A team from leading international corporate service provider SMP Partners took victory in this year’s Race the Sun event, helping to raise money for Isle of Man charity The Children’s Centre.

The annual coastal time-trial relay race, held on 21st May, attracted more than 20 teams, all bidding to complete the 98-mile Raad ny Foillan (‘Way of the Gull’) coastal path before sunset.

For the second year in a row SMP Partners entered two teams of 10 runners each; Team SMP featured dedicated runners who had competed previously, winning last year, and SMP Sunset Squad, made up of staff from SMP Partners’ Douglas office who were focusing on completing the course before the cut off time.

SMP Partners has supported the event ever since it opened to teams nine years ago, helping to raise thousands of pounds for The Children’s Centre which develops, manages and pioneers a variety of community initiatives and services aimed at enabling children, young people, and families to realise their full potential.

The race left Peel as the sun rose at 5.02am, with team members each covering between six and 12 miles and tackling all manner of coastal terrain, including beaches, dunes, glens, rocky paths, moorland, fells, steep hills and tarmac.

The aim was to complete the Raad ny Foillan and return to Peel before the sun went down at 9.22pm. Both SMP squads devoted a lot of their own time and effort training for the distance, and it paid off as Team SMP came home first and SMP Sunset Squad, in only its second year, achieved the aim of beating the sunset, and also managed to finish in sixth place out of 24 teams.

The victory was SMP Partners’ sixth podium finish in succession, having finished 3rd in 2011 and 2012, 2nd in 2013 and 2014 and winning in 2015 and 2016. It is believed to be the first time a team has retained the Race the Sun title.

SMP Partners Managing Director Mark Denton said: ‘I’d like to congratulate everyone who competed as part of an SMP team in Race the Sun; they put so much personal time and effort into preparing for what is a truly challenging event. We are extremely proud of both teams. Just finishing is an amazing feat, but to take victory for the second year in a row and secure a solid sixth place is a tremendous achievement.

‘Most importantly, of course, Race the Sun raises money for the work of The Children’s Centre, which provides essential support and services to families and children across the Isle of Man. The SMP Partners’ team have raised thousands of pounds through this event over the years, so well done to them and everyone who took part in Race the Sun.’

Photo - Team SMP, from left, Jim Macgregor, Rob Sellors, Mark Eastham (The Children’s Centre), Fionn Geddes, Helen Taylor, Nigel Maddocks, Kevin Deakes, Ian Goatman, Nick Colburn, Jamie Newton. (Absent: Stuart Christian).