1,000 athletes take on 15 miles of gruelling Sussex terrain

Dame Kelly Holmes

Dame Kelly Holmes will be the honoured race starter and has asked to run the 18th Bewl 15 race to be held on 2nd July 2017 commencing 10:30.

1,000 runners will take on the gruelling challenge that is 'Bewl 15.' The race is part of the Sussex Grand Prix 17 race series, held around Sussex.

The 'Waddies' have raised £2,200 sponsorship for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust charity.

Bewl 15’s race starts and finishes in Wadhurst, East Sussex and encompasses one loop of the Bewl Water route and is a hilly multi-terrain course; of which 12 miles is off-road and the remainder on quiet country roads. The race will see a range of competitors from the Double Olympic gold winner, elite England Team veterans, club runners and those wanting a challenge in their lives.

The Wadhurst Runners are the current Sussex Grand Prix Champions and also host the Bewl 15.

Last year’s race was voted the '6th Best UK Race' out of 2,636 competitor races held around the UK, by readers of the Runner’s World magazine. Also, Bewl 15 regularly features as the 'Best UK Race of July.'

The 15 mile race is not for the faint-hearted. If the potential July heat and undulating trail don’t tire the muscles then the hill sections at 10, 12 and the final lung bursting ¾ uphill finish might just do it.

The race starts in the picturesque village of Wadhurst taking in the rolling hills surrounding the beautiful Bewl Water and races across fields, trails and roads to finish where it started at Little Pell Farm, Wadhurst.

The course best is 01:27:05, held since 2009, by William Levett of Tonbridge Athletics Club and the female record is held by Katy Moore of Brighton & Hove City Ac in a time of 01:37:25, also created in 2009. Tina Oldershaw, Team GB veteran and Paddock Wood AC will be running her 10th Bewl 15 attempting to emulate Dame Kelly. Scott Richardson Team GB ager tri athlete of Wadhurst Runners will be gunning for the course best.