Last updated: 20-Aug-18
By Steve Adams
Once again over 300 ultra-runners filled the High Street in Wendover to begin the season opening GB Country to Capital 45. Ahead of them lay the beautiful but challenging course and some rather changeable weather; snow storms in the first half and glorious winter sunshine in the second.
With only seconds separating the top 5 runners through check points one and two and the top lady Elisabet Barnes snapping at their heels, this was a hot race. Chris Brookman, Dan Afshar, Jon Ellis, Ollie Stoten and Harold Wyber were all making their presence known. After battling through the snow and several reshufflings of the order Ollie Stoten finally made a decisive move from CP4 with an impressive 29:07 split to CP5. Ollie went on to take the win in 5:07:09 with Harold Wyber taking 2nd only 63 seconds behind him in 5:08:12. Jon Ellis completed the top 3 with his time of 5:13:24.
While the boys were battling it out Elisabet Barnes was quietly putting in the performance of the day, leading the ladies race from start to finish. Elisabet smashed Edwina Sutton’s ladies course record by 5 minutes 24 seconds to take the ladies title and finish 6th overall in 5:37:06. Also putting in excellent performances and completing the ladies top 3 were Susie Chesher in 6:08:33 and Zoe Salt 6:20:30.
Behind the racing snakes 290 other very personal ultra stories were unfolding along the same challenging 45 mile course. James Kyriacopoulos ran for Sue Ryder raising over £5000 in loving memory of his friend Richard Field who sadly died as a result of prostate cancer in November 2014. James finished in a very respectable 8:18:51. Emma Kelty smashed her course PB and didn’t finish last. Despite the slightly bonkers weather the vast majority of the field loved their time out in Buckinghamshire. Particular praise was voiced for the enthusiastic marshals and the fruit cake on offer at all GU Aid stations, where the usual fare of food was supplemented with energy gels and electrolyte tablets courtesy of GU Energy.
Our thanks go out to North Kent Sports Injury and Massage Therapy who worked tirelessly at the finish working their own particular brand of magic on tired and aching legs and Adrian Howes Photography for capturing your achievements. Of course special thanks go to our sponsors and retail partners SCOTT Sports and Apex Sports for helping to make sure the event can take place.
Results
Male HH:MM:SS Female HH:MM:SS
1 Ollie Stoten 05:07:09 Elisabet Barnes 05:37:06
2 Harold Wyber 05:08:12 Susie Chesher 06:08:33
3 Jon Ellis 05:13:24 Zoe Salt 06:20:30
Vet 40 Dan Afshar 05:31:48 Maria Kerr 07:02:05
Vet 50 Mark Walker 05:58:36 Susan Foot 08:15:31
Vet 60 John Fenwick 07:49:50 Susan Foot 08:15:31
