But although the London-based Guernseyman won the first two events, then went the extra mile with team victories in the Easter quiz and relay race, a few classy visitors prevented him from even making the podium in the concluding 10km.
Instead, Jersey U20 Bradley Andrews-Callec claimed an impressive individual victory in the coastal charge from Grandes Rocques to Northside.
Aided by favourable winds for much of the race, he came home in a dazzling personal best of 31min. 26sec.
Around 3km in, the Caesarean was shoulder to shoulder with previous winner Joe Morwood, with Bartram giving chase 10sec. back.
But he began to open a gap soon after that, ultimately finishing 6sec. clear of the Aldershot athlete, who had been unfortunate to miss the first two races of this year’s festival due to other commitments and a flight delay.
‘I did not expect to get the win, to be honest,’ Andrews-Callec said. ‘I wanted to podium, but I did not expect that. I did not expect to run away with it.
‘The support has been brilliant. There’s been lots of people cheering and shouting around the coast.’
Representing Victoria Park Harriers and Tower Hamlets, Harry Wells posted 32-01 after a mid-race overtake of clubmate Bartram, who settled for fourth another 16sec. back.
Fellow Victoria Park Harriers Greg Divall and Dominic Howarth were next across the line, in 32-39 and 32-43 respectively.
Dan Galpin posted 32-47 to take the brotherly bragging rights from younger sibling Sammy, who finished another 7sec. back, while James Priest ducked under 33min. as the top Guernsey resident.
Matt Jamieson ran a cracking PB of 33-43 to take the veteran honours after pulling away from early rival Peter Amy, also sealing the top age-grouper title for the festival.
Champion Bartram said it felt ‘great’ to win the overall title for the first time.
‘I’ve never won it before, and I was really happy with most of my races,’ said a runner who showed local pride in wearing Guernsey’s Island Games kit for the finale.
‘Today, I did enough to secure it. But I was really happy with my 5k and Full Course.
‘The Jersey standard has improved a lot and it was really good to race Joe as well – I know he’s very strong over 10k.’
Speaking for his clubmates, who were over for the first time, he added: ‘They have really enjoyed it, apart from the weather.’
Morwood’s three-time Olympian wife, Steph Twell, confirmed her overall women’s title with her most convincing win of the festival.
She pulled away from main challenger Nix Petit early on and extended her lead over the remainder of the course, eventually breaking the tape in 38-07.
‘I’m sad it’s all over,’ the Aldershot star reflected after her third consecutive year running and winning the Easter Festival.
‘I’m motivated now to come back for the All-Terrain Challenge and GU36. Bring it on.’
Guernsey’s own Petit continued her racing comeback with an Island Games B standard run of 39-05.
By the finish line, she had only 10sec. on an in-form Vanessa King, who enjoyed an impressive PB and also went inside the B standard.
The show of domestic talent also included a PB from Abbie Swain, who is back into top shape after injury and recorded a B standard of 39-36.
U20 Eleanor Jamieson continued the run of PBs with a 40-45.
In the final women’s standings, Jamieson earned third overall, behind runner-up Petit – who had fittingly taken second in every race – and the victorious Twell.
Most of the leading runners had put in an injection of pace with the previous day’s 4x1 mile cross-country relay at Delancey Park.
The Sandbaggers, comprised of Bartram plus fellow Victoria Park Harriers, backed up their show of brains in winning the previous night’s Easter quiz with a physically dominant performance.
Bartram put down a rapid 4-56 opening leg, just 1sec. down on Jersey youngster Luke Holmes, but consistently fast follow-ups from Divall, Howarth and Wells made them convincing winners.
They finished in a cumulative 20-36, some 1-21 clear of The Good, The Bad and The Rogers. That team had veteran Lee Merrien on leg three running a 4-56 for joint second-fastest individual.
Featuring Olympian Twell, mixed quartet Smuggle The Muggles placed a close third overall and won their category.
Anchorman Morwood threw down a 5min. leg to overtake the Humble Carpenter and Son’s Priest and win a close contest between the two teams, posting 22-35 to their 22-37. The winning mixed quartet also had Guernsey’s Jamie Ingrouille and Clapham Chasers’ Alex Hurrell on title defence duties from last year.
Junior quartet Eat Our Dust Bunnies emerged as the fastest all-female team in 25-21 and therefore defended last year’s title.
Theodora Murray, Orla Montgomery and Indi Warren were anchored home by Grace King, who as an U15 outshone more senior opposition to post the fastest female leg of 5-57.
You need to be logged in to comment. If you had an account on our previous site, you can migrate your old account and comment profile to this site by visiting this page and entering the email address for your old account. We'll then send you an email with a link to follow to complete the process.