Steyning AC's Stinger delivers popular New Race despite unusual lack of mud.

Saturday 1st April


Steyning AC staged the 2023 Steyning Stinger Marathon (approx 42km) and Half Marathon (approx 21km) on the first Sunday in March. The annual event also included a middle option of a 30km race for the first time.

The races start and finish in Steyning. The trail run covers the Wiston Estate, Washington, Chanctonbury Ring, Cissbury Ring and Steepdown.

Overall there were around 430 finishers.

The only, tongue-in-cheek, ‘complaints’ related to a lack of mud - which is normally available in abundance at this event! Next year, perhaps.

The first finishers in the 30km this year obviously set new course records.

They were:
Men: Tom Barnard 2h15m13s.
Women: Victoria Berrington (of Steyning AC) 2h53m23s.

There were no course records in the other distances this year. But there was another sub 1h30m time in the Half, which is a rarity on this undulating course… which is also slightly longer than a Half distance!

The other winners were:
Half-Marathon
Men: Ben Clarke 1h29m41s.
Women: Amber Wright 1h50m32s.

Marathon:
Men: Tom Brown 3h13m10s.
Women: Aileen Raynos 3h46m28s.

The next Steyning AC organised trail race will be the Roundhill Romp. A 10km that is part of the West Sussex Fun Run League, and happens on the first Wednesday in July every year.


Photos courtesy of: Sussex Sport Photography.