Purple Gecko Event Reports
Read all about our latest adventures on the trails...
BOSCASTLE SCRAMBLE
SATURDAY 8TH JUNE 2024
Much has previously been said regarding the similarities between race registration at a PGE voluntary ‘Come & see if you can break yourself’ fun filled get away and George Orwell’s dystopian old skool literary banger ‘1984’. Holding the 4th Boscastle Sacrificial Scramble on the 76th anniversary of its publication has apparently only fuelled speculation that we are indeed totalitarianism seeking dictators hiding behind hi vis vests & mirrored aviators. We would like to reassure the PGE running community that the mandatory kit inspections, attaching of tracking devices, dietary restrictions at the CP’s, strict timings, forced labour & 24hr CCTV which included inside your car on the drive in is our way of showing you that we care, to some degree at least.
After mercilessly crushing all forms of resistance at race registration yesterday morning, the race finally got underway. Conditions were perfect, for the first 275 yards, before incrementally starting to go downhill. By the time the contenders had breached Port Isaac the cool air fanned by a light onshore breeze was now resembling a fan assisted oven. In addition, remedial action had to be taken by many half way through in order to minimise the risk of meta morphing into a bargain basement pork scratching prior to the finish point.
In Christianity, stairs are often used as a symbol of the ascent to heaven, in Hinduism, stairs can represent spiritual progress, for some it’s just the quickest route to the bar. Regardless, the delight on their little faces as they rounded the corner into the car park, coupled with the tears of joy, confirmed the need for potential significant final ascents on some of the other challenges*.
*Currently seeking pyramid like structures within the South West for potential finish points. (Anyone with any info please fax Felix at the Leipzig office, no time wasters please).
The Boscastle Scramble is a seriously tough course and we commend anyone who dares to take it on, whatever your outcome yesterday, we salute you.
Special mentions for:
Johnny Hesnan of Wadebridge Running Club – 1st Male, 1st Open Male setting a new course record with a time of 3hrs & 58mins!
Autumn Rolling of Wadebridge Running Club– 1st Female, 1st Open Female setting a new course record with a time of 5hrs & 9mins!
Stacey French of Truro Running Club – 2nd Female, 1st vet40f.
Rick Nicholls of Bodmin RC – 2nd Male.
Tom Snaith – 3rd Male.
Gail Hartill of Bodmin Women's Running Club – 3rd Female, 1st vet50f
Scott Clackworthy – 1st vet40m.
Jiri Kempny of Vegan Runners - 1st vet50m.
Paul Grayston – 1st vet60m.
After 3 stages in this years Saints & Smugglers 100 Mile Challenge that leaves the leaderboards looking like this….
Female
1st - Autumn Rolling of Wadebridge Running Club – 30 Points.
2nd – Avril Zinn – 16 Points.
3rd – Tracey Cullerton of Plymouth Musketeers RC – 15 Points.
4th – Charlotte Allen of Up and Running Torbay – 2 Points.
Male
1st – Tom Snaith – 23 Points.
2nd – Adrian Massett – 8 Points.
3rd – Paul Grayston – 4 Points.
4th – James Copp – 1 Point.
Just one stage remains, the Saints Way Challenge Ultra on Saturday 7th September https://www.resultsbase.net/event/6771
Congratulations all!
Full results here: https://www.resultsbase.net/event/6771/results
We would like to thank St.Minver Lowlands Parish Church, The Port William, Trebarwith Strand, The Wellington Hotel, Boscastle, Children's Hospice South West, Geo Tracks, M.Y. Motors, Will Harper-Penrose for photography, Jim & Abi from Omega Medical, Your Event Supplier, Brand88 Print & Design, Results Base, Dave & Jane for kit check & sweeping, Ranger Dave for managing the CP’s, Andy & Darron for Driving & help on the cp’s, Jon for registration, cp’s & finish, Claire for CP1, Stuart & Jackie for CP2, Richard, Keeley & Michael for CP3, Cassi for registration & finish, Su, Gareth & JB for finish, timing & trackers, Eirin for marshalling & of course you, constant runner, for joining us on a cool, blistering inferno of a day on the gently rolling slopes of North Cornwall.
All race photos are now up on our main FB page!