GALLERY: Loveridge and Prowse overcome brutal conditions to claim Dartmoor Discovery victories

WAYNE Loveridge and Kirsty Prowse overcame brutal conditions to claim victories at the Dartmoor Discovery ultra marathon on Saturday.

The 32-mile event, which starts and finishes at Princetown, is known as the UK’s longest single lap road ultra marathon.

The undulating course sees athletes leave Princetown and head through Dartmeet, Poundsgate, Newbridge, Ashburton, Buckland-in-the-Moor, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Postbridge before heading back to the start.

It is well known for being a tough race, but this year runners had to contend with a yellow weather warning which brought strong winds and torrential rain.

But Chard’s Loveridge and DSFRS’s Prowse made light of the horrible conditions to claim comfortable victories.

Loveridge won the men’s race by 15 minutes, clocking three hours, 45 minutes and six seconds for the ultra run.

Second place went to M45 athlete Ross Portass, who came home in 4:00.18, with Weston’s Darren Stacey third and first M40 in 4:04.43.

Prowse won the women’s race by 10 minutes. She clocked 5:00.45, with Newquay Road Runners taking second and third in the form of Rose Harvie, who was runner-up in 5:10.55, and Adrienne Hodge, who was third in 5:17.39.

Despite the horrendous weather, an impressive 169 runners finished the race, which has strict cut off times at various points around the course.

Full results can be found HERE.

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