The Colin Archibold Memorial Trophy
Colin and Joyce Archibold joined Claremont Road Runners in the club’s relatively early days, in about 1985 after seeing a group of blue-vested runners (a good reason for everyone to wear their club vests on training nights!). In later years, their daughter, Judith, and son-in-law, Jeremy Smith, have also been members. Colin was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 and he passed away in 1998. According to Joyce, during those two years he particularly enjoyed the friendship and support of the Club; Del used to buy him a Guiness every Monday night to “keep his strength up”.
Joyce said she didn’t come to the club or do any running for a while after he died, but when members of the committee contacted her to ask permission to institute this trophy in memory of Colin, it brought her back to running and to Claremont. This beautiful glass trophy is given to the first Claremont member to finish the Northumberland Coastal Race, formerly called the Phoenix Fourteen, which was Colin’s favourite race to do. The trophy is presented to the recipient each year at the Claremont Christmas party, alternately to the first man or to the first lady. All of us who knew Colin feel that presenting this trophy – and lifting a pint – are fitting ways to keep his remembrance.
| Year | Winner |
| 1999 | Ben Hull |
| 2000 | Jane Saul |
| 2001 | No race due to foot and mouth disease |
| 2002 | Dave Saunders |
| 2003 | Julie Cross |
| 2004 | Alasdair Wilson Craw |
| 2005 | Rachel Kerr |
| 2006 | Jason Mellor |
| 2007 | Alice Silvester-Roffe |
| 2008 | Tim Pigott |
| 2009 | Kate Sergeant |
| 2010 | Nick Cooper |
| 2011 | Lorna Pearson |
| 2012 | Brendan McMillan |
| 2013 | Kate Sergeant |
| 2014 | Jeremy Smith |
| 2015 | Julie Dumpleton |
| 2016 | Roberto Marzo |
| 2017 | Alex Anslow |
| 2018 | Roberto Marzo |
| 2019 | Sarah Kerr |
| 2020 | No race due to coronavirus pandemic |
| 2021 | No race due to coronavirus pandemic |
| 2022 | Kris Axon |
| 2023 | Julie Cross |
