The 62nd IQEQ Isle of Man Easter Festival of Running will be remembered as a record-breaking celebration of endurance, depth and resilience, as more than 1,500 finishers across three days of racing crowned new champions and showcased the enduring appeal of one of the British Isles’ most distinctive athletics events.
More than 500 of those competitors were visitors to the Isle of Man, the majority representing university teams, with 13 institutions taking part and contributing significantly to the Festival’s vibrant and competitive atmosphere.
Across the traditional three-race format – the IQEQ 10km in Port Erin, the demanding Full Factory Peel Hill races and the Outback 5km on Douglas Promenade, it was consistency in testing conditions that ultimately defined the 2026 champions. They were Harris Pagett (Heriot-Watt University) and Niamh Bridson Hubbard (Cambridge University).
The Festival opened on Good Friday evening in Port Erin, where a record 624 runners (361 men and 263 women) lined up in bright but blustery conditions, comfortably surpassing last year’s total. The early stages, with a vast field streaming along the promenade towards Gansey and Port St Mary, evoked the atmosphere of a major national event.
Despite a punishing headwind and low sun on the return, the quality at the front was exceptional. Local favourite Ollie Lockley (Manx Harriers) claimed his third victory in the race, adding to his 2018 and 2019 wins. His time of 30:22 – the fifth fastest ever recorded on the course – came after a decisive move in the second half, pulling clear to beat Harris Pagett by 12 seconds, with Ritchie Gardiner (Leeds University) third in 31:00.
The women’s race produced one of the standout performances of the weekend. On her Festival debut, Niamh Bridson Hubbard surged to victory in 34:16, the second fastest time ever recorded on the course. With family ties to the island, her run carried added significance and immediately established her as a leading contender for the overall title.
Defending champion Rebecca Flaherty (Oxford University) ran 34:52 – significantly faster than her winning time in 2025 – to take second, while Beth Ansell (Manchester University) completed the podium in 35:07. Dawn Atherton (Western AC) led the Isle of Man competitors in 39:01, also taking top honours in the Vet 40 category.
The depth of the fields was reflected in the statistics: the top 65 men broke 35 minutes, while 35 women dipped under 40 minutes, both notable increases on the previous year.
If Friday was defined by speed, Saturday’s Peel Hill races were about survival. In some of the most severe conditions seen in the event’s history, runners battled gale-force winds and treacherous footing on the climb to Corrin’s Folly. Even so, participation reached another high, with 404 finishers across both races.
In the men’s race, Harris Pagett produced a superb run to claim victory in 21:18, a remarkable performance in the conditions and just over one minute outside the long-standing course record. Having finished second the previous evening, he moved into pole position for the overall title and became the first athlete from his university to win a Festival race. He led home Sam Griffin (Edinburgh University), with Ritchie Gardiner again showing consistency in third.
The women’s race saw a reversal at the top. Rebecca Flaherty demonstrated her class on the hills to take victory, pulling away from Bridson Hubbard on the descent to win by 23 seconds and set up a decisive showdown on Sunday. Such were the conditions that the winning time was the slowest since 2002 despite the high quality of the field, underlining the severity of the wind.
On Sunday morning, attention turned to Douglas Promenade for the Outback 5km races, where record fields of 287 men and 212 women brought the total number of finishers across the weekend to 1,527.
The women’s race provided a fitting climax. With one win and one second place apiece, Bridson Hubbard and Flaherty went head-to-head for the overall title. In a high-quality contest, the Cambridge athlete made her move in the second half, pulling clear to win in 16:51 – the third fastest time recorded on the course. Her margin of 26 seconds secured the overall title with a scoreline of two wins and a second place. Behind them, Milly Dickinson (Cambridge) finished third on the day, while Beth Ansell’s consistent performances earned her third overall.
There was also a notable local performance from Western AC veteran Joanne Schade, who finished 36th in a personal best of 19:43 to take leading local honours.
The men’s race was equally competitive, with Sam Griffin taking victory on his Festival debut to ensure three different winners across the three races. Ritchie Gardiner was second once again, but it was Harris Pagett’s third-place finish that secured the overall title, following his second place in the 10km and victory on Peel Hill.
Among the Isle of Man competitors, Northern AC’s Cai Lewis impressed as leading local and leading under-20 in 15th place, while Ryan Corrin (Manx Harriers) and Corbyn Schade (Western AC) finished 20th and 22nd respectively.
In the team competitions, Leeds University’s Doss AC continued their dominance in the men’s event, claiming the title for the sixth time in the past 10 Festivals. Oxford University took the women’s honours for the fourth time. The Manx Harriers women’s A team also performed strongly, finishing 11th out of 22 teams in a highly competitive field.
Participation figures were once again a standout feature. Each race attracted record numbers, culminating in a total of 1,527 finishers – a substantial increase on last year’s 1,351, despite travel disruption affecting one university contingent.
The 2026 Festival not only delivered high-quality racing at the front but also demonstrated remarkable depth throughout the fields, while maintaining a strong presence from Isle of Man competitors across the events.
It reaffirmed the Easter Festival as one of the most cherished and distinctive fixtures in the athletics calendar – and one that continues to grow stronger with each passing year.
🖊️ David Griffiths
