete for the 75 medals and world titles at stake.
The first race was the ‘Vertical’, a true Vertical Kilometer – 1,000m vertical climb over a 3.5 km long course, pushing the young runners to the limits of their abilities. A runner sets off every 15 seconds, so unsure of the competition ahead, beside or behind, each athlete has to give it their all, pushing to the summit in this up-only race.
Luke did very well to finish in a time of 47:27 18th in his age category.
On Sunday he took part in the ‘Sky’ – a 23 km long race with 2,226m vertical climb. The course includes technical sections with fixed ropes ensuring a true skyrunning course for the young runners.
He finished first of the UK runners in 15th place overall, and 12th in his age category in a time of 1:02:17. A fantastic weekend’s running from Luke representing the United Kingdom.
South West Coast 50 Ultra Challenge
On Saturday Peter Roissetter took part in the 25km loop of the South West Coast 50 Ultra Challenge. The route starts at Dunster and has over 500m ascent. He finished in a time of 2:50:00, which was 23 minutes faster than when he did this as his first trail race two years ago, so he was very happy with the result.
Stur Half
On Sunday Mark Peck headed to Dorset for the Stur Half, organised by the Dorset Doddlers. The route follows rural roads in and around Sturminster Newton, going through Manston, Margaret Marsh, Stour Row and Todber, returning through Moorside and Hinton to finish on the High School playing field.
Mark said it was quite a nice undulating route through the Dorset countryside, and he completed the course in a good time of 1:35:03, he would have liked to have been a bit quicker, but the hills and humidity got to him!
