Report of the 2023 event.

THREE COURSE RECORDS FALL AT ARC OF ATTRITION RACES  

Records fall at Arc of Attrition as Emma Stuart breaks the women’s 100 mile record, and both Fiona Pascall and Mark Darbyshire set new marks in the 50 mile event.

In the Arc of Attrition 100, on the Cornish Coast Path at the weekend,  Emma Stuart smashed the existing 100 mile record by over four hours and Gavin Dale recorded the second fastest male time ever.

 All  three records were not just beaten but obliterated in the best fields assembled yet for what has become a classic winter ultra.

The 2023 Arc of Attrition 100.

The 100 mile event had started on Friday at 12 noon from the picturesque fishing village of Coverack, south of Falmouth on the Lizard Peninsula.

Around 330 runners set off to run the undulating and challenging trail around the Lands End Peninsula to St Ives and onto Porthtowan on the North coast. Several hours of course at this time of year being run in the dark.

Men’s race

One of the pre-race favourites Ellis Bland was soon prominent along with Gavin Dale at the front. Dave Phillips was not too far behind in the early stages.

The front two ran pretty much together for most of the first half of the race to Lands End and were still together at Zennor. The splits indicate Bland held a small 3 minute lead at the St Ives Checkpoint at approximately 75-miles.

On the flatter section through to Hayle, Dale seems to have taken a 6 minute lead. Bland seemed to have narrowed that to 3 minutes by the 90 mile point at Godrevy Headland. However, over the final 10miles Dale consolidated his lead to dip under the 20 hour barrier recording 19:56:58 at the finish.

This is  the 2nd best time ever behind Mark Darbyshire’s time of 19:12:18 set in 2022. 

Relatively unknown in UK circles, Dale has been living in New Zealand the last few years with top 6 placings in several ultras including the Taupo 100km and famous Keplar Mountain Challenge.This was his first 100 mile event.

Daniel Weller finished out the podium in 20:40:58 with Dave Phillips, holder of the full South West Coast Path FKT was fourth in 21:33:39.

Women’s 100 mile race

In a very good quality women’s field Irish runner Emma Stuart led from the start, The 2022Lakeland 100 winner was untroubled, setting a phenomenal new time of 21:22:16, breaking the existing course record by over 4 hours for the course. It was a time only the first 3 men were to better, as the next 4 ladies also bettered Anna Troupe’s 2020 time of 25:21:14.

Robyn Cassidy took a superb second place in 23:42:57 holding off Holly Rush who finished just over the 24 hour mark in 24:01:47. Edinburgh based Irish international Nicola Duncan took fourth in 24:45:14.

in total 210 finishers , 176 men and 34 women, completed the 100mikes in the 36 hour time limit

Darbyshire adds the Arc 50 record to the 100.

In the Arc 50 miler, Mark Darbyshire opting this year to run the shorter distance added that course recordto the 100 mile mark he set in 2022. His time of7:39:31 was 47 mins inside Jamie Stevenson’s time of 8:27:44 from 2020. 

Darbyshire was a comfortable 25 minutes clear of Sam Downing who recorded 8:05:30. Luke Roberts completed the podium with 8:14:36. Both Downing and Robert were also inside the old course record.

Pascall bags the course record and another victory

If Darbyshire was a class apart in the mens race, Fiona Pascall and Julia Davis showed they were equally so in the  the women’s 50 mile. 

Pascall led from the start with Julia Davis less than 2 minutes behind at Pendeen, the 15 mile point. By the St Ives Check Point at 28 miles, the gap had extended to 9 minutes which was maintained at the 40 mile point at Godrevy. 

Pascall stayed strong to the finish to record 8:18:46, over 2 hours inside the previous course record set by Lucy Williamson in 2022 of 10:20:22. She added to her other impressive recent wins in the Centurion Wendover woods 50, (Also in a course record ) ad the Endurance Life North Yorkshire event.

Davis showed she is returning to top form while also balancing family life.Building on her pre Christmas 2:42:50 marathon in Majorca, she hung in well to finish 2nd in 8:32:42 with Lizzie Atkins also well inside the old record recording 9:23:54.

Such was Pascall’s dominance, she matched Stuart’s 4th place overall in the 100 mile race with Davis 5th overall.

In the 50 mile race, 187 of the approximate 224 starters, 49 women and 138 men, Finished in the 15 and a half hour time limit.

Full Arc of attrition 2023 Results

Full results of both the 100mile and 50 mile races can be found on the Mudcrew Arc of Attrition website

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