Frosty 2025 Race Report

Frosty Sunday 2^nd March 2025

Frosty 2025 Results Page

A trio of Tuffs have been kind enough to share their racing experiences at the Frosty on Sunday. In addition, Clive Harvey (old habits die hard!), has provided an excellent summary of all the fabulous Tuff participation.

FROSTY AQUATHLON 800m SWIM / 10k RUN

The Frosty race was first off, covering 32 lengths of the pool and we were pleased to report that the Tuff contingent represented 45% of this race’s field.   There were some competitive swim splits which included transition. Jon Cassell didn’t have his best transition, with his number falling off, but still exited the building with the 5^th fastest split  as he headed onto the run. There were only two competitors to achieve a sub-39 minute run. One of these was Jon (38:56) finishing to become Frosty Aquathlon overall champion 2025.

Mark Walford had entered both the Frosty and the Frostbite and to ensure he didn’t miss his second start time knocked out the fastest run split of the morning of 38:49 and was the second finisher overall just 12 seconds behind Jon.  There was excellent work from Nathan Cooper, who achieved a sub-40 minute run split which saw him home in 3^rd place.   This meant Tuff Fitty locked out the podium places in the men’s race.

Meanwhile in the Ladies race, Alice Gatland was in strong form and our fourth club member to finish. Alice bagged the third fastest swim split across the Frosty, finishing second female overall.

Running alongside the individual competition is the team event for the first four from each club with at least one open and female; Tuff Fitty romped home, defeating SUTri, the defending champions by an incredible 34 minutes!

Our next athletes were also recording strong times with Gareth Coombes 9^th male and Simon Thistlethwaite 3^rd in his age category, just 21 seconds off second. Abi Clark only became a Tuff last October but demonstrated what a great addition to our club she is by finishing as 4^th female. Next came Adam Stringer, who despite using the Frosty as part of his ‘double event Sunday’ across at Brighton Half Marathon, ensured this group of four were third team overall not far behind SUTri.  Clare Worgan once again demonstrated how she practises what she preaches as a coach and then Steve Bridgeman completed the Tuff ten and was pleased how his knee had held up on the run.

FROSTBITE AQUATHLON 400m / 5k RUN

Next to start was the Frostbite and Tuff Fitty had an impressive 19 racing. Having finished the Frosty barely 15 minutes earlier, Mark Walford was back chasing both race distances. Mark wasn’t slowing down, as he was just one of four athletes to complete the 5k course with a sub-20-minute split. Mark finished the race 4^th overall and second in age group. Jacob Bowen Jones used his swift swim and transition split of just 7:22 to finish 11^th overall. Fraser Kidd finished just 30 seconds later, 14^th overall. Next Katie Young achieved the 3^rd fastest 400m swim split of the morning (6:58) finishing 3^rd female overall and 1^st in her age group.   This completed our group of four who were edged into second team position by Worthing Otters.

The strong results continued with Hazel Tuppen gaining strong splits to finish as 4^th female.  The event was a fantastic way to showcase one of our newer members Katie Harmer who only joined as a Tuff just two weeks ago. Katie joined Katie Young & Hazel in achieving top ten splits in each of swim and run in the female field.  Paul Martin was next to cross the line just 3 seconds behind.  It is great to report another age group success as a very surprised Leah Simms secured a trophy for first almost 2 minutes ahead of 2^nd.  Just 9 seconds later Amanda de Ridder completed, 3^rd in her age group and a great way to welcome a previous Tuff back who re-joined just 2 weeks ago.

Will King was our next finisher and then Clive Doughty, another one securing third in his age group. Susan Douglas was our next finisher.   Al Evans managed to get exactly the same time to the second as he recorded in 2024! Next, Katie Yates-Hill who took the 10^th fastest female swim split.

Further Tuff finishers saw Kate Evans crossing the line, improving on her last year’s time by 30 seconds. Bob Rogers was next, followed by Christine Griffin competing again this year, but now as a Tuff. Claire Moyle and Judith Molka-Danielsen, completed our Tuff twenty nine racers across both races.

To organise the event Tuff Fitty have a Frosty sub committee of five personnel.  Adrian Oliver is the overall Race Director alongside Jenny Oliver, who was also in charge of the Sportshall.  Clive Harvey was the pool coordinator with Sue and Colin Simpson in charge of the run course. This group of five held regular meettings, (and one to shovel shingle from the prom!) to ensure all aspects were covered. It is gratifying to see the large number of very positive reviews about the event, and monies were collected for our charity partner – Cancer United.

For the event to succeed, Tuff Fitty are reliant on our team of volunteers on the day; so a huge thanks to our 56 volunteers. Special thanks to Olly Sampson undertaking his first official Chair duty at the presentation.

Now to our first-hand accounts… First up, a very modest Jacob Bowen Jones who competed in the Frostbite:

The last multi-sport event I competed in was a triathlon at North Leamington Secondary School: two lengths of a 12.5m pool and then probably a mile on bicycle and foot combined. It was so long ago, the charts were filled with artists like Britney Spears and Peter André, and songs like Cha Cha Slide and Milkshake. (I think most adults at the time agreed that the quality of popular music had taken a colossal slide.)

So I would consider the Frostbite my first multi-sport event, which meant that unlike most Tuffs taking part, I was coming in with no baggage, no expectations and none of the nerves that accompany expectations. I was more worried about the early start and making it to Littlehampton for registration by 7 a.m., though I needn’t have been; the scarcity of cars on the road at half six meant it was possible to take a lot of the roundabouts on the Littlehampton Road in fourth, a luxury not available on Thursday evenings.

However, the speed at which I rounded the Frostbite course didn’t quite match the journey from Worthing. The swim went quite well – I think I might have exited the pool in joint first – but by the time I put my T-shirt on (backwards), tied my laces and handed my bin bag to the race marshals, I’d been overtaken by about half a dozen people. I then had the morale breaker of Mark Walford, whom I’d seen looking a bit red in the face on poolside after his completion of the Frosty, breezing past me in the first kilometre. (As well as a lot of lovely people at this club, there are some impressive athletes!)

But, of course, you can only do what you’re capable of, and now that I know roughly what that is, I can look forward to the future disappointment of losing to my past self as well as other competitors. And though I’m aware many things could’ve gone better during the race, and my preparation was suboptimal at best, I thoroughly enjoyed myself! The weather was great, the event was well-organised and company was great.

Thanks to all the organisers and well done to all the competitors. 

Secondly, an equally modest Mark Walford, who as already mentioned decided to compete in both the Frosty AND the Frostbite:

I love the Frosty: it was my first event as a Tuff and a great season opener.  But this year my targets are different, so it didn’t fit into my race schedule that well and I planned to volunteer.  Then I had the mad idea of trying to do both the Frosty and the Frostbite.  It didn’t seem too crazy: set off at 7am, steady pace swim and run, then 5-10 mins rest and go again, which fits with my challenge.

So, I helped with race numbers before racing and it was great to see so many Tuffs helping put on such a good event.

I was all set at 7am, then they said go and I went!  Not as slow as I planned, but I felt good, with a steady transition and then onto the run.  My watch was saying slow down, but my body said, ‘Run, it’s cold, keep warm’.  Seeing a Tuff marshalling at least every 1km, if not 500m, is a great way to keep enjoying it.  Crossing the line, I was happy with my pace, but also laughed at myself thinking I would stick to a steady plan.  Going back for round two on a Lucozade and Kit Kat, the Frostbite is my normal race. I love the dynamic nature of racing, but I had burnt a lot of matches, so just stayed at a quickish pace but couldn’t give any more.

Seeing so many people doing the Frosty for the first time or coming back time after time reminds me of what a great club we have.  Well done to everyone involved and thank you!

Flickr Albums:
General (Tony Graham)
General (Clifford Thomas)
Lake (Sue Picky)
General (Jon Roper)
Presentation