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Thursday, October 08, 2026
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Bermuda 15-Runner Squad for Global Endurance Test
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Fifteen Bermudian runners are preparing to push themselves to the absolute limit as they take on the world’s elite in the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships on 17 October.
The unique satellite competition sees teams from 74 nations running concurrently on home soil, bound by a deceptively simple yet punishing format: complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour, on the hour, until only one person remains standing.
Any minutes spared before the top of the hour are spent refueling, resting, and recovering, with the contest running day and night until the field is whittled down.
While the last runner standing wins locally, the global team title is decided by the aggregate laps completed by all 15 squad members.
Bermuda's course will be staged at Clearwater Field in Southside, St David’s.
It marks the island's second outing at the championships, having debuted in 2024 with a 50th-place finish. That campaign saw the squad tally 220 laps, finishing ahead of far larger nations including Pakistan, Egypt, and Ecuador.
This year, Bermuda are aiming to eclipse their previous total and secure a spot for their national winner at the Individual World Championships, held in Tennessee at the home of cult ultra running creator Lazarus Lake.
Squad selection was determined across a two-year window from August 2024 to August 2026, taking in two editions of Run Bermuda’s Backyard alongside the 2024 world championships.
National record holder Jason Williams leads the lineup, having set the benchmark with 42 loops at the 2025 Individual World Championships. He is joined by two-time local champion Florin Teleman; both men share the domestic course record of 28 "yards" (116 miles).
Phil Woollins, who completed 24 hours of continuous running as the "assist" during February's open race, also features in a squad blending experienced ultra runners with in-form qualifiers.
Defending champions Belgium enter as clear favourites, having produced a staggering 1,147 aggregate laps in 2024 — an average of 76 per runner — featuring three athletes who reached a then world-record 110 loops. Traditional powerhouses Australia, the United States, Japan, France, Poland, and New Zealand are also expected to challenge for top honours.
Global coverage will be streamed via the Backyard Ultra Channel on YouTube, with local proceedings broadcast live on @bermudabackyardultra.
Team Bermuda squad (qualifying loops):
Jason Williams (42)
Florin Teleman (28)
Philip Woollins (24)
Toby Derham (19)
Katie Vanner (18)
Dave Courcy (18)
James Roberts (17)
Rich Howells (16)
Claire Gemmell (15)
Edward Ferrari-Willis (15)
Jonny Chapman (15)
Michelle Bergsma (15)
Miles Smith (15)
Hanah Cannon (13)
Mark Harris (13)
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Sunday, October 04, 2026
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Dailey Storms to PartnerRe Victory as DeSilva edges Junior Race
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Christine Dailey produced a commanding performance to capture the PartnerRe Women's 5k Run and Walk title, while Mylah DeSilva edged a breathtaking sprint finish to take top honours in the 2k division.
Dailey dictated terms throughout the feature 5,000-metre event, pulling away from a competitive field to break the tape in a swift 18 minutes 54.84 seconds. Her dominant front-running display saw her finish nearly a minute clear of her nearest challenger to secure an emphatic victory.
Brooklyn Myers mounted a determined pursuit to take the runner-up spot on the podium, crossing the line in 19:47.39. She was closely shadowed by Stepanka Sprincova, who sealed third place in 19:50.84 to round out the overall top three.
Youth shone brightly just outside the podium places, with promising junior Evelyn Fahy producing an outstanding run to claim fourth overall and top the under-14 division in 20:01.45. Experienced road-running campaigner Rose-Anna Hoey completed the top five, clocking 20:43.95.
Earlier in the morning, the companion 2k race delivered the most dramatic finish of the card, decided by mere fractions of a second in the girls' 11-14 division.
DeSilva and Madeleine Friend battled stride-for-stride down the home straight in a captivating dash to the line. DeSilva snatched victory by the barest of margins, clocking 7:11.38 to pip Friend (7:11.47) by less than a tenth of a second.
Izzy Stevens led the younger age-bracket contenders home, finishing third overall and winning the 7-10 category in 7:18.36.
Vivienne Fox followed across the line in fourth with a time of 7:33.37, while Ella Kent rounded out the top five finishers in 7:38.86.
Click Here to see the Full 2026 PartnerRe Women's 5k Run and Walk Results
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Sunday, October 04, 2026
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Munya helps Montverde claim top-five finish at Invitational
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Bermudian runner Amaris Munya and her Montverde Academy cross-country team-mates secured an impressive fifth-place team finish among 21 competing schools at the prestigious flrunners.com Invitational at Holloway Park.
Lining up in the marquee girls' Race of Champions in Lakeland, Florida, the Eagles produced a disciplined collective showing across the testing terrain to finish firmly within the upper echelons of the team standings.
Lyla McMillen spearheaded the Montverde effort, setting the pace for the squad with an excellent 12th-place finish in a fiercely contested field of 179 competitors, stopping the clock at 20 minutes 12.58 seconds.
Munya delivered a strong, composed display to back up the scoring drive, crossing the line 37th overall with a solid time of 21:00.48.
Alafair Scelfo followed closely behind to reinforce the team's tally, securing 46th position in 21:14.10 as Montverde comfortably locked down fifth place overall on a competitive morning of racing.
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Saturday, October 03, 2026
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Cechini clocks sixth-place finish at Paul Short Invitational
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Bermudian distance runner Gabriella Cechini delivered an impressive performance for Mercersburg Academy, securing a top-ten finish at the prestigious Paul Short Invitational in Pennsylvania.
Competing on the Murray H. Goodman Campus at Lehigh University, Cechini lined up in a competitive Women's 5,000 Metres Varsity Brown Division field.
The Mercersburg athlete showed fine pacing and tactical awareness over the 5k cross-country layout, crossing the finish line in a swift 19 minutes 09.6 seconds to take sixth place overall.
Cechini's sharp display capped a promising outing against collegiate and high school contenders at one of the largest annual distance meets in the United States.
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Thursday, October 01, 2026
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Word of Life 5k Introduces watch-free Handicap Challenge
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The annual Word of Life 5k returns on Saturday, October 10th, 2026, featuring a fresh twist aimed at testing competitors' pacing instincts alongside raw speed.
A newly introduced time handicap contest headlines this year’s competitive 5k run. Upon registration, participants must submit their predicted finishing time. On race morning, runners face a strict ban on watches, GPS monitors, and all timing devices, leaving them to rely purely on internal clockwork and pacing sense.
Podium honors will be up for grabs for the top three male and female competitors who finish closest to their pre-race estimates. Traditional category prizes remain intact, with awards presented to the top finishers across all standard age brackets.
The morning schedule begins at 08:00 with a dedicated one-mile event for junior runners aged 12 and under.
The main field gets under way at 08:20, with the competitive 5k run, 5k competitive walk, and 5k non-competitive run/walk all setting off simultaneously.
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