THIS year’s Run Falmouth half marathon, held on Sunday, March 16 by healthcare charity Cornwall Hospice Care, broke several records.

The biggest number of runners signed up and of those 950 entries, 798 started on a breezy but sunny morning. The winner was Steve Reynolds from Truro Running Club who crossed the finish line in one hour and 13 minutes exactly, setting a new record for the current course. He also won the event in 2023 in a time of 1:16:56.

Conditions were nearly perfect with blue skies and sunshine, but a chilly breeze that in places provided a head wind for the runners.

Steve, who came third at last year’s Run Falmouth, led from the start and said after crossing the finish line; “I’m delighted, it’s a tough course in places but I know the 13.1-mile route and hoped I could set a good pace.”

Steve’s pace gave him a clear lead with second-placed Ed Dickinson (Falmouth Running Club) crossing the line more than four minutes later with a time of 1:17:34.

Third place went to Ronnie Haynes of the Erme Valley Harriers whose time was 1:18:15.

First woman home was Sarah Hoskin from Mile High who clocked a time of 1:25:34.

She said afterwards the hills were a challenge; “It’s certainly a tough course with some spectacular uphill parts but I enjoyed it. There were a few times when there was a head wind, but otherwise we couldn’t have asked for better conditions. I’m really pleased to be the first woman home.”

Cornwall Hospice Care’s race director, Jane Appleton said: “It’s not an easy race, it’s certainly not flat and Maenporth Hill is a big challenge, but if you prepare this is a great event.

“There’s such a mix of people taking part too. There’s the elite club runners who’re earning points as part of the Cornwall Glass Road Running Grand Prix Series and then there’s the charity runners who’re supporting our work through sponsorship. Some of them are also using Run Falmouth to prepare for next month’s London Marathon.

“I’m delighted to say this year’s event has already raised £30,000 towards the nursing care we provide at both of our hospices and there’s more money to come in. It takes a lot of organisation to run a half marathon and I’d like to thank the team at the Princess Pavilions, Falmouth Running Club, Devon and Cornwall 4x4, our event sponsors The Sapphire Running Zone and Jolly’s Drinks, Omega Medical and the army of volunteers we rely on each year. We couldn’t achieve this spectacular event without them all.”

The top three in each age category were as follows: Female Under 35: 1 Lara Robson (unattached) – 1:28:05; 2 Jo Temple (Truro Running Club) – 1:28:57; 3 Emma Morley (unattached) – 1:30:52; Female 35-39: 1 Melissa Nicholls (Hayle Runners) – 1:38:58; 2 Grace Barratt (Newquay RR) – 1:39:19; 3 Kat Darby (Tamar Trotters) – 1:46:22; Female 40-44: 1 Sarah Hoskin (Mile High) – 1:25:33; 2 Eve Hearle (Newquay RR) – 1:41:07; 3 Jenna Bissell (Truro Running Club) – 1:43:19; Female 45-49: 1 Katy Jenkins (Truro RC) – 1:42:55; 2 Julia Pearce (Cornwall AC) – 1:47:25; 3 Gail Menage (unattached) – 1:50:25; Female 50-54: 1 Amanda Hewitt (Cornwall AC) – 1:41:40; 2 Monique Jeffrey-Jones (Bodmin RC) – 1:45:30; 3 Corinne Gerrard (Hayle Runners) – 1:50:07; Female 55-59: 1 Gail Aspden (Truro RC) – 1:39:14; 2 Sue Nancarrow (Truro RC) – 1:44:39; 3 Helen Mitchell (Truro RC) – 1:47:58; Female 60-64: 1 Julie Towers (Hayle Runners) – 1:49:55; 2 Nikki Loomes (Rutland Running and Tri Club) – 2:08:32; 3 Jane Stedman (Bodmin Running Club) – 2:09; Female 65-69: 1 Alice Lewis (Dursley RC) – 1:58:44; 2 Aileen Barwell (Falmouth RC) – 2:27:05; 3 N/A; Female 70-74: 1 Andrea Simmons (Hayle Runners) – 1:49:31; 2 Diane Warren (Hayle Runners) – 1:58:06; 3 Janet Wills (St Austell RC) – 2:53:52.

Male Under 35: 1 Ed Dickinson (Falmouth RC) – 1:17:34; 2 Joseph Bidewell (unattached) – 1:19:05; 3 Callum Pinch (Truro RC) – 1:20:40; Male 35-39: 1 Steve Reynolds (Truro RC) – 1:13:00; 2 Ross Rielly (Tri Logic Cornwall) – 1:22:23; 3 Liam O’Neill (Hayle Runners) – 1:22:52; Male 40-44: 1 Ronnie Haynes (Erme Valley Harriers) – 1:18:14; 2 Steven Hagan (Hayle Runners) – 1:19:53; 3 Andrew Paroissien (Hayle Runners) – 1:20:01; Male 45-49: 1 Edmund Bennett (Hayle Runners) – 1:22:30; 2 Alex Marples (Truro RC) – 1:23:10; 3 Mark Roby (Truro RC) – 1:25:17; Male 50-54: 1 Mark Macleod (Royal Navy Triathlon) – 1:33:02; 2 Richard Keefe (Falmouth RC) – 1:34:19; 3 Marv Hine (St Austell RC) – 1:34:58; Male 55-59: 1 Jonny Scott (Scott Speedsters) – 1:27:28; 2 Anthony Worthington (Tamar Trotters) – 1:28:02; 3 Jon Kappes (Launceston RR) – 1:32:50; Male 60-64: 1 Glynn Davis (Carn Runners) – 1:33:59; 2 Jon Eldon (Hayle Runners) – 1:35:56; 3 David Thomson (Launceston RR) – 1:37:23; Male 65-69: 1 Steve Towsey (St Austell RC) – 1:52:35; 2 Peter Allen (Newquay RR) – 2:02:24; 3 Billy Evernden (Lonely Goat RC) – 2:05:34; Male 70-74: 1 Tommy Polglase (Carn Runners) – 1:50:51; 2 Malcolm Roberts (St Austell RC) – 1:51:04; 3 Stephen Hutchinson (Bude RATs); Male 75-79: 1 Chunky Penhaul (Hayle Runners) – 2:11:15; 2 Alan Brandwood (Falmouth RC) – Des Evans (Newquay RR) – 2:28:56.

To view the results in full, visit https://cornwallrunning.co.uk/r/Falmouth_Half_2025/

Entry to Run Falmouth 2026 will open soon on the Cornwall Hospice Care website at www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk