Townsend Triumphs In York
Fast times, lots of fun and plenty of pride at the weekend's Yorkshire Marathon Festival...
All eyes were on the city of York and surrounding areas on Sunday (20 October) as thousands of runners took part in this year's Yorkshire Marathon Festival. This year’s festival once again celebrated the qualities of what makes Yorkshire so great; pride, warmth, inclusivity and community spirit.
Attracting participants of all ages and abilities, both nationally and internationally from as far as New Zealand and Canada, over 8000 fun-runners, fundraisers, club runners and elites experienced the region’s rich culture and stunning landscapes.
The marathon featured a challenging yet scenic course, starting at the University of York campus, winding through iconic landmarks such as York Minster and the idyllic Yorkshire countryside of neighbouring areas such as Stockton on the Forest and Heslington before looping back into the city.
George Ravenhall claimed victory in the Yorkshire Marathon with a time of 02:24:41, George Mallett came in second in 02:26:07 and third, Edward Buck in a time of 02:28:40.
In the women’s category, Heather Townsend triumphed with an impressive course record breaking performance, crossing the line in 02:39:11 and beating the current female course record which was set at the inaugural Yorkshire Marathon in 2013 by 55 seconds. Alice Bourne finished in second with 02:48:31 and Chloe Malcolm took third place with a time of 02:52:27.
The Yorkshire 10 Mile was won by Matthew Cooper with a completion time of 52:33, followed by Alex Ford with 52:41 and third place was taken by Stuart Spencer in 00:53:55. And for the women’s 10 Mile, Katy Wood crossed the line in 56:23, Molly Smith second with a time of 58:59 and in third place Naomi Drakeford in 01:02:05.
Mike Tomlinson, CEO for Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All commented on the day: “A huge congratulations to each and every person who took part in the Yorkshire Marathon Festival today. A truly spectacular day and an amazing atmosphere from start to finish, we’re thrilled with the turnout and the energy of the participants and spectators alike.
“Year after year, the Yorkshire Marathon Festival continues to embody the spirit of the community and bring together people from all walks of life and this year was no different. Whether it’s to fundraise for a special cause close to their hearts or to chase that personal best time, we hope everyone had a great day.”
Entries for the 2025 Yorkshire Marathon Festival are already live, set to take place on Sunday 19 October 2025.
If you'd like to know more, visit the Yorkshire Marathon Festival website.
Image: Run For All