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Sammy Galpin led home a bumper field of runners in the Butterfield Half.
It was a day which saw a remarkable 17 runners duck under the 80 minute barrier in near perfect conditions, compared to just five last year, and finishing numbers up by 163 people, a healthy sign for the event.
There was also a stunning time in the wheelchair race from Poole AC’s Mark Godman-Sinclair (44:31).
Pictured: Poole AC's Mark Godman-Sinclair.
Nat Whitty saw off the effects of illness to secure the women’s title.
As the masses race settled it was Pete Amy pushing things on at the head of affairs in the opening stages, making an incredible comeback to racing after a second bout of major surgery.
By the time they hit Vazon, a leading quartet of Amy, Galpin, Priest and Michael Batiste had established and the race for the podium was set.
Batiste was making his first serious attempt at a half, and had a chance to win it as he entered the final few KMs along the seafront shoulder to shoulder with Galpin.
But it was Galpin who had managed his efforts on a day when the win counted for more than the time, and he pulled away to break the tape in 1:12.50, 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Priest, on the back of a disrupted lead in and with a focus more on the Manchester Half in a few weeks time, was third (1:13.32).
Pictured: Nat Whitty secured the women's title.
Whitty crossed the line with a gun time of 1:23.52, comfortably below the Island Games A-standard, with last year’s winner Ulrike Maisch second in 1:27.05 and Vanessa King third in 1:28.29, both below the B-standard.
There were stories throughout the field.
Among them were David Rowlinson, who continued his fundraising efforts, being pushed around the course by his daughter Jenny and her boyfriend Jonny to collect money for Guernsey Neuro Concern and Paws For Support.
Pictured: David Rowlinson and his team enter the final stages.
While Jason Bird completed the course carrying a washing machine on his back raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Click HERE for the full results.
Pictured top: L-r James Priest, Sammy Galpin, Michale Batiste and Pete Amy head up the Vazon coast road. All images by Chris George.
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