One of the quirkiest and most challenging events of the year saw two West Norfolk Athletic Club athletes retain their titles from last year.
Competing at the Roaarr Dinosaur Park in Norwich, club members raced past prehistoric creatures while battling a tough course – and an unexpected swarm of hornets.
The juniors opened proceedings with a 2.5k race over two laps, including a gruelling hill tackled twice.
A hornet’s nest was disturbed mid-race, leading to several young runners being stung, though all bravely continued to the finish.
James Watts produced a superb run to take overall victory in exactly nine minutes, with Olivia Ord the first female in 9.51, meaning WN athletes retained both titles for the second consecutive year.
Lauren Lawrence led the U10 girls in 11.38, with teammate Jess Watts second in 12.00 despite suffering a nasty sting.
Jacob Green claimed eighth in the U10 boys with a PB of 12.03.
Dana Bishop, competing up an age group, showed great resilience by guiding Chloe Gayton to the line despite multiple stings, Gayton clocking 14.55 for seventh in the U10s.
India Richardson finished third in the U17 girls, while Abe Gosnell completed the course alongside dad Rob in 15.28.
The adults faced an even sterner challenge over 5k, with the hornets still active.
Lewis English shone with a fine third overall in 18.25, while junior Henry Gosnell was next home in 19.20.
Lee Richardson (20.53) and Wayne Gayton (21.06) took second and third, respectively, in their age group, and Rob Gosnell finished strongly in 24.13 despite stings.
Jess Lawrence ran superbly for third junior girl in 25.31, and Kelly Watts rounded off the effort by winning her age group in 28.15.
Away from Norwich, Evie Clayton starred in Colchester, running a road mile PB of 6.13 on a hot evening, which is good enough for eighth in the national rankings for 2025.
