A big field and super-quick times are the traditional hallmarks of the Victory 5, generating PBs (Portsmouth Bests) for almost 80 years down on the Hampshire coast. The latest event, on Sunday 7th December 2025, was the 79th edition of this flagship race, hosted by City of Portsmouth AC, with 705 finishers in 70 minutes.

This year saw four men run faster than 25 minutes and three women beat 30 minutes on the flat, fast, and virtually traffic-free course. However, the superb race records of 22:43 (Rob Denmark, Basildon AC) – the sixth-fastest UK all time – and 25:35 (Nnenna Lynch, USA) remained for another year.

The Victory 5 was the fifth race in the 2025/26 Hampshire Road Race League, with club and individual points to be won at one of the most prestigious 5-mile road races in the UK race calendar, established in 1946.

The Victory 5 is based at Lakeside North Harbour, Portsmouth, starting from Central Square. Lakeside North Harbour is a major business hub in Portsmouth, in 130 acres of attractive landscaped grounds, home to over 50 companies.

The sub-25-minute men this year were Iona University student Lachlan Wellington (City of Portsmouth AC, 23:58 PB); Harry Smith (Southampton AC, 24:06 PB); under-20 junior Alex Smart (Cardiff AAC, 24:53 debut) and Ally Jones (City of Portsmouth AC, 24:52 PB). The winner's time was the fourth best in the UK this year.

The women's race was won by Rachel Laurie (Chichester Runners, 28:29 debut) from W40 Erin Willmers (Winchester RC, 28:55 PB) and former GB international W40 Emily Wicks (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 29:06) – the 2016 champion and also third last year.

The Victory 5 is sponsored by Alexandra Sports and Sport Systems who provided the chip-timed results.

Results and previous event reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

Previous race photo courtesy Sport Systems