The 2025 Blackdown Hill Challenge
The Blackdown Hill Challenge 2025 — A Day to Remember!
Sunday, 12th October saw the return of The Blackdown Hill Challenge, and what a fantastic day
it was for runners of all ages! With ideal running conditions, bursts of sunshine, and a brilliant community
spirit, it was the perfect setting for an inspiring day of racing and camaraderie.
The Blackdown Hill challenge is a tough one! A 6.5 km (Adults Race) race starting at Fernhurst
Recreation Ground and heading up to the Temple of the Winds on Blackdown. With a 230 m
ascent, the route rewards you with breathtaking views across Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire.
Junior Races – Energy, Enthusiasm, and Effort!
The morning kicked off with our junior races, where young runners from across local schools
took to the course with infectious enthusiasm.
We had three events for the juniors this year:
Ages 6–8: 2km race
Ages 9–11: 2km race
Ages 11+: 5km race
Game Face - 2K race start.
An amazing 144 children took part, representing schools including Camelsdale, St Ives, TPS,
Herne Juniors, Midhurst Primary, Easebourne Primary, St Ed’s, MRC, Sheet Primary, Bohunt, Woolmer Hill, St Barts, Hollycombe, and Seaford. Each and every participant gave it their all — running with determination, cheering each other on, and showing true sportsmanship from start to finish.
Every child crossed the finish line with a smile and was rewarded with a fabulous medal to
celebrate their achievement. It was wonderful to see so much talent, teamwork, and joy on
display.
School Competition:
Winning Secondary:
Midhurst Rother College MRC
Winning Primary:
Easebourne Primary School
2km - 6-8 years
Female category:
1st Place: Constance Turner
2nd Place: Iona Mclean
3rd Place: Millie Chapman
Male category:
1st Place: Lucas Potter
2nd Place: Alexander Youl
3rd Place: Jacobi Cheung
2km - 9-11 years
Female category.
1st Place: Avelina Almquist
2nd Place: Beatrice Turner
3rd Place: Jessica Bell
Male category.
1st Place: Duncan Mclean
2nd Place: Theo Jenkins
3rd Place: Ezra Magrill
5k - Junior race
Female category.
1st Place: Isla Jenkins 24m 18s
2nd Place: Sophia Croall 25m 15s
3rd Place: Eveliina Campo 25m 39s
Male category.
1st Place: Toby Houghton
2nd Place: Charles Byers
3rd Place: Tyddyn Packman
The Senior Challenge – A Test of Grit and Glory
Next up was the senior race! With a tough but rewarding course winding up to the Temple of the
Winds, the route offered both challenge and breathtaking views.
This year’s 101 senior runners tackled the terrain with impressive determination. The conditions
were near-perfect — a mix of sunshine and light cloud — making for some fantastic finish times
and plenty of proud faces at the end.
Male results
1st Place: Duncan Selmes
2nd Place: Richard Higgins
3rd Place: James Turner
Female results
1st Place: Christina Archer
2nd Place: Eliza Wheeler
3rd Place: Emily Lilywhite-Iredale
Local Fernhurst Winners
Male: Harry James
Female: Katie Lyall
A Huge Thank You
A huge thank you first though to our sponsor Bramdean Construction. We greatly appreciate your
sponsorship, being there on the day, taking part and handing out the trophy’s!.
3rd Lady Emily Lilywhite-Iredale & Russell Shellard
A big thank you goes out to all the runners, volunteers, marshals, and supporters who made this
event such a success. The atmosphere was incredible from start to finish, and it was
heartwarming to see the local running community come together once again.
Congratulations to everyone who took part — whether you were racing for a personal best, running for fun, or cheering from the sidelines, you helped make the Blackdown Hill Challenge 2025 an unforgettable day!
At the top - Temple of the Winds.
We can’t wait to see you all again next year — same time, same place, and the same amazing spirit!