Highest number of finishers in nearly two years to make it fine start to 2022 for Southsea parkrun - plus all the latest from Lee-on-the-Solent, Fareham, Havant and Whiteley after festive events

In total, there were 460 finishers who completed the 5k course in the special New Year's Day event. Not since March 7 2020, just a week before parkrun in Britain was brought to an extended standstill because of the pandemic, have a greater number of runners turned out.

On that morning nearly two years ago, 558 runners completed the course. The highest previous field at Southsea since parkruns restarted last July was 426

City of Portsmouth Athletics Club's Robert Fryer recorded a course personal best time of 17.15 as he was first home at Southsea on New Year's Day. Club colleague Emma Jolley, was the first female back in 20:32 to finish 22nd.

Tristam Murdoch, competing in his first ever parkrun, was runner-up 40 seconds behind Fryer. Katrina Fry was second woman to finish (21.21) in 31st place.

Southsea also saw a sizeable turnout for their Christmas Day event with 389 finishers completing the 5k course.

Alex Teuten appeared in a hurry to get back for the festive celebrations, coming home in a super-quick time of 15:01.

That was the fastest time recorded at Southsea since Tueten set a new course record of 14.42 on New Year’s Day 2020.

Tueten finished one minute and 56 seconds ahead of runner-up Mike Liddell and two minutes and one second in front of third-placed James Johnson on Christmas Day.

Youngster Annabelle Sibley (Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC, junior girl 11-14 category) was first female back in 19.17 for 19th place. Elly Sykes (20.29, 34th) was second.

n Lee-on-the-Solent parkrun had more than 400 finishers for both their New Year's Day and Christmas Day events.

The seafront course marked the beginning of a new year with 434 runners making it home on Saturday, as James Moore (Winchester AC) was first back (17.14), finishing 10 seconds ahead of Stubbington Green’s Lewis Banner. In his first Lee parkrun, Tom Adams (Petersfield Triathlon) completed the top five in 18.25.

Luke Willis (Gosport Road Runners) was third in a course PB of 17.43 while Stubbington’s Phil Morgan was a further six seconds adrift in fourth place.

Lucy Harrison (Southampton AC) celebrated her 50th parkrun by being the first woman back in 19.59 for 14th place.

There were 419 parkunners competing the Lee course on Christmas Day with teenager Tommy Blake (Loughborough Triathlon) first to finish in 17.24. Luke Willis (Gosport Road Runners) was second in 17.56 and Lewis Banner (Stubbington) third in 18.15.

n Fareham parkrun broke through the 200-barrier in terms of finishers for both the New Year's Day and Christmas Day events staged at Cams Hall Estate.

Course first-timer Craig Winfield was the first of the 231 runners who completed the course on Christmas Day (16:41).

Maisie Grice (Birmingham University was an impressive fourth and first female to finish in a course best 17.38.

There were slightly fewer finishers on New Year's Day (204) as Thomas Wallace was first home in 17.54. City of Portsmouth AC youngster Tristan Barnes (11-14 age group) was fourth in 19.41.

Sari Giering (21.47) was first woman back on her Fareham debut for 18th place.

n At the Havant parkrun, there were 198 finishers in the New Year's Day event in what was the sole event staged at that particular course over the festive period.

Havant AC teenager Joe O’Brien was first back in 18.52 – eight seconds ahead of Matthew Russell.

Victory AC’s Joanne Stanford was 17th in 22.04 for first female to finish. Club colleague Hannah Lowry was two places and 14 seconds behind.

Whiteley welcomed runners to events twice over the Christmas festivities with teenager Leo Smith (Winchester AC) the first of 173 finishers who took part on New Year's Day.

Gosport Road Runners’ Nikki Moxham was first female back in fifth place in 19.21, while Nikki Roebuck (Stubbington Green) was ninth in 20.09..

Southampton AC teenager Josh Horner (18:24) led the 129 runners who participated in Whiteley's Christmas Day event.

Russ Coleman (Stubbington Green) was second in 19.17 and 11th-placed Letitia McMullan (Brighton Table Tennis Club) was first female in 21.32.

Meanwhile, there were no parkruns staged at the Portsmouth Lakeside course over Christmas or to mark the start of a new year.