Tour Of Merseyside Hots Up For 2018

SCORCHING temperatures proved to be an extra challenge for the 378 runners who completed the week long 52 mile BTR Tour Of Merseyside. The event was 1st staged in 2013, when it was created by BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell from Hoylake based BTR Liverpool.

The Tour Of Merseyside consists of 6 races across 7 days. This was the 6th annual staging of the event, which has firmly become a real highlight in the North West running calendar. Once completed, competitors have the right to call themselves Tourists!

Last year's winner Knowsley Harrier Chris Pownell retained the 1st place honours; and despite recording the event's hottest temperatures on record. Chris also set a new Tour Of Merseyside record in an overall event combined time of 4:55:32. The record was previously set in 2016, by Terence Forrest from Cairngorm Runners, with a time of 4:57:02.

This year's female winner was Victoria Gilbody from Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers with a finishing time of 6:11:32. Victoria also took the top female honours in 2016. The female record is held by Jenny Clague with a time of 5:40:03, which was set in 2014.

The fun started, on Sunday, 1 July 2018, with the Southport ½ Marathon, where runners were guests of Epic Events. This was followed, on the Monday, by 6 miles of beach and trail multi terrain in Thurstaston; with 10 miles on the Sustrans Loopline, in Walton, on the Tuesday. The runners have a rest day, on the Wednesday.

The Thursday saw the Tourists run 5 miles along the Liverpool waterfront, at Otterspool Promenade (Tourists have now adopted this race as fancy dress day); with 6 miles cross country, at Stadt Moers, in Knowsley, on the Friday.

The race concluded on Saturday, 7 July 2018, with a 12 mile Wirral coastal run from New Brighton to Hoylake and back to New Brighton, including over 1 mile across the beach.

After completing the final race, all Tourists received the coveted and much sought after:- '52' commemorative finishers' medal and a bespoke T-shirt featuring the names of the 2018 Tourists.

The final race was followed by a prize presentation and Tour Of Merseyside celebration, the highlight of which was a special video featuring footage of each race day.

During its inaugural year in 2013, a modest 73 completed the Tour Of Merseyside. There is now a cap of 500 entries for the 2019 event, with Race Director Alan Rothwell keen to keep the unique event intimate with a real team atmosphere.

This year's race included 16 original Tourists; including just 4 women; who have completed the challenge each year since it was launched in 2013. A group of more than 60 took on the Tour challenge for the very 1st time this year. This year's field includes runners from:- Brighton, Chapel Le Firth, Halifax, Hertfordshire, Isle Of Man, London, Manchester and Wales.

The reputation of the Tour Of Merseyside has also travelled overseas; Bjoern Tangen travelled especially from Oslo in Norway to take part, while Trevor Sosebee flew in from Texas to join the Tour.

This year, the youngest Tourist was 19 year old Kirkby Miler Matthew Whalley with a time of 6:08:22. While the most senior Tourist this year was guide runner John Courtney, aged 80, who runs with his blind son James Hughes with a time of 11:17:06. John and James have completed the Tour Of Merseyside 5 times.

Local clubs flying the flag with the most team members included:- Penny Lane Striders, Kirkby Milers, Liverpool Running Club, Warrington RC, Knowsley Harriers, BTR Road Runners, and Wallasey AC.

Hoylake based race organisers BTR is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region. Its growing portfolio also includes:- the BTR Wirral ½ Marathon / 10K; and the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash.

BTR Liverpool Race Director Alan Rothwell created the Tour Of Merseyside, he commented:- "What an incredible week for the 6th Tour Of Merseyside. Despite scorching temperatures proving tough for the majority of runners; the Tourists did themselves extremely proud with impressive performances all week. It's a really tough, tiring week all round, but each and every Tourist rose to the week-long challenge, throwing themselves into the event. It's a week of excitement, anticipation, nerves, laughter and friendship. The atmosphere is second to none, with the camaraderie amongst everyone growing day by day. It's very special to see and experience. Congratulations to the Tourists of 2018. And a huge thank you to all the volunteers including past Tourists - their support and encouragement goes a very long way in getting the Tourists through the week. We couldn't do it without them."

During the post Tour celebration, 2 places for next year's Tour Of Merseyside were raffled, raising ₤640 to be split between this year's 'Run For The 96' beneficiaries (Jamie Carragher's 23 Foundation, Everton in the Community, and Stanley Park CIC) and the Rhys Jones Community Centre. The winners were Anja Dunsch and Ben Darby who both completed the Tour this year.

Next in the BTR portfolio is the Run For Rhys celebration fun run in memory of Liverpool youngsters Rhys Jones, this takes place at Croxteth Hall and Country Park, on Sunday, 26 August 2018.

This is followed by the award winning BTR Wirral ½ Marathon / 10K, on Sunday, 9 September 2018. A stand alone race, it also forms part of the third annual 26 mile, 3 day, Whistle Stop Tour Of Wirral race, which is held from Friday, 7 September to Sunday, 9 September 2018.