Wakefield Harriers

Wakefield Harriers Christmas Handicap Race

Every year the club has a Christmas Handicap Road Race, usually held on a club night in the week before Christmas. This is the one race of the year where every runner has an equal chance of winning, assuming the handicapper gets his sums right ! The race has been going for more than 80 years, and over that time we have had winners of all abilities, and from all age categories. The course has changed several times over the years, but for the last 50 years has usually consisted of two full circuits on the pavement around the perimeter of Thornes Park, with variations in the start and finishing points.
Since 2003 it has started on the Thornes Park track, then the runners do two full circuits around the perimeter of Thornes Park, before returning to the track for a final circuit of 400m, making a total race distance of about 4.5 miles. The course record for this version of the race is now 22 mins 04 secs, recorded by Mark Bostock in 2021, with Helen Singleton holding the ladies' record with 25 mins 15 secs in 2008. Nathan Elliott has recorded the fastest time on this course no fewer than 7 times, and is the only runner in recent years to have won the race whilst also recording the fastest time. Helen Singleton has also been dominant amongst the ladies, recording the fastest time on 6 occasions.
Well over 200 different runners have competed in the event since 2003, and here is a Record in Excel of everyone's times recorded on the current course during those years.
2020 was a virtual race, due to Covid restrictions.

List of Christmas Handicap Winners since 2003

Year    
 
Race
Winner
Cat   
 
Fastest
Man
Time   
 
Fastest
Woman
Time   
 
Results Link Number of
Competitors
2023
 
Laura
Sellers
F
 
Jake
Worton
24:03
 
Suzanne
Brooke
27:29
 
Results in XL 32
 
2022
 
Philip
Ambler
M50
 
Ben
Butler
22:55
 
Suzanne
Brooke
27:48
 
Results in XL 33
 
2021
 
Francis
Mwaba
M50
 
Mark
Bostock
22:04
Record
Abbey
Brooke
27:00
 
Results in XL 31
 
2020
(virtual)
Steve
Lowe
M40
 
Mark
Bostock
N/A
 
Helen
Beck
N/A
 
Results
 
28
 
2019
 
Tom
Coney
M
 
Ben
Butler
23.25
 
Abbey
Brooke
28.57
 
Results in XL 41
 
2018
 
Andy
Nicholson
M
 
Jack
Mitchell
23:10
 
Abbey
Brooke
28:51
 
Results in XL 44
 
2017
 
Craig
Davidson
M
 
Dale
Worton
23:06
 
Hayley
Newbound
30:32
 
Results in XL 26
 
2016
 
Craig
Davidson
M
 
James
Saxton
22:41
 
Katie
McHale
28:57
 
Results in XL 43
 
2015
 
Rebecca
Zserdicky
F
 
Matthew
O'Connor
24:02
 
Julie
Briscoe
26:19
 
Results in XL 32
 
2014
 
Jeremy
Frain
M40
 
William
Ingram
25:02
 
Jenny
Latham
27:12
 
Results in XL 33
 
2013
 
Jack
Mitchell
M20
 
James
Saxton
23:40
 
Helen
Singleton
26:03
 
Results in XL 45
 
2012
 
Adrian
Howden
M50
 
Chris
Price
24:05
 
Helen
Singleton
26:08
 
Results in XL 43
 
2011
 
Holly
Hume
F
 
Chris
Price
24:50
 
Sarah
Bostwick
29:06
 
Results in XL 37
 
2010
 
Daniel
Franks
M15
 
Paul
Lockwood
23:16
 
Helen
Singleton
26:10
 
Results in XL 35
 
2009
 
Chris
Mitchell
M40
 
Nathan
Elliot
23:43
 
Helen
Singleton
26:08
 
Results in XL 33
 
2008
 
Sally
Smith
F15
 
Nathan
Elliot
23:39
 
Helen
Singleton
25:15
Record
Report& Results 31
 
2007
 
Mark
Whitehouse
M40
 
Nathan
Elliot
23:36
 
Helen
Singleton
25:55
 
Report& Results 26
 
2006
 
Dale
Worton
M15
 
Nathan
Elliot
23:36
 
Helen
Singleton
26:40
 
Report& Results 19
 
2005
 
Stuart
Anderson
M65
 
Nathan
Elliot
24:33
 
Katie
McHale
29:06
 
Results in Word 17
 
2004
 
Chris
Price
M17
 
Nathan
Elliot
24:14
 
Sharon
Marshall
27:42
 
Report& Results 22
 
2003
 
Nathan
Elliot
M17
 
Nathan
Elliot
25:04
 
Sharon
Marshall
27:31
 
Report& Results 22
 

List of Christmas Handicap Winners since 1999

Year    
 
Race
Winner
Cat   
 
Fastest
Man
Time   
 
Fastest
Woman
Time   
 
2002
 
Peter
McNamara
M40
 
Craig
Heppenstall
23:04
 
Denise
Green
32:47
 
2001
 
Peter
Young
M45
 
Craig
Heppenstall
23:44
 
Claire
Sykes
27:31
 
2000
 
Mike
Logan
M40
 
Craig
Heppenstall
22:56
 
Eileen
Twigg
30:38
 
1999
 
Stuart
Anderson
M60
 
Steve
Lowe
22:21
 
Eileen
Twigg
27:11
 

And Some Earlier Winners

Year     Race Winner     Fastest Man
1998 ??? ???
1997 ??? ???
1996 Steve Wilkinson Andrew Johnson
1995 Steve Wilkinson ???
1994 ??? ???
1993 Mike Batley Dave Gratton
1992 Sue Needham Dave Gratton
1991 ??? ???
1990 Peter Farr Darren Spawforth
1989 ??? ???
1988 Jeff Craven Roger Young
1987 ??? ???
1986 Mick O'Brien Darren Spawforth
1985 Peter Young Keith Singleton
1984 Andrew Hobbs Roger Young
1983 ??? Keith Singleton
1982 Joe Johnson Keith Singleton
1981 Steven Guest ???
1980 Ken Bingley Brian Moxon
1979 ??? ???
1978 Paul Walker Keith Singleton
1977 ??? ???
1976 John Hampshire Clive Prestt
1975 Harry Machin Duncan Gaskell
1974 Ken Bingley Steve Hollings
1973 John Newsome John Newsome
1972 John Newsome John Newsome
1971 Herbie Broadbent Herbie Broadbent
1970 John Newsome Herbie Broadbent
1969 Herbie Broadbent Herbie Broadbent
1968 John Berry John Newsome
1967 John Hampshire John Newsome
1966 Brian Pickersgill John Newsome
1965 John Newsome John Newsome
1964 George Barrass John Newsome
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