The eight-mile Charmouth Challenge includes a traverse of Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast is quite often held under sultry conditions, writes Dave Mutter.

This year was no exception and as usual the climb up to Golden Cap was performed under suffocating heat!

Jamie Parkinson of Dartmoor Runners embraced the conditions to win in 50:32. Matt Clist was the first AVR home, fourth overall in 54:40. He was followed by Jonathan Day, 29th, 1:03:59; Chris Keeffe, 51st, 1:09:31 just ahead of Simon Gould, 52nd, 1:09:54.

Eleanor Wood was the first over 50 lady, 57th overall in 1:10:51 with Robin Britton, 83rd, 1:17:07. Margaret Pearce was chuffed to finish 109th, 1:20:34 ahead of a battle twixt Chris Hill and Nick Adams that was won by Chris who was 141st, 1:25:16 with Nick four seconds adrift.

Anna Mcloughlin was 149th, 1:26:26 and Mark Hardin-Perrott, 166th, 1:29:25 just ahead of Angela Kerr, 176th, 1:31:50. Canny Hart was 200th, 1:41:10 and, despite Robert Kerr losing his cap, he finished 202nd, 1:41:38 with Martin Kerr, 213th, 1:44:02.

There were 231 finishers of this tough challenge. Chris Watson ran the shorter 1.8-mile course that still encompasses the ascent up the notorious Stonebarrow Lane and ran well to be 17th out of 151 in 14:01.