The roar of the crowd is returning to Hamilton tonight as IslandStats.com brings you exclusive live streaming coverage of the 2026 Butterfield Front Street Mile.
Starting at 7:30 PM, fans across the island and around the world can tune in to witness one of Bermuda’s most electrifying sporting traditions. From the tactical brilliance of the international elite fields to the raw speed of our primary, middle, and senior school stars, we are bringing every stride of the "Magic Four" turns directly to your screen.
Tonight’s broadcast serves as the explosive curtain-raiser for the Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge. The atmosphere on the iconic harbourfront is expected to be electric as local heroes clash with world-class talent under the streetlights.
The Elite Fields: Defending champion Ben Claridge of Great Britain returns to defend his crown against a stacked field including Americans Danny Cosgrove and Andrew Wacker.
Local Hopes: Bermudian marathon star Sean Trott makes a rare and highly anticipated appearance on the Front Street tarmac, joined by fellow local standouts Ryan Outerbridge and Kallan Richardson.
The Future Stars: The evening kicks off with the invitational school races, featuring the fastest 30 qualifiers from across the island in the Primary, Middle, and Senior School categories.
If you can't make it to the capital to line the barriers, don't miss a second of the action at 7:30 pm.
As the quest for the elusive "sub-four" minute mile continues, will 2026 be the year the record books are rewritten? Tune in tonight to find out.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Front Street Mile: The legends and the legacy of the 'Magic Four'
IslandStats.com
As the lights of Hamilton prepare to shine on another Front Street Mile, we look back at the historic marks that have defined three decades of racing on Bermuda’s most iconic stretch of tarmac.
Since the inaugural elite race in 1989, the quest for a "sub-four" minute mile in Hamilton has become the island’s great sporting white whale.
While the $10,000 jackpot for breaking that barrier remains unclaimed, the record books are filled with times that sit just a heartbeat away.
The men’s course record belongs to Kenya’s Leonard Mucheru, who in 2002 came agonizingly close to immortality. His time of 4:02.60 remains the benchmark, narrowly eclipsing the 4:04.60 set by British legend and former world record holder Steve Cram in 1991.
In the women's elite ranks, Jamaica’s Kenia Sinclair delivered a tactical masterclass in 2011. Her record of 4:33.61 has stood for 15 years, surviving challenges from a host of Olympians and NCAA champions.
The Front Street Mile isn’t just about international stars; it is the ultimate proving ground for Bermuda’s youth.
Many of the fastest times in these categories were set by athletes who went on to represent the island on the world stage.Senior School (Under-20)Boys:
The legendary Tyler Butterfield still holds the gold standard. His 4:27.30, set in 1999 while representing Saltus, remains untouched.
Kyrah Scraders representing the Berkeley Institute set the pace in 2014 with a blistering 5:19.74, though Ashley Berry (5:20) and Jaeda Grant have pushed that mark close in recent years.
A young Dage Minors—now Bermuda's premier miler—made his mark in 2009 with a 5:01.90 in the Middle School Boys race.
Ashley Irby holds the definitive record here for the Middle School Girls, stopping the clock at 5:23.63 in 2015.
With the 2026 edition just days away, the question remains: is this the year the "Birdcage" turn finally yields a sub-four minute mile?
Monday, January 12, 2026
Mbelenzi Shows Grace After Wrong Turn Heartbreak
IslandStats.com
Runner Dennis Mbelenzi has accepted a personal apology from motorist Willis Dill following the dramatic navigational error that cost him victory in the 2026 Goslings and Hamilton Princess "Rum to the Beach" race.
The two men met at Mbelenzi’s workplace today after Dill went out of his way to express his regret for inadvertently leading the pre-race favorite off the course. Mbelenzi, who was a significant distance clear of the field at the time of the incident, followed Dill’s motorcycle in the closing stages of the 7.13-mile trek.
Mbelenzi had been in scintillating form, looking set to reclaim the title he last won in 2018. However, upon reaching Middle Road in Southampton, he mistakenly veered up the punishing incline of Southampton Princess Hill instead of making the scheduled straight run onto Lighthouse Hill.
The confusion arose because there was no official lead bike present for the runners at that stage of the race. Dill, a member of the public who was merely tracking Mbelenzi’s progress, later told IslandStats.com he found the lack of an official lead marshal "strange" and had not intended to misdirect the leader.
The navigational slip-up saw Mbelenzi’s commanding lead evaporate, allowing defending champion Philip Woollins to pounce and secure victory in 42:54. Mbelenzi eventually recovered to finish but was left well outside the podium places.
Despite the frustration of losing a near-certain win, Mbelenzi was full of praise for Dill’s decision to apologize in person.
"A very gracious Mr. Dill came to see me this morning about yesterday’s race," Mbelenzi told www.islandstats.com. "We had a very nice conversation and he’s now a fan of mine. I’m very humbled by his act. He went out of his way to come and see me and for that I truly appreciate it. It is one more reason I love Bermuda and its people".
Mbelenzi will now turn his attention to this Friday’s Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge, where he is expected to be a top contender in the international field.
Monday, January 12, 2026
Brislane Smashes PB in Record-Breaking Valencia 10k
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s Jake Brislane produced the performance of his career, shattering his personal best at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja. Competing in what is widely regarded as the world’s fastest 10k course, Brislane stopped the clock in a blistering 29:31 to secure 166th place in an elite global field.
The 18th edition of the Spanish race lived up to its reputation for speed, with a record-breaking 15,610 runners participating across the day's events. The flat, coastal course provided the perfect conditions for history to be written, as both the European men’s and women’s records, alongside the Spanish national men’s record, fell during a morning of unprecedented distance running.
For Brislane, the sub-30-minute performance represents a significant milestone in his development on the international circuit. Navigating a dense pack of world-class athletes, he maintained a relentless pace to finish well within the top two percent of the massive field. His time of 29:31 marks a substantial improvement on his previous marks and signals his intent as he eyes further regional and international qualification standards later this year.
The event once again proved why Valencia has become a pilgrimage for the world’s elite. While Kenyan dominance remained at the very front of the pack, the depth of the field was evidenced by Brislane’s high finishing position despite the incredibly fast nature of the race.
With this result in the bag, the young runner now turns his attention to the upcoming track season, where he will look to translate his road speed into the 5,000m and 10,000m disciplines.
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Woollins & Ruiz Secure Rum to the Beach Titles
Pictures from Bermuda Timing
IslandStats.com
Philip Woollins and Teresa Ruiz have been crowned the 2026 Goslings and Hamilton Princess "Rum to the Beach" champions after a grueling 7.13-mile trek from the capital to the South Shore.
The race was defined by a moment of high drama as Dennis Mbelenzi saw a commanding lead evaporate due to a costly navigational error. Mbelenzi, who has been in scintillating form this season, had looked set to reclaim the title he last won in 2018, opening up a significant gap on the field as the race wound through the technical coastal roads of Harbour Road.
However, the 7.13-mile contest took an unexpected turn in the closing stages. As the leaders approached the final series of climbs in Southampton, Mbelenzi mistakenly veered off-course on the middle road, surging up the punishing incline of Southampton Princess Hill instead of the scheduled left turn onto Lighthouse Hill. By the time the mistake was realised, the chasing pack—led by defending champion Woollins had already capitalised on the slip-up, leaving a frustrated Mbelenzi to reflect on what might have been.
Confusion mounted at the front of the pack as it was revealed that the motorist being followed by the leaders was not an official race marshal. IslandStats.com spoke with the individual involved, who clarified that he was a member of the public simply tracking Mbelenzi’s progress and found it "strange" that no official lead bike was present. Despite several spectators lining the route at the junction, no one intervened as Mbelenzi mistakenly followed the motorist toward the Southampton Princess, instead of going straight up Lighthouse Hill.
Woollins capitalized on the error, covering the distance from Dundonald Street in Hamilton to the finish line at the Hamilton Princess Beach Club in Southampton in a winning time of 42:54.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Woollins, who successfully defended his title from 2025 and established himself as the man to beat ahead of next week's Bermuda Triangle Challenge. He was pushed for much of the course by Jonathan Ball, who claimed the runner-up spot in 43:37, while Will Ellison rounded out the men’s podium, crossing the line in 45:28.
In the women's field, Ruiz delivered a tactical masterclass on the challenging climbs of Burnt House Hill and Lighthouse Hill. Ruiz was the eighth runner to cross the finish line overall, clocking an impressive 47:05 to secure the women's title.
She was followed closely by Stepanka Sprincova, who finished just 14 seconds later in 47:19 to take second place among the women and ninth overall. The veteran presence of Rose-Anna Hoey ensured a high-calibre podium; the multi-time marathon champion finished seventeenth overall with a time of 49:16 to take third place.
The 7.13-mile course is widely regarded as one of the most technical on the local calendar, starting at the Gosling’s warehouse before winding through Harbour Road and tackling the significant elevation changes of the Southampton hills.
For many in the field of over 100 participants, the event serves as the final "sharpening" session before the three-day Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge begins this Friday. With the elite fields for the Front Street Mile already confirmed, the form shown today by the likes of Woollins and Ruiz suggests the local contingent is more than ready for the international challenge awaiting them in Hamilton.
