O'Hara out to complete Easter Festival hat-trick

For the first time since 2019, the EY Easter Running Festival will take place in its full four-day glory and with it come several quality visitors intent on challenging or beating Guernsey’s best.

Young Jacob O’Hara is one of those and having won in 2017 and 2019 representing City of Portsmouth, he returns in Southampton colours and with a sub-15min. 5km best.

‘I’m very happy to be coming back for the third year of what is always an absolutely brilliant few days away in Guernsey, with a great running community who make any mainland visitors feel very welcome,’ he said.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing some of the route changes as well and producing some solid results over the weekend. Winning the festival for the third time would be wonderful.’

Chelmsford’s Harry Tullett is the fastest man on paper, though, with a 5km best of 14min. 47sec.

The Guernsey challenge will be supported by several mainland students and alumni, with the Galpin brothers – Dan and Sammy – joining up with Richard Bartram and Alex Rowe.

On the women’s end, it is hard to picture anyone seriously challenging Taunton’s Elle Twentyman.

Twentyman has run well within the Guernsey bests for road 5km, 10km and half-marathon and would assume favourite status.

Guernsey triathlete Megan Chapple is also due to visit from her current UK base to supplement the local entry.

One notable human-interest entry is Caroline Marler, who was married to Keith Falla at the time of the Commonwealth star’s untimely death in 1975.

Good Friday’s 5km has shifted to the coastal L’Eree-Vazon course, rather than the previous Footes Lane route, setting off at 10am.

After Saturday’s Keith Falla Memorial Full Course at L’Ancresse, Sunday’s cross-country relays head to Delancey Park for the first time. Both events start at 10.30am.

The festival concludes with a Grandes Rocques-Northside 10km road race, starting at 9.30am.