Proposed list of 2025 races in
the Kent Grand Prix
26th
January - Canterbury 10 miles - https://www.canterbury10.co.uk/e/canterbury%20as%20AB-10-mile-road-race-8571
- the Kent Grand Prix 2024 awards will be presented after this race at
c. 11.15 am just before the Canterbury 10 winners' presentation
16th February - Deal Half Marathon - Deal
Half-Marathon.. - Events - Deal Tri
2nd March - Dartford Half Marathon - Dartford
Half Marathon | UK Running Events -
(also KCAA Road Running Kent Long Course Championships)
13th April - Kent Spring Half Marathon (near
Ashford) - Nice
Work Race Management : Kent Spring Marathon & Half Marathon
5th May -
(early May Bank Holiday Monday) - Ted Pepper 10k (Bromley) - Blackheath
& Bromley Harriers AC website
8th June - High Elms 10k (Orpington) - High
Elms 10K | ORR Website
29th June - North Downs 30k - North
Downs Run | Istead and Ifield Harriers
13th July - Sevenoaks 7 - Sevenoaks
7
August - no
event - please enjoy a summer break!
12th October - Ashford Givaudan 10k - Givaudan
Ashford 10k 2024 - Sporting Events (also
KCAA Road Running Kent Short Course Championships)
If any
proposed race does not take place in the due month due to its
cancellation or postponement, a substitution may be made if practical.
And a
reminder of the Kent Grand Prix rules:-
Clubs
affiliated to KCAA will be entered into the Grand Prix team competitions
automatically, as will the runners from these clubs in the individual
competitions. Unaffiliated individual competitors need to contact roadrunning@kcaa.org.uk
to enter, and must be Kent Qualified under Rule 9 - see http://www.kcaa.org.uk/ExtractfromRulesforCompetition.pdf
Team
competitions, best 8 scores from 10 races
Individual
competitions, best 6 scores from 10 races.
Men's team
competition, top 6 from each club score down to 100th place; Women's
team competition, top 4 from each club score down to 50th place
Individual
Competition: Senior Men score down to 100th place; Senior Women to 50th;
M40 to 20th; M50 to 10th; M60 to 10th; M70 to 5th; F35 to 10th; F45 to
10th; F55 to 5th; F65 to 5th.
Runners who
are not in the competition do not count in the places
Age
qualification for Kent Grand Prix categories is as follows: Individuals
crossing an age threshold during the year will automatically enter the
veteran competition for their age on the date of the first race they run
(or in the case of people becoming a M40 or F35, the first race they run
as a veteran). Any competitor becoming M50, M60, M70, F45, F55 or F65
during the year and after the first race, who would rather enter the
competition for their new category must inform the competition organiser
at roadrunning@kcaa.org.uk
before their first scoring race after their birthday, and may only count
this race and those afterwards. All competitors may compete in the
senior category and only one vets category during the year.
Minimum age
for senior competition is 17 (no maximum).
Richard
Dunstan
roadrunning@kcaa.org.uk
The results
after the eighth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The Sevenoaks Seven mile race in July
saw the leading four clubs in this year's KGP all score heavily in the
men's team race before the summer break, with Maidstone Harriers and
Petts Wood Runners breaking the 500 points combined team score while
Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Thanet Road Runners were just a few dozen
behind. This means the podium is showing Thanet, Maidstone and Petts
Wood all within 8 points of each other at the top with Tunbridge a
little way back in 4th. Countback of the best 8 races out of the 10 will
be crucial therefore as we enter the run-in this autumn.
And in the ladies team competition, the
first four teams in the running all achieved particularly high
scores with Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Petts Wood Runners increasing
their lead over Maidstone Harriers and Thanet Road Runners.in third and
fourth places.
Richard
The results
after the seventh round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The North Downs 30k in late June again
saw local club Istead & Ifield Harriers score well, but it was Petts
Wood Runners who make a major statement of intent in the men's
competition and scored very highly to take the club up to a menacing
third position just behind Thanet Road Runners and Maidstone Harriers
who both scored well and kept their noses ahead in first and second.
It's beginning to look like a three horse race however as Tunbridge
Wells Harriers give way a little and have a lot of ground to catch on
the podium clubs.
In the ladies team competition,
Tunbridge Wells Harriers did particularly well in this stamina sapping
event (might it be due to the town being located at the top of a hill so
that they get a lot of practice?) and increased their lead over Petts
Wood and Maidstone albeit Thanet are still in the mix for a podium
place.
The next race in the Kent Grand Prix is
the Sevenoaks Seven which has already been held but at the time of
writing this up, and an update on that will go out in the next few
days.
Richard
The results
after the sixth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The Orpington High Elms 10k earlier in
June again saw local clubs Blackheath & Bromley, Beckenham and Petts
Wood Runners all score well in the men's competition as well as hosts
Orpington Road Runners, but out-of-town visitors and leaders in the Kent
Grand Prix Thanet Road Runners and Maidstone Harriers still scored
highly to retain 1st and 2nd respectively with Petts Wood in 3rd, while
2024 KGP champions Tunbridge Wells Harriers did enough to stay in touch
with the top 3.
Then over in the
ladies team standings, Beckenham scored top points but are somewhat
off the leaders still and allowed high scorers Petts Wood Runners to
overtake Maidstone Harriers to become second with the latter 3rd and
reduce the gap upon leaders Tunbridge Wells Harriers.
The next race in the Kent Grand Prix is
the North Downs 30k on Sunday 29th June which promises to be very
warm and sunny and be a chance for the longer distance runners to
feature.
Richard
The results
after the fifth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The Ted Pepper10k on early May bank
holiday in Bromley's Norman Park as expected saw local clubs Blackheath
& Bromley, Beckenham and Petts Wood Runners score heavily in the men's'
competition, but not sufficiently to dislodge the top three Thanet RR,
Maidstone Harriers and Tunbridge Wells Harriers who continue to fill the
first three places. But with another N.W. Kent race coming up this
weekend however, could the gap between the first three and the chasing
pack close further?
While over in the
ladies team standings, Maidstone Harriers gave up second place to
last year's winners Tunbridge Wells Harriers, with Petts Wood
and Thanet scoring well to fill third and fourth places with
creditable performances by Beckenham and Orpington but not
sufficient to feature among the front runners.
The next race in the Kent Grand Prix
returns to west Kent shortly with the Orpington High Elms 10k on
Sunday 8th June and where entries can be found at High
Elms 10K | ORR Website
Richard
The results
after the fourth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The Kent Spring Half near Ashford
earlier this month attracted over 400 runners.
With West Kent runners largely absent,
local club Thanet Road Runners took the opportunity to pile on the
points in the men's league albeit both mid-Kent's Maidstone Harriers
and Tunbridge Wells Harriers also scored heavily to ease clear of
the chasing pack.
In the ladies team standings, Maidstone
Harriers turned the screw with an epic points capture and moved
ahead of Tunbridge Wells Harriers
The next race in the Kent Grand Prix
returns to West Kent with the Ted Pepper 10k in Bromley's Norman
Park on early May Bank Holiday Monday 5th May where entries can be
found on race organiser Blackheath
& Bromley Harriers AC website
The results
after the third round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
KCAA GP 2025 - leagues update after Round 3 at the
Dartford Half Marathon.
The Dartford Half earlier this month attracted a
large number of entrants what with it also being a KCAA Kent Grand Prix
fixture along with this year's selection as the KCAA Kent long course
championships.
In the men's team standings, the change of
location from East Kent to West Kent saw somewhat of a shake up as
early featuring Dover Road Runners and Deal Tri, along with
Tonbridge entered no runners while more local clubs Central Park
Athletics and Cambridge Harriers along with Petts Wood Runners and
Maidstone Harriers featured strongly, and Thanet Road Runners also
showing brightly and in fact lead the table as we enter the marathon
month of April.
In the ladies team standings, perennial rivals
for honours Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Petts Wood Runners have
risen to the top after three races with TWH having the edge so far,
but like in the men's, Thanet Road Runners are featuring strongly
there in third Mention also for local West Kent clubs Dartford
Harriers and Orpington Road Runners for scoring well at the half
marathon.
The results
after the first & second round of the Kent Grand Prix 2025
The first round of
ten in the 2025 Kent Grand Prix took place on a cold but bright day
at the Canterbury 10 miler last month, with the second round at the
Deal Half last week.
And there are new teams at the top after several
years of the Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Petts Wood Runners
hegemony.
In the Men's team competition,
Dover Road Runners and Thanet Road Runners, and in the Women's teams
contests, Thanet, Canterbury Harriers, Folkestone RC and Deal
Triathlon have edged out TWH and PWR.
It's good to see new teams up there,
but will it last? The first two races were both in East Kent but
this Sunday's third race comes to North West Kent in Dartford for
their half marathon which is also this year's KCAA road running long
course championships, so we shall see! And finally. a welcome to
the Coastal Striders who have just affiliated to KCAA and have
achieved their first team points in the men's competition and are in
11th place.
Richard
The results
after the tenth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The final race in the
2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Maidstone Half Marathon on 20th
October.
In the ladies' team
competition, while 2023's top two Tunbridge Wells and Petts Wood were
close throughout 2024, Tunbridge Wells edged away in the run-in to
emerge top team again and retained the KGP trophy with Petts Wood 2nd,
Tonbridge AC 3rd and Maidstone Harriers in 4th place.
In the men's
team competition, Petts Wood Runners had built up a lead by the previous
event which proved unassailable to end as Kent Grand Prix champions for
2024 ahead of last year's winners TW Harriers in 2nd, with Thanet Road
Runners 3rd and Maidstone Harriers in 4th place.
In the individual General
Classification competition, last year's ladies winner Emma Stevens of
Petts Wood finished 2nd to a superb set of results by Tonbridge's
Nichola Evans who won the trophy, with Tunbridge Wells' Amelie Karlsson
a close 3rd.
In the Ladies Veteran's categories, in the FV35 Nichola Evans finished a
clear first, with runner-up Petts Wood's Flora Jones taking the trophy
as Nichola won the General Classification (GC), due to the
one-trophy-per-runner rule.
And in the FV45, Emma
Stevens scored a maximum 60 points to win, with the trophy going to
runner-up Tunbridge Wells' Ali Farrall under the one trophy rule.
In the FV55, Tara Taylor of Tunbridge Wells wins the award with Petts
Wood's Eiko Kobayashi in 2nd.
And in the FV65, Orpington Road Runners' Claire London wins with
Canterbury Harriers' Barbara Wenman in second place.
While in the men's individual competition General Classification,
Tonbridge's Daniel Bradley scored very consistent high places in each
race to finish a clear first with Tunbridge Wells' David Weston 2nd and
Petts Wood's Kev Howarth 3rd.
In the men's veteran categories, at MV40 Petts Wood's Dean Lenihan
emerged victorious ahead of club colleague Mark Philbrick.
Over in the MV50, Kevin Howarth won comfortably from Thanet Road
Runner's Christopher Brenchley with Christopher taking the trophy under
the one trophy rule.
And in the MV60, a nice set of scores saw Sevenoak's Keith Dawsom win
with last year's winner Geoff Turner in second.
And in the MV70, Paddock Wood's John Tolhurst was unrivalled with a
maximum points count after winning this age category in all 7 races he
competed in.
Awards will also be made to the first senior (under 35) lady Maidstone
Harrier's Amelia Porter and also to first senior (under 40) gent
Tunbridge Wells' Gareth Hiron under the one trophy rule.
Finally thank you to everyone who took part this year and we hope to see
you return in the New Year for a new set of races which will include a
number of changes in the race selection which will be announced next
week. And the presentation of the awards will take place following the
Canterbury 10 on January 26th which will be the first race in the 2025
Kent Grand Prix.
The results
after the ninth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The ninth race in the
2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Larkfield 10k on 22nd September
which also dovetailed as the Kent County Athletics Association's 2024
short course county championships so some big guns were in attendance.
In the men's
team competition, the top dozen or so clubs in the Team GP nearly all
put out strong teams and scored highly to secure their positions in the
table before the final round next month, and with Petts Wood
consolidating top spot ahead of TW Harriers with the trio of Maidstone
Harriers, Thanet Road Runners and Tonbridge AC fighting out for the
third spot on the podium.
In the ladies'
team competition, the top half dozen clubs also put out strong teams but
Tunbridge Wells have edged a little further ahead of Petts Wood and with
the same trio following up with Tonbridge AC 3rd, Maidstone Harriers in
4th and Thanet Road Runners in 5th.
As for the individuals competition and, there is still all to play for
in some of the veteran's divisions, and October's final event in the GP
will be interesting
In that respect, the
final round of the 2024 GP ends with the Maidstone Half Marathon on
Sunday 20th October with entries available at The
Maidstone Half Marathon, Sunday 20th October 2024 (sportingeventsuk.com)
The results
after the eighth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The eighth race in the
2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Cliffe Woods 5 miler in early July
- as the race blurb says itself, no cliffs and no woods but a
countryside romp around some roads in a quiet part of Kent.
In the men's
team competition, five clubs put out strong teams with front runners
Petts Wood and Tunbridge Wells accompanied by Maidstone Harriers, Istead
& Ifield and Thanet RR in knocking up big scores. Petts Wood stay in
first place but 2023 champions Tunbridge Wells in second will compete
with them for the trophy until the very final event on October.
In the ladies'
team competition, Tunbridge Wells and Petts Wood again dominated the
team scores here, but TW overtook PW for first place by scoring 16 more
points and have an overall lead of 10 - it seems like a repeat of 2023
when TW pipped PW by just 18 points at the end.
August is a month off
from the KGP but returns again for the 9th round on Sunday 22nd
September at the Larkfield 10k with entries available at LARKFIELD
10K | larkfield (larkfieldac.co.uk) which
also doubles as the KCAA short course Kent Championships.
The results
after the seventh round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The seventh race in the
2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Eltham Park 5 miles and again
within the ULEZ boundary before it returns for the remainder of this
year's events to more rural locations in mid-Kent.
In the men's
team competition, local club Petts Wood had an excellent team outing
scoring heavily with other local clubs Cambridge Harriers and Dulwich
Runners also putting up strong performances albeit these last two are
not competitive in this year's competition. Tunbridge Wells Harriers in
second place are though and although they lost a bit of ground on
leaders Petts Wood, it appears to be a two horse race to the finish with
three events remaining.
In the ladies'
team competition, Dulwich, Tunbridge Wells Harriers and Petts Wood
dominated the team scores here, but with early KGP leaders Tonbridge no
longer featuring in contesting this year's competition having no runners
at the last two races, it's down to leaders Petts Wood and Tunbridge
Wells Harriers just six points behind them to race each other to the
line in October.
The 8th round in the KGP
follows on Sunday 7th July at the Cliffe Woods 5 miles with entries
available at Cliffe
Woods 5 Mile (sportingeventsuk.com)
The results
after the sixth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The sixth race in the
2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Chislehurst Half Marathon on a
warm and sunny morning as the KGP entered within the ULEZ boundary for
the first time since the road charge came in last August and took
runners around an undulating course (some might say that was
understating the gradients!) around woods and country park with 367
runners participating.
In the men's
team competition, local club Petts Wood took advantage of Tonbridge's
complete absence to extend their lead in the competition and Tunbridge
Wells were well represented as well to overtake previous leaders
Tonbridge who drop to third. Thanet made the long trip up the M2 to be
well represented with Maidstone Harriers and local clubs Orpington and
Kent AC also scoring well.
In the ladies'
team competition, Tunbridge Wells and Petts Wood also made the most of
Tonbridge being elsewhere to overtake them and move first and second
respectively. with only 8 points between the two.
However with
the worst two team scores being dropped out of the ten races in the
competition after it finishes a lot can change between now and the final
event in October.
The 7th round
in the KGP follows on Sunday 16th June with the Eltham 5 miler where
entries can be found at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-eltham-park-5-and-family-fun-run-2024-tickets-771864376127
The results
after the fifth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The fifth race
in the 2024 Kent Grand Prix (KGP) was at the Hildenborough 5 miler on a
damp Bank Holiday morning around country roads surrounding this village
just north of Tonbridge with 272 runners participating, most of whom
were representing their clubs in the GP.
In the men's
team competition, Tonbridge virtually swept the board with the first
four home and all 6 scorers in the first 11 and look the team to beat
this year sitting on the shoulders of leaders Petts Wood, although this
may change as the two worst scores in the series of 10 races are dropped
in the final count.
In the ladies'
team competition, Tonbridge are easing away from main rivals Petts Wood
and defending champions Tunbridge Wells, albeit these three are opening
a sizeable gap now over chasers Thanet RR and Maidstone Harriers while
Kent AC took a day off from competing in the KGP.
The 6th round
in the KGP follows on Sunday 19th May with the Chislehurst Half Marathon
where entries can be found at
https://chislehursthalf.com/
The results
after the fourth round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
Kent Grand Prix update after round 4 at the
Folkestone 10 miler
The fourth race in the 2024 Kent Grand Prix was
at the Folkestone 10 miler on a very blustery Good Friday morning
for a flat and fast 'out and back' route mainly along the promenade.
In the men's team competition, the high scoring
London borough teams from the previous round were totally absent
with the exception of Cambridge Harriers who took home the first
place honours while usual high scoring Tonbridge took a breather
with the exception of overall individual leader Daniel Bradley and
this allowed Petts Wood to swap places to take first place with
Tonbridge second and last year's KGP winner Tunbridge Wells
remaining in third.
In the Ladies team competition, the podium
remains unchanged so Tonbridge stay in first place but with just one
runner who scored points their lead has been pared back by higher
scoring Petts Wood in 2nd and Tunbridge Wells in 3rd.
Looking ahead, there is no racing in the Grand
Prix in April due to the Spring marathons holding centre stage, but
there are two races in May. The 5th round is the Hildenborough 5
miler road race on early May Bank Holiday Monday afternoon 6th May
around country roads with further details available at
https://www.nice-work.orguk/e/hildenborough-road-races-9418
After the third round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024
The third race in the 2024 Kent Grand
Prix was at the Paddock Wood Half Marathon on Sunday 2nd March with
over 2,000 turning up including some big guns from Dulwich, Kent AC
and Cambridge Harriers as well as the usual Kent teams which have
contested the podium places in recent years. The return of the Kent
Long Course Championships for the first time in 5 years was partly
the catalyst for this but also the prospect of fast times and an
opportunity for a p.b .over what is arguably the fastest ''Half' in
the county.
In both team competitions, Tonbridge are
now 1st followed by Petts Wood in 2nd and Tunbridge Wells in 3rd,
with a number of clubs jockeying for position just behind although
it will be interesting to see which clubs continue to target the
competition after next month's city marathons as the early 2024
month's 10 milers and half marathons give way to mainly smaller and
shorter spring and summer races.
Next up in the KGP is the Folkestone 10
miler on Good Friday 29th March which is a fast and furious out and
back along the promenade where again some of the county's finest
runners and clubs will be well represented - to enter, go to Enter
Online – Folkestone 10 Mile Race
After the
second round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024.
The
second race in the 2024 Kent Grand Prix was at the Tunbridge Wells
Half Marathon on a damp morning earlier this month with a turnout of
over thirteen hundred runners and again with a high percentage from
affiliated Kent clubs looking to pick up points towards the Kent
Grand Prix team and individual competitions. Aside from that, it's a
very well organised event and one of the major preparation races
towards the April marathons in a few weeks time where you needed to
graft hard up the challenging Spring Hill half way around the course
at Fordcombe village.
In
both team competitions, the same five teams fill the top five places
and in exactly the same order apart from Tonbridge AC and Petts Wood
Runners swapping first and second places in the men's and ladies
events.
In the
Ladies, Tonbridge were outstanding in depth and pegged back points
to overtake PWR for first in the KGP standings with Tunbridge Wells
Harriers starting a team charge to claim 3rd ahead of Thanet Road
Runners and Beckenham.
In the
Mens, Petts Wood Held on to their early lead from the first round at
the Canterbury 10 but with both Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells
closing the gap, it is looking likely to be a close run affair by
the time we get to the competition's finale in October.
Next
up in the KGP is the Paddock Wood Half on Sunday 3rd March for which
there are still a few entries left for those who haven't yet
committed.
After the first round of the Kent Grand Prix 2024.
