Doherty shines at UTSW
Daniel Doherty
Endurance athletes from around the globe travelled to Cornwall to take part in the first ever Ultra Trail South West event last weekend. Billed as the toughest footrace in Britain, the event attracted a combined entry of 200 runners across the 60 mile and 100 mile race options…
Endurance Life release
Participants in the 100 mile event started out from Porthleven at 7pm on Friday evening, while participants taking part in the 60 mile event set off 12 hours later from Pendeen Watch. Each course followed the extremely challenging yet spectacular South West Coast Path to finish at Watergate Bay.
Daniel Doherty, 33, from Bramley in Hampshire, put in a truly exceptional performance in the 100 mile race to finish in a time of 19hrs 31mins 32secs, more than two hours ahead of his nearest rivals, Duncan Oakes (Truro) and Steven Wyatt (Hayle) who finished joint 2nd.
As messages of congratulations flooded the Endurancelife Facebook page after the race, Daniel Doherty posted:
“Thank you all for your lovely comments and kind words. It was truly a great course, very enjoyable and great organisation by the guys at Endurancelife. Look forward to seeing you all out there soon!”
In the women’s 100 mile race there were only two finishers. Jane Collyer (41, from Settle, North Yorkshire) and Fi Jeffrey (29, from Jersey) crossed the line together in just under 36 hrs to take joint first place.
Colin Lough (30, from Newbury) was first man home in the 60 mile event in a time of 10hrs 30mins 37secs, an hour ahead of Tim Adams (36 from Hertfordshire), Graham Watson (35 from Loughborough) and Mark Hopkinson (25, from Minehead) who finished joint 2nd.
Janet Ng (42) travelled from Hong Kong to compete in the 60 mile event and was the first woman to cross the finish in a time of 12hrs 41mins 31secs. Truro’s Josey Field (30) came 2nd in 14hrs flat with Jen Bishop (34, from Emsworth, Hampshire) finishing 3rd in 15hrs.
Teams of runners also competed in a relay race along the 100 mile course. First place went to the team from Devon based online surf specialists, magicseaweed , with Ryan Anderson, Ben Freeston, Dan Hunter and Ross Deurden, in a time of 18hrs 34mins 21secs.
Ryan Anderson said: “It was an incredibly tough but well managed event and the whole team enjoyed every minute. Despite a few aching limbs the next day we’ve been on such a high that we’re already back on the web searching out our next challenge.”
Overall, the UTSW certainly lived up to its billing as the toughest footrace in Britain. A combination of gruelling terrain and unseasonably cold and wet weather resulted in 40% of the starting line-up failing to make it across the finish line.
Alison Payne, Events Manager at the Watergate Bay Hotel and the Extreme Academy, said:
“We were all amazed by the winner of the 100 mile race who made it back to Watergate Bay in under twenty hours, but I think it was those final few competitors who kept running through two nights and two sunrises that made the strongest impression. There were some lovely moments such as the only two female competitors to finish who were given joint first as they decided to cross the finish line together. There was also the man who got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend as soon as he crossed the finish line. There was such a great feeling throughout the evening – The Beach Hut was packed out until 4am on Sunday with families and loved ones waiting to congratulate the competitors. The whole event was so inspirational and awe-inspiring and I’m looking forward to being a part of it next year.”
The Ultra Trail South West is set to become an annual fixture which will move to a different section of the South West Coast Path each year. More information about the event in 2013 will be posted on the Endurancelife website at www.endurancelife.com later this year.
