Runners take to the road

Sunday 02 October 2016

Road users are being warned to look out for runners this morning as more than 2,000 athletes are expected take part in one of the Island’s biggest annual sporting events the Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon.

It’s the 11th year the event’s been held.

The bulk of the runners set off on the 26.2 mile course from the Weighbridge at 9.00. The relay teams leave at 9.30, and the 3km fun runners at 10.

The marathon and relay runners follow the same route. They first wind their way through town – up Hill Street, down King Street and Seaton Place – before heading westward along the inner road. The course then takes them northward up Waterworks Valley, westward across the top of the Island through St Mary, before turning south at Vinchelez Manor in St Ouen and heading towards St Peter’s Village. The final section of the course sees the competitors go past the airport to Les Quennevais playing fields, and then down the Railway Walk and along the front at St Aubin’s before finishing close to where they started at the Weighbridge.

It’s expected the first man home will finish in just over two hours, around about 11, and the first woman in just under three hours, at around 11.45. Last year’s men’s winner – and current record holder - was Aleksey Troshkin in 2:18:13, and the women’s winner was Hilda Cheboi in 2:48:25. The current women’s record is held by Svetlana Pretot in a time of 2:44:33.

The bulk of the runners will take between four and five hours to finish. So, the roads around the Waterfront could be very busy between 1 and 2.

As well as prizes for the overall winners and teams, two trophies have been rebranded. The awards for the fastest Jersey man and women will now be known as the Mitch Couriard Award in memory of the honour police officer who did so much to promote the event.