Brockenhurst parkrun returned to the grounds of Brockenhurst College with Folkestone Running & Athletics Club’s Nick Steele and Exeter University AC’s Charlotte Brown taking the honours

Brockenhurst parkrun returned to the grounds of Brockenhurst College for the first time this year, and 76 people ran, jogged and walked the newly cut grass course in bright sunshine but with a cold wind.

The first finisher was first-time visitor M40 Nick Steele of Folkestone Running & Athletics Club, who ran 18:53. He led SM30-34 Robert Lovegrove of San Domenico RC, who came in second with a time of 19:20, with SM25-29 Michael Gargaro (New Forest Runners) the third runner at 20:11.

The first woman across the line was W18 Charlotte Brown of Exeter University AC, who led our ladies home for the ninth time at 20:26. It was Brown’s 24th Brockenhurst run, and she holds a personal best (PB) of 19:33.

The second female was VW35-39 Rachel Helyar (22:15), with SW30-34 Pippa Watling’s PB of 22:38 seeing her home as the third woman.

In the junior ranks, W15 Kate Atkinson of Southampton AC was the first youth home in a conservative 23:38. Her 19:07 PB was set at Brock, and today was her 15th run here and her 62nd parkrun.

Meanwhile, first-time visitor M15 Tyler Farrell from Rushmoor parkrun led the boys home and set the only milestone run as he joined the Junior 10 Club.

M65 Kevan Day of Hardley Runners set the highest age grade score after running 21:52 on his sixth Brockenhurst run, with W55 Jackie Ferrier of New Forest Runners setting the highest female age grade score.

There were 27 making their Brockenhurst parkrun debuts, with five – W35 Margarita Hedy Portes, W35 Che Agustin, M30 Michael Laity, M55 Steven Cole and M30 Mathieu Calonne – running their first parkrun.

Six participants went home especially happy after posting PBs: W55 Cheryl Ghinn, W11 Katie Brown, W45 Juliet Rowles, M55 Bruce Ghinn, M45 Simon Walter and W30 Pippa Watling.

The organisers thanked the 12 volunteers who made the 521st event possible. They were Steve Wilks, Mick Anglim, Charles Fox, Peter Lay, Mike Smith, Luisa Holt, Caroline Barnfield, Kay Bunney, Charlotte Rajakaruna, David Podesta, Barbara Walton, and Christopher Potter.

Podesta earned his purple 25 volunteer club top on Saturday as one of the barcode scanners.

Representatives of 17 different clubs took part with visitors from Leeds to France.

Results: 1, Nick Steele, 18:53; 2, Robert Lovegrove, 19:20; 3,

Michael Gargaro, 20:11; 4, Charlotte Brown, 20:26; 5, Robbie Pritchard, 20:39; 6, Thomas Watling, 20:47; 7, Simon Helyar, 21:09; 8, Kevan Day, 21:52; 9, Unknown; 10, Deraj Wilson-Aggarwal, 22:01.