Hayle Runners conquer Truro’s hills for Grand Prix glory

Thirty-seven vests in Hayle green lined up in Truro city centre last Sunday (13 September), and came home with a men’s team title, a ladies’ team silver and ten age-category prizes to show for a morning spent fighting the hills right back.

A hilly test made hotter by the sun

Hayle Runners joined a field of more than 500 for the 13th race of the 2026 Cornwall Grand Prix season, the Truro Half Marathon. The route leaves Truro’s roads and cobbles early on for the Newham Trail, then heads out through the countryside around Playing Place, Cowlands Creek and Porthkea before doubling back for the finish at Lemon Quay.

The course has a reputation for its hills, and 517 runners found no evidence this year that they had softened. Temperatures climbed steadily through the morning too, adding a second challenge on top of the climbs before the field turned for home along the Newham Trail.

📷Hayle Runners ladies' team, Truro Half Marathon 2026

Paull leads the ladies to silver

Emma Paull continued her strong season by leading the Hayle ladies home, and after arriving at the Treggy 7 with barely a minute to spare, this time made sure she was on the start line in good time.

Paull crossed the line in 1:29:37 to take first lady overall and win the Female 40-44 category, earning the race’s crown trophy along the way. Lucy Paull, Tamara Kearney, Corinne Gerrard, Teigan Turner and Arianna Caddy completed the scoring team, and together they secured second place behind host club Truro Running Club.

📷Hayle Runners men's team, Truro Half Marathon 2026

Men go one better with team gold

Hayle’s men went a step further, topping the team competition outright. Francis Malone-Lee led the club home in fifth place overall in 1:24:02, with Kyle Hampton close behind in sixth. Daniel Millington, Amar Musneckis, Neil Hayhurst and Steven Wherry made up the rest of the winning team.

Ten age-category prizes across the field

Beyond the team results, Hayle runners picked up ten individual age-category prizes between them.

On top of her overall win, Emma took the Female 40-44 category. Corinne Gerrard was second in the Female 55-59s, and Margaret Clark took second in the Female 65-69s.

Francis won the Male 45-49 category, with Neil third. Mark Williams and Ian Curnow finished second and third in the Male 55-59s, Steven won the Male 60-64s, Simon Blackburn was third in the Male 65-69s, and Chunky Penhaul took the Male 75-79 title.

Personal bests, and a first half marathon for Ellen

The heat and the hills didn’t stop several Hayle runners improving on past performances. David Guffick and Andrew Searle both recorded personal bests for the course, while Richard Hoskins took an extraordinary 14 minutes off his previous time there. Andrew James was not far behind, shaving 13 minutes off his own course best.

It was also a first half marathon for Ellen Regan, who was met by a wall of green vests and plenty of noise from her clubmates as she reached Lemon Quay.

Hayle Runners chairman Richard Collett said: “Truro has never been accused of putting on a flat half marathon, and despite more than 500 runners spending a morning repeatedly running over the hills, they don’t appear to have made much progress in wearing them down.

“The heat made an already challenging course even tougher, so to come away with a men’s team victory, ladies’ team silver and 10 age-category prizes was an excellent result. Emma’s season continues to be remarkable too, and we’re pleased to report that this week she managed to combine winning the race with arriving before it started.

“Just as importantly, there were some huge improvements further through the field and it was brilliant to see Ellen complete her first half marathon with plenty of green vests waiting for her at the finish.”

The club has thanked Truro Running Club, along with the marshals, volunteers and supporters who put on another Truro Half Marathon.

Full Hayle Runners results

Simon Blackburn – 2:15:59
Arianna Caddy – 2:06:09
Helen Casey – 2:22:16
Margaret Clark – 2:25:04
Richard Collett – 2:13:01
Nathan Cudmore – 1:53:57
Ian Curnow – 1:36:53
Corinne Gerrard – 1:54:33
David Guffick – 1:35:52
Kyle Hampton – 1:24:18
Neil Hayhurst – 1:28:25
Andrew Heather – 2:24:42
Richard Hoskins – 2:04:08
Andrew James – 1:35:11
Peter Kearney – 1:53:04
Tamara Kearney – 1:54:02
Samuel Lewis – 1:54:00
Francis Malone-Lee – 1:24:02
Daniel Millington – 1:25:32
Teresa Moore – 2:20:31
Amar Musneckis – 1:26:44
Emma Paull – 1:29:37
Lucy Paull – 1:49:05
Chunky Penhaul – 2:12:56
Nicholas Peters – 1:59:58
Ellen Regan – 2:29:13
Andrew Searle – 1:44:46
Jack Searle – 1:54:59
Mark Squire – 2:34:38
Aidan Tappin – 1:45:49
Teigan Turner – 2:02:29
Darren Uren – 2:04:42
Steven Wherry – 1:33:05
David Wilding – 1:41:29
Ashley Williams – 1:45:50
Mark Williams – 1:34:16
Soraya Williams – 2:55:22