Arena 80 Awards 2024

On December 16th, the annual Arena 80 Christmas social took place and the annual awards were announced by the Club Captains.

These awards exist to recognise exceptional race performances within the Club, both on-road and off-road. It might be a very fast time, significant age-group performance, fantastic medal, race victory (or placing), or – indeed – a huge improvement…

There were many amazing achievements in 2024 – to name just a few:

  • Rob Smith doing five marathons in one year! (Including the People’s Paris Olympic marathon!)
  • Mark O’Gara racing the Ho Chi Minh International Marathon, in 31C and 90% humidity, with a 3:30am start!
  • Luisa Ramirez smashing her debut Half marathon (in an amazing time of 1:38:40), at the Worthing Runfest Half.
  • PBs every, every, everywhere! Aska & Emily with Sub4s. Tris, Ira, Lee, Jonathan, Frankie, Laura, Alain… and many, many more.

But our awards exist to honour an individual, STELLAR race performance…

The Bill Mulholland Trophy recognises the road racing performance of the year – and has existed within the Club for many years. While our off-road award, The Rachel Burgess Trophy – named in honour of our Clubmate who sadly passed away in January 2024 – was to be awarded for the first time…

The structure has changed for 2024, with the Captains doing away with “rankings.”

Instead, The Captains and Vice Captains came up with a long list of notable performances – and from this they produced the OFFICIAL SHORTLIST.

Our two Captains then deliberated long and hard to choose the final three names for the “podium” – an unranked podium – one of whom would be the 2024 award winner for each trophy!

Bill Mulholland Trophy – for Road Performance of the Year

Podium:

  • Bethan Male – Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes Nice-Cannes (November) – 2:53:19 – 2nd woman/82nd overall [ranked 153rd in AG in UK, 2024]
  • Julie Briggs – Brighton 10k (November) – 38:44 – 47th woman/1st AG [ranked 4th in AG and 844th in All AG in UK, 2024 – and 20th UK ALL-TIME W55!)
  • Soulla Wright – Abingdon Marathon (October) – 2:58:33 – 8th woman/1st AG! PB, first sub3 – after many, many attempts… [ranked 15th in AG and 312th all women in UK, 2024]

And the WINNER of the Bill Mulholland Trophy 2024 was… Soulla Wright, for her tenacity, determination and total dedication to achieving her goal and long-time target of running a Sub3 marathon. Soulla really does exemplify the Arena 80 motto of be the best you can be.

Congratulations to Soulla – and runners-up, Bethan and Julie.

Rachel Burgess Trophy – for Off-Road Performance of the Year

Podium:

  • Caroline Wood – British & Irish Masters’ International, Belfast (November) – 26:46 6K XC – 88th overall, 7th AG, Gold medal for the England W60 team!
  • Darryl Parker – South Downs Way 100 mile Relay (June) – Legs 6, 11 & 16 in 32:57, 40:38 & 25:45 – 10th, 19th & 7th fastest legs (out of 50+ high-quality teams), single-handedly won the inter-Arena competition for the A team, who beat the Vets teams by 2mins 13secs!
  • Luke Carter – Portland Pig Backyard Ultra (May) – 38 “yards” (= 38hrs), a PB for 269KMs! – the “Assist” (aka second, still technically a DNF)

And the WINNER of the inaugural Rachel Burgess Trophy was… Luke Carter, for his mind-blowing, phenomenal achievement and warrior-like attitude. Luke is known for his colourful style, but don’t let the wonderful cat T-shirts distract you – he is an unbelievably talented Ultra runner.

Congrats to Luke – and runners up, Caroline and Darryl!

The full short and long lists for the Rachel Burgess Trophy also follow …

A quick thank you to the coaching team, led by Coach Steve – and to all on the Committee for helping the Club have a very successful 2024.

Here’s to a Royal Blue 2025!

The Bill Mulholland Trophy: Notable mentions – the Long List

  • Darryl Parker – Sevilla Marathon (February) – 3:02:30 – Top 1900
  • Ricky Coleman – Brighton Half Marathon (February) – 81:22 – 121st/56th AG
  • Lynn Chislett – Brighton Half Marathon (February) – 99:22 – 113th woman/2nd AG [120th UK]
  • Fiona Bugler – Watford Half Marathon (February) – 99:40 – 29th woman/1st AG [127th UK]
  • Al Silvester – Paddock Wood Half Marathon (March) – 78:30 – 55th AG, in high-quality field
  • Dan Vaughan – Paddock Wood Half Marathon (March) – 83:52 – 19th AG, in high-quality field
  • Julie Briggs – Sussex Road Relays (March) – 11:48 – third fastest of all Masters’ laps (as W50), only ten seniors were faster!
  • Dan Brown – Brighton Marathon (April) – 2:58:53 – 164th/11th AG, first Sub3 [684th UK]
  • Al Silvester – Brighton Marathon (April) – 3:03:15 – 227th/36th AG, comeback marathon!
  • Kevin Meegan – Manchester Marathon (April) – 3:02:10 – 116th AG
  • Dan Vaughan – Worthing Runfest Half Marathon (April) – 86:07 – 50th/1st AG
  • Jonathan Moss – Worthing Runfest Half Marathon (April) – 82:04 – 30th/5th AG
  • Jamie Hinks – Swansea Half Marathon (June) – 88:46 – 211th
  • Daniel Burton – Phoenix 10k (July) – 36:35 – 57th
  • Mark O’Gara – Phoenix 10k (July) – 39:33 – 136th/12 AG, first Sub40 as M55! [318th UK]
  • Fiona Bugler – WMA Champs Half Marathon, Sweden (August) – 1:44:03 – 15th AG, Team GB Bronze W55 (on a tough hilly course)
  • Sam Bennett – Marathon Eryri (October) – 3:30:21 – 172nd/11th AG
  • Mark O’Gara – WMA Champs Bucharest Marathon (October) – 3:07:53 – 197th/25th AG, 40 odd seconds slower than London Marathon, but high AG placing, WMA Champs and in his new M55 AG [191st UK]
  • Lynn Chislett – Bexhill Remembrance 10k (November) – 45:28 – 2nd Woman/1st AG [137th UK]
  • Darryl Parker – Brighton 10k (November) – 36:49 – 173rd/70th senior
  • Dan Brown – Brighton 10k (November) – 38:32 – 27th AG [924th UK]
  • Frankie Gassin – Brighton 10k (November) – 39:11 – 302nd
  • Lorraine Hale – Brighton 10k (November) – 43:53 – 19th AG [222nd UK]
  • John Orden – Brighton 10k (November) – 40:50 – 3rd AG [44th UK]
  • Bethan Male – Brighton 10k (November) – 37:09 – 21st woman/189th [381st UK]
  • Dan Brown – Goodwood Half Marathon (December) – 82:54 – 12th/2nd AG [710th UK]
  • Frankie Gassin – Malaga Half Marathon (December) – 87:32 – 421st/174th AG

Roll call-of-honour – The short List

  • Neil Fulkes – London Marathon (April) – 2:58:17 – 159th AG, PB, metronomic pacing! [268th UK]
  • Al Silvester – Worthing Runfest Half Marathon (April) – 78:32 – 16th/2nd AG, two seconds slower than Paddock Wood, but high placing and AG placing! [561st UK]
  • John Orden – WMA Champs Bucharest Marathon (October) – 3:13:55 – 9th AG [14th UK]
  • Nicky Yeates – Valencia Half Marathon (October) – 1:43:02 – 1st AG [17th UK]
  • John Orden – Cardiff Half Marathon (October) – 89:10 – 1st AG! [24th UK]
  • Bethan Male – Run for a Flower Half Marathon (Antibes, France) (October) – 83:15 – 1st woman! / 23rd overall, on a hilly course
  • Isaac Andrews – Gosport Half Marathon (November) – 78:49 – 34th/25th senior, PB
  • Ricky Coleman – Brighton 10k (November) – 35:21 – 122nd/20th AG [625th UK], PB (by 13 secs!), fastest Arena 10k time of the year
  • Katie Wright – Brighton 10k (November) – 39:54 – 61st woman/10th AG, first sub40! [147th UK – and into All AG UK rankings]
  • Jonathan Moss – Valencia Marathon (December) – 2:53:44 – 3385th [864th UK], PB
  • Darryl Parker – Malaga Marathon (December) – 02:54:42 – 392nd/162nd AG, huge PB

The Rachel Burgess Trophy: Notable mentions – the Long List

  • Sam Bennett – Southern Cross Country Championships, Beckenham (January) – 61:39 15K XC – 474th, Southerns “PB”, first Arena man home
  • Katie Wright – Southern Cross Country Championships, Beckenham (January) – 33:37 8K XC – 133rd, first Arena woman home
  • Nick Green – Montane Winter Spine Sprint (January) – 14:14:24, first ultra, 70k+, 2000m of ascent!
  • Caroline Wood – British Masters XC Championships, Corwen (March) – 31:20 6K XC, 33rd overall, 2nd AG
  • Dan Brown – London to Brighton Challenge 100k (May) – 13:16:40 – 58th
  • Tris Sharp – South Downs Way 100 Mile Relay Leg 13 (June) – 50:58 – 19th fastest on the day (out of 50+ high-quality teams), 5th fastest Vets leg, fastest Arena, Vets team token “young person!”
  • Darryl Parker – South Downs Way 100 (June) – 21:52:39 – 93rd, 1st 100miler (average pace 8:14 per km!)
  • Lorraine Hale – Henfield Trail Half Marathon (August) – 1:52:21 – 3rd woman
  • Mark Wavell – 7 Valleys Ultra (September) – 19:00:54 – 51st, 110km, 3981m of ascent!
  • Jana Szczepaniak – Beat Box Hill Half Marathon (October) – 2:08:35 – 6th woman, 54th overall – 700m of ascent!
  • Jamie Hinks – Gower Endurance Life 50k (November) – 6:36:32 – 29th – 1300m+ ascent, first Ultra, now hates sand forever
  • Anna Hinks – The Shere Trail 21k (November) – 2:05:28 – 3rd AG, 500m of ascent!
  • Luke Carter – Winter On The Downs 55 mile (December) – 15:37:02 – 111th, 32nd AG

Roll call-of-honour – The short List

  • Dan Brown – Run to the Sea Brighton 50k (May) – 4:33:25 – 11th/2nd AG (1st “Dan” by 19 secs!)
  • Neil Fulkes – North Downs Way 50 (May) – 9:42:39 – 80th/10th AG
  • Sarah Sawyer – Stour Valley Path 100k (August) – 11:33:18 – 1st woman, 7th overall!
  • Aska Asakura – Wild Florida Trail Run 50k (November) – 6:32:00 – 56th, 9th woman
  • Jana Szczepaniak – Hurtwood 50k (December) – 5:35:27 – 9th woman, 66th overall – 50k PB, had to catch the field after a late start (due to crash on the motorway – not hers!)
  • Cat Simpson – South Downs Way 100 (June) – 19:26:52 – 1st woman! 41st overall (very worthy performance, but Cat was not a member at the time)