Cornish Marathon win seals Hayle Runners’ Grand Prix double

Fifteen races. 181 runners. And one brutally hilly marathon to finish the job.

By the time the last green vest crossed the line last Sunday (1 November), the Hayle club had both team titles in the 2026 Cornwall Grand Prix to itself.

Hayle Runners sealed the men’s and ladies’ team championships at the Cornish Marathon, the 15th and final race of the series. It caps a year in which 181 of the club’s members ran in at least one Grand Prix event.

The marathon itself brought plenty to celebrate too. Daniel Costello won the race outright, Emma Paull won the ladies’ race, and Hayle collected men’s team gold, ladies’ team silver and six age-category prizes.

Organised by East Cornwall Harriers, the Cornish Marathon has a reputation as one of the toughest road marathons in the region, with more than 675 metres of climbing packed into its 26.2 miles.

Twenty-four Hayle Runners took it on. They set off in mist and a chill, which slowly lifted to leave blue skies and sunshine.

The route winds through some of Cornwall’s prettiest countryside, and the support was loud. The crowd at Golitha Falls could be heard cheering from more than a mile up the valley, while Bolventor was once again a favourite spot for spectators urging runners through the later miles.

📷Hayle Runners men's team: Steve Wherry, Liam O'Neill, Dan Costello and Ian Curnow

Costello and Paull take the marathon titles

Daniel Costello won in 2:38:36, more than seven minutes clear of his nearest rival.

It came just a month after he set a new Hayle Runners club record at the Manchester Half Marathon. Doing it again on a course this hilly made the win all the more impressive.

Emma Paull added the ladies’ title in 3:11:59, finishing 18th overall and adding yet another win to her Grand Prix season.

Liam O’Neill was just ahead of her in 17th overall in 3:11:51. Stephen Fuller (3:14:20) and Ian Curnow (3:16:50) completed Hayle’s scoring four as the men took first place in the team competition.

The ladies were strong too. Emma was joined by Corinne Gerrard (4:08:29), Tamara Kearney (4:10:21) and Helen Knowles (4:21:29) to take second in the team competition.

Age-category prizes

Hayle came away with six. Daniel won the Male Under 35 category and Emma took first in the Female 40-44s.

Liam finished third in the Male 35-39 category and Stephen took third in the Male 55-59s. Tamara and Corinne both collected third places, in the Female Under 35 and Female 55-59 categories respectively.

📷Hayle Runners ladies' team: Corinne Gerrard, Helen Knowles, Emma Paull and Tammy Kearney

Personal bests and marathon milestones

Further back in the field there were personal bests, first marathons and a few big milestones.

Andrew James produced one of the standout improvements of the day. He finished in 3:47:43, more than 38 minutes quicker than his previous Cornish Marathon.

Frazer Humbles took more than 32 minutes off his previous course time, finishing in 3:42:00. That was also a new marathon personal best, beating the 3:43:23 he ran at the Manchester Marathon in 2025 on far kinder terrain.

Ian Curnow improved his Cornish Marathon best by more than five minutes, and Corinne Gerrard and Nicholas Peters also set course PBs.

Five Hayle members ran their first ever marathon. Tamara Kearney, Samuel Little, Scott Redrup, Marcus Lynch and Macourey Brooklyn all completed the distance for the first time, with Macourey producing an impressive debut of 3:25:09.

David Wilding ran the marathon as part of his 50th birthday celebrations. Mark Squire returned to the distance for the first time in 12 years, finishing in 5:45:09 in the Male 70-74 category and taking his lifetime tally past 60 marathons.

Both Grand Prix crowns head to Hayle

The marathon also brought down the curtain on the 2026 Cornwall Grand Prix, with Hayle Runners confirmed as champions of both the men’s and ladies’ team competitions.

The club shared the honours last season. This time it won both titles outright, on the back of strength and consistency across all 15 races.

The individual results stacked up as well. Emma Paull was crowned overall ladies’ Grand Prix champion, while Sam Farmer finished second in the overall men’s standings.

Hayle also claimed 18 age-category podium places across the series.

Ladies’ category podiums

Tamara Kearney won the Under 35 category, with Tear Rogers second. Emma Paull took the Female 40-44 title, Charlotte Bennett won the Female 50-54 category, Margaret Clark was second in the Female 65-69s and Diane Warren won the Female 70-74 category.

Men’s category podiums

Sam Farmer won the Under 35 category, with Daniel Millington third. Liam O’Neill was third in the Male 35-39s and David Guffick third in the Male 40-44 category.

Francis Malone-Lee won the Male 45-49 title with Neil Hayhurst second, while Ian Curnow and Mark Williams were second and third in the Male 55-59 category.

Steven Wherry won the Male 60-64 category, Jon Eldon took the Male 65-69 title, Chunky Penhaul was second in the Male 75-79s and Stewart Townend second in the Male 80+ category.

Turning up, week after week

Of the 181 Hayle Runners who took part in at least one Grand Prix race, 52 completed the series by running eight or more events.

Four went the whole way and ran all 15. Samuel Little, David Wilding, Darren Uren and Mark Squire didn’t miss a race all year.

Hayle Runners chairman Richard Collett said: “We came agonisingly close to winning both team championships outright last year, so to finish this season with both titles belonging to Hayle is particularly satisfying.

“What makes me proudest isn’t just the results at the front. It’s that 181 of our members have contributed across the season. We’ve had runners turning up week after week, some chasing podiums, others chasing personal bests, and plenty simply enjoying being part of it.

“Our A teams have been outstanding, but so have the B, C and D teams, and everyone else who’s pulled on a Hayle vest throughout the year. It’s that depth of participation and willingness to turn up for one another that makes this club special.

“These championships belong to the whole club, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together.”

The club thanked East Cornwall Harriers, the marshals and volunteers who put on the marathon, and the many supporters who cheered and entertained runners around the course.

The official 2026 Cornwall Grand Prix awards will be presented at the Falmouth Mob Match on Sunday 29 November, when Hayle’s runners will get the chance to celebrate together.

Hayle Runners’ Cornish Marathon results

• Chris Barrett: 4:08:29
• Macourey Brooklyn: 3:25:09
• Richard Collett: 4:12:08
• Daniel Costello: 2:38:36
• Nathan Cudmore: 4:12:24
• Ian Curnow: 3:16:50
• Stephen Fuller: 3:14:20
• Corinne Gerrard: 4:08:29
• Frazer Humbles: 3:42:00
• Andrew James: 3:47:43
• Tamara Kearney: 4:10:21
• Helen Knowles: 4:21:29
• Samuel Little: 4:22:55
• Marcus Lynch: 3:32:50
• Liam O’Neill: 3:11:51
• Emma Paull: 3:11:59
• Nicholas Peters: 4:12:09
• Scott Redrup: 4:26:24
• Andrew Searle: 4:59:50
• Mark Squire: 5:45:09
• Aidan Tappin: 3:42:18
• Darren Uren: 4:30:55
• David Wilding: 4:22:45
• Mark Williams: 3:59:28

📷Hayle Runners members