Popular event goes from strength to strength with tough races in a picturesque setting over a long weekend

The 59th Isle of Man Easter Festival of Running, supported by IQEQ and the IOM Department for Enterprise, proved to be a record-breaker in every way. Record entries, record times, and close to perfect weather conditions combined to make the 2023 Festival one of the best-ever, David Griffiths reports.

A grand total of 559 competitors (349 men, 210 women) took part in at least one of the three races of which 346 were visitors to the Isle of Man, proving the enduring popularity of the event especially with student runners. The biggest field came in the opening 10km race in Port Erin on Good Friday evening which attracted 481 competitors, making a fine sight as they snaked their way round the spectacular coastline between Gansey and Port St Mary in the south of the Island.

That Quine & Cubbon 10km race set the tone for the weekend with the first two sub-30 minute times ever recorded on Manx tarmac. It was a titanic battle all the way between last year’s Festival champion Scott Stirling (Hunters Bog Trotters) and the 2022 runner-up Linton Taylor (Leeds Uni), and as they arrived back on Port Erin Promenade with little over 500 metres to go it was clear we were in for fast times. Scott had opened a gap and he crossed the line to win by eight seconds in 29:38. This beat the course record set by Jonny Mellor in 2007 by 38 seconds.

The women’s race was also a record-breaker. Great Britain U23 cross-country international Alice Goodall had no previous form for 10km, but showed her class with a 33:05. This was a course record by a big margin, taking 73 seconds off the previous mark set by Rosie Smith in 2012. Second was Isle of Man Commonwealth Games 5000m runner Rachael Franklin.

The Full Factory Winnerswear Peel Hill races on Saturday afternoon took many regular road runners out of their comfort zones but provided a spectacular sight and a great atmosphere. The men’s and women’s races are separate, so those not engaged in the race in progress go onto the hill to cheer on their team-mates and create a tremendous spectacle. With Scott Stirling restricting his racing to the 10km race, the way was clear for Taylor to dominate the rest of the men’s programme, and he set the second-fastest time recorded on the course. He was pushed hard by U20 athletes Matt Knowles (Edinburgh Uni) and Ritchie Gardiner (Leeds Uni).

Goodall had Rachael Franklin for company on the initial steep climb, but soon pulled away into a big lead on her way to another course record as she trimmed five seconds off the mark set by Franklin in 2019. Katie Lowery (Leeds Uni) and Louise Mitchell (Durham Uni) both impressed to take second and third places.

A real feature of the Outback men’s 5km race on Douglas Promenade on Easter Sunday morning was the standard of junior athletes, with eight of the top 16 places filled by under-20 runners. On a blustery morning, Taylor took his second victory in less than 24 hours with 14:50. Elisha de Mello (University of Sheffield) was second and Knowles third.

At the fifth attempt, Taylor finally cinched his first overall men’s Festival title, having finished second by very narrow margins on three previous occasions.

It was no surprise that Goodall completed a hat-trick of victories and also a hat-trick of course records in the Outback women’s 5km race, but she had to work very hard for this one. Franklin, three times a Festival champion, was still with her at halfway and finished just five seconds adrift, way clear of the rest of the field. Goodall and Franklin were both a long way inside the course record set by Rosie Smith in 2012.

Goodall is undoubtedly one of the best athletes to have contested the Easter Festival over the years, and she is the first athlete ever to set course records in all three races in the same year.

The Isle of Man Festival is well-known for its social activities as well as for its high-class running, and this year’s competitors were excellent ambassadors for the event as it looks forward eagerly to its landmark 60^th running in 2024.

ISLE OF MAN EASTER FESTIVAL OF RUNNING 10km, Port Erin, April 7

Men: 1 S Stirling (Falk) 29:38; 2 L Taylor (Leeds C) 29:46; 3 D Bradford (Shett, M35) 30:31

U20: 1 C Leeming 30:48; 2 R Gardiner (Cors) 30:55; 3 M Knowles (L&M) 30:59; 4 E Wheelwright (Salf) 30:59; 5 H Henriksen (Lass) 31:16; 6 P Smallcombe (Morp) 32:02; 7 C Gourley (Edin U HH) 32:12; 8 L Messenger-Jones (Edin U HH) 32:24; 9 M Kendall (Dur) 32:25

Women: 1 A Goodall (Edin) 33:05; 2 R Franklin (Manx) 34:19; 3 K Lowery (Warr) 35:52

ISLE OF MAN EASTER FESTIVAL PEEL HILL, Peel, April 8

Women (3M): 1 A Goodall (Edin) 16:33; 2 K Lowery (Warr) 17:06; 3 L Mitchell (Corn) 17:07; 4 R Franklin (Manx) 17:32; 5 G Pow (Edin U HH) 18:30; 6 L Crookes (Leeds Uni DOSS AC, W) 18:43; 7 H Cox (Fulham, W) 18:53; 8 B Bergestrand (Leeds Uni DOSS AC, U20W) 18:58; 9 E Barlow (Sheff U, W) 19:00; 10 A Richards (Dur U, W) 19:06
Men: (4M): 1 L Taylor (Leeds C) 20:15; 2 M Knowles (L&M, U20) 20:31; 3 R Gardiner (Cors, U20) 20:49; 4 E de Mello (Hallam) 20:58; 5 F McGrath (Keele Uni Track&Fell AC) 21:09; 6 K Cooper (University of St Andrews) 21:11; 7 C Leeming (Unatt, U20) 21:14; 8 P Aste (C&C) 21:18; 9 J Dunn (Cors) 21:21; 10 M Shantry (Dur U) 21:34

ISLE OF MAN EASTER FESTIVAL 5km, Douglas, April 9

Men (5km): 1 L Taylor (Leeds C) 14:50; 2 E de Mello (Hallam) 15:00; 3 M Knowles (L&M, U20) 15:02

M55: 1 R Shipway (Western) 17:32

U20: 2 R Gardiner (Cors) 15:07; 3 E Leech (FoD) 15:09; 4 E Wheelwright (Salf) 15:17; 5 C Leeming 15:20; 6 A Kilby (Walton) 15:22; 7 H Henriksen (Lass) 15:30; 8 L Messenger-Jones (Edin U HH) 15:33; 9 B Wright (Giff N) 15:39; 10 P Smallcombe (Morp) 15:39

Women: (5km): 1 A Goodall (Edin, W) 16:29; 2 R Franklin (Manx, W) 16:34; 3 K Lowery (Warr, W) 17:24

W50: 1 C Mayers (Manx) 19:31; 2 S Cumber (Hal) 19:44.

W55: 1 G Sheeley (Manx) 21:50

MANX RUNNING FESTIVAL OVERALL, April 7-9

Overall – Men: 1 L Taylor (Leeds U) 4; 2 E De Melo (Sheff U) 10; 3 M Knowles (Edin U, U20) 17; 4 R Gardiner (Leeds U B, U20) 17; 5 P Aste (Camb U) 17; 6 C Leeming (U20) 67:20; 7 D Bradford (Manc U, M35) 25; 8 J Dunn (HBT B) 30; 9 E Wheelwright (Leeds U, U20) 32; 10 N Marsh (Leeds U0 36

M40: A Norman (Manc U) 143

M55: S Chambers (Salf) 352

M65: R Maw (Mine) 671

U17: D Dunwell (Northern) 240

TEAM: 1 Leeds U 3; 2 Camb U 6; 3 Edin U 11; 4 Leeds U 11; 5 Manc U 17

Women: 1 A Goodall (Edin U) 3; 2 R Franklin (Manx H B) 8; 3 K Lowery (Leeds U) 8; 4 L Crookes (Leeds U) 17; 5 L Mitchell (Dur U) 19; 6 E Barlow (Sheff U) 23; 7 H Cox (Lees U) 24; 8 B Bergestrand (Leeds U, U20) 33; 9 Z MacDonald (Sheff U) 39; 10 F Davies (Dur U) 41

W35: B Watterson (Manx H B 48)

W40: C Quayle (Kenil) 121

TEAM: 1 Leeds U 3; 2 Dur U 9; 3 Edin U 10; 4 Manx H B 13; 5 Sheff U 14