Six-mile Winners:
2023 29:23 Lee Wesselius (ON/CAN) 37:12 Meaghan Strum (NS/CAN)
2022 27:30* Mustafa Izzeldin (NS/CAN) 30:55* Colleen Wilson (NS/CAN) 2019 30:36 Alex Neuffer (NS/CAN) 37:23 Paula James (NS/CAN) 2018 30:58 Matt McNeil - 4th win 35:22 Michelle Reddy (NS/CAN) 2017 30:24 Matt McNeil - 3rd win 37:02 Colleen Wilson (ON/CAN) 2016 29:58 Matt McNeil - 2nd win 35:43 Erin MacLean Coates– 3rd win 2015 30:36 Matthew McNeil (NS/CAN) 35:34 Erin MacLean – 2nd win 2014 31:53 Graydon Snider (NS/CAN) 35:06 Erin MacLean (NS/CAN) 2013 32:18 Greg Wieczorek – 2nd win 35:07 Lorraine Young (NC/USA) 2012 31:53 Mattias Wolter (NS/CAN) 35:24 Denise Robson - 6th win 2011 31:35 Greg Wieczorek (NS/CAN) 36:48 Rayleen Hill (NS/CAN) 2010 31:32 Toby Hennigar (NS/CAN) 35:22 Denise Robson - 5th win 2009 32:12 Rami Bardeesy - 2nd win 35:08 Denise Robson - 4th win 2008 32:47 Rami Bardeesy (NS/CAN) 36:01 Denise Robson - 3rd win 2007 31:42 Robert Jewer (NS/CAN) 34:35 Denise Robson - 2nd win 2006 31:30 Ken Myers (AB/CAN) 34:21 Denise Robson (NS/CAN) 2005 33:31 Brent Addison (NS/CAN) 40:10 Celine Cournoyer (NS/CAN) 2004 31:52 Brian Chafe (NS/CAN) 37:43 Heather Hennigar (NS/CAN) 2003 31:40 Brian Rae (CAN) 38:28 Seanna Decker (NS/CAN) 2002 30:55 Kirk Sabean (NS/CAN) 35:53 Leslie Carson (ON/CAN) 2001 32:48 Peter Beazley - 6th win 40:51 Erica Bowie (NS/CAN) 2000 33:29 Peter Beazley - 5th win 38:28 Ena MacPherson (NS/CAN) 1999 33:41 Peter Beazley - 4th win 42:45 Louise LeDuc - 2nd win 1998 32:55 Peter Beazley - 3rd win 38:24 Sherry Carson - 2nd win 1997 34:31 Peter Beazley - 2nd win 40:25 Sherry Carson (NS/CAN) 1996 32:12 Peter Beazley (NS/CAN) 38:06 Louise LeDuc (NS/CAN) 1995 32:05 Luke MacDonald (NS/CAN) 40:59 Mary Lou LeClair (NS/CAN) 1994 32:03 Randy Bullerwell - 3rd win 39:35 Pam Currie-Yarr - 8th win 1993 32:43 Brian Rodgers (CAN) 38:26 Pam Currie-Yarr - 7th win 1992 32:24 Gerald Romme (CAN) 38:05 Pam Currie-Yarr - 6th win 1991 31:41 Randy Bullerwell - 2nd win 37:15 Janet Hoyt - 5th win 1990 30:31 Randy Bullerwell (CAN) 35:42 Janet Hoyt - 4th win 1989 32:08 Dan Kontak (CAN) 37:02 Janet Hoyt - 3rd win + Dan Soucoup (CAN) 1988 32:00 Robert Englehutt - 8th win 36:59 Janet Hoyt - 2nd win 1987 30:41 Bo MacGillivary - 2nd win 36:54 Janet Hoyt (NS/CAN) 1986 31:05 Bo MacGillivary (CAN) 35:56 Rebecca Richards (CAN) 1985 31:04 Robert Englehutt - 7th win 36:15 Pam Currie-Yarr - 5th win 1984 30:52 Robert Englehutt - 6th win 36:42 Michelle Fraser (CAN) 1983 30:04 Robert Englehutt - 5th win 36:50 Pam Currie-Yarr - 4th win 1982 29:39 Robert Englehutt - 4th win 39:58 Pam Currie-Yarr - 3rd win 1981 30:43 Robert Englehutt - 3rd win 38:28 Pam Currie-Yarr - 2nd win 1980 29:51 Ted MacKeigan - 2nd win 35:48 Kim Bird (NS/CAN) 1979 30:23 Ted MacKeigan (ON/CAN) 39:10 Pam Currie-Yarr (NS/CAN) 1978 31:15 Robert Englehutt - 2nd win 42:28 Debbie Murphy 1977 31:02 Robert Englehutt (NS/CAN) 1976 31:29 Roger Miskowicz - 2nd win 1975 34:55 Roger Miskowicz (NS/CAN) 1974 32:32 Harry Welles (NS/CAN) 1973 31:03 Bob Book - 3rd win 1972 31:45 Bob Book - 2nd win n/r Barbara Muise (NS/CAN) 1971 31:29 Bob Book (NS/CAN) 1970 29:58 Richard Munro - 2nd win 1969 31:07 Ray Will (ON/CAN) 1968 32:37 Richard Munro (NS/CAN) 1967 35:03 Randolph Barkhouse (NS/CAN) 1966 32:13 Gerald Glyde - 3rd win 1965 n/a Gerald Glyde - 2nd win 1964 n/a Gerald Glyde (CAN) 1963 n/a Wayne Beazley (CAN) 1962 n/a George Gallant - 7th win 1961 n/a George Gallant - 6th win 1960 n/a George Gallant - 5th win 1959 n/a George Gallant - 4th win 1958 n/a George Gallant - 3rd win 1957 n/a George Gallant - 2nd win 1956 n/a George Gallant (NB/CAN) 1955 n/a Noel McKay (CAN) 1954 n/a Leslie Beazley (CAN) 1953 n/a Martin Dickworth (CAN) 1952 n/a Stewart MacMullan - 2nd win 1951 n/a Paul Collins - 3rd win 1950 n/a Paul Collins - 2nd win 1949 n/a Paul Collins (CAN) 1948 n/a Stewart MacMullan (CAN) 1947 n/a Dick Carmichael - 2nd win 1946 n/a Dick Carmichael (CAN) 1945 n/a George Stainton (CAN) 1944 33:43 L G Doiron (CAN) 1943 n/a L A C Jeffery (CAN) 1942 n/a Fred Bruhm (CAN) 1941 31:20 Gerald Rogers - 2nd win 1940 n/a Gerald Rogers (CAN) 1939 n/a John Paul (CAN) 1938 n/a Dick Beazley - 2nd win 1937 n/a Clarence Wright - 2rd win 1936 n/a Clarence Wright - 2nd win 1935 32:55 Clarence Wright (CAN) 1934 n/a Dick Beazley (CAN) 1933 n/a Miles Boutilier (CAN) 1932 n/a Ray Hamilton - 2nd win 1931 32:44 Phil Hattie (CAN) 1930 n/a Murray Andrews (CAN) 1929 n/a George Irwin - 2nd win 1928 32:12 George Carey - 2dn win 1927 31:42 George Irwin (CAN) 1926 32:29 Ray Hamilton (CAN) 1925 32:52 Johnny Miles (CAN) 1924 37:41 George Carey (CAN) 1923 37:52 Donald Young (CAN) 1922 -- 1921 19:58 J L Fitzgerald (CAN) 1914-1920 — not held 1913 n/a Alf Rogers (CAN) 1911-1912 — not held 1910 n/a H R Palmer (CAN) 1909 — not held 1908 1:52:12 Hans Holmer (CAN) 1907 32:22 Leander Lennerton (NS/CAN) * The 2022 course was 5.4 miles instead of the usual 6 miles |
Course Record Holders:
29:23 Lee Wesselius 2023 34:21 Denise Robson 2006 |
Two-mile Winners (Recent Years):
2023 10:45 Cohen Norman (NS/CAN) 12:55 Whitney Canning (NS/CAN)
2022 9:05* Matthew Lawton (NS/CAN) 9:57* Paula James (NS/CAN)
2019 10:10 Jacob Benoit (NS/CAN) 12:06 Madalyn Higgins (NS/CAN)
2018 10:24 Corwin Trottier (NS/CAN) 12:17 Eileen Benoit (NS/CAN)
2017 10:24 Corwin Trottier (NS/CAN) 11:46 Paula James (NS/CAN)
2016 10:53 Owen Bishop (NS/CAN) 12:13 Mikayla Boucher (NS/CAN)
2015 10:47 Matthew White (NS/CAN) 12:10 Morgan Hawkes (NS/CAN)
2014 10:32 Andrew Peverill (NS/CAN) 12:29 Ellen Taggart (NS/CAN)
2022 9:05* Matthew Lawton (NS/CAN) 9:57* Paula James (NS/CAN)
2019 10:10 Jacob Benoit (NS/CAN) 12:06 Madalyn Higgins (NS/CAN)
2018 10:24 Corwin Trottier (NS/CAN) 12:17 Eileen Benoit (NS/CAN)
2017 10:24 Corwin Trottier (NS/CAN) 11:46 Paula James (NS/CAN)
2016 10:53 Owen Bishop (NS/CAN) 12:13 Mikayla Boucher (NS/CAN)
2015 10:47 Matthew White (NS/CAN) 12:10 Morgan Hawkes (NS/CAN)
2014 10:32 Andrew Peverill (NS/CAN) 12:29 Ellen Taggart (NS/CAN)
Race History:
Amazingly, the Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race is one of the longest running road races in North America! Although there there were a few years during the wars and Covid when no race was held, there has been a Natal Day race in Dartmouth since 1907. Our race even shares a small connection with the most famous of all North American races, the Boston Marathon.
In 1907, 17 year old Dartmouth native Chris Wolfe ran the Boston Marathon and finished 23rd out of 102 starters. On his return home he was presented with a silver tankard and congratulations from both the mayor and the city council. Our local boy’s success clearly helped “jump-start” Dartmouth’s enthusiasm for the sport, as it was that same year that the Natal Day committee decided to add a road race to the program.
The race was originally run from Dartmouth to Woodlawn and back into town. The exact course of the inaugural event is not known, but it likely followed a path similar to the route through Woodlawn that was used in most succeeding years until 1977. The winner of the first Natal Day Race was Leander Lennerton. Not much is known of his life in Dartmouth, but his race results tell us he was quite a runner: the same year he won the Natal Day race Lennerton finished second in the Thanksgiving Day 10 mile race that was run from Bedford to Halifax. Later that year, he travelled to Montreal to run a 15 mile “marathon” and finished thirteenth out of seventy-five runners. He returned home in time to run the Mayor’s Cup six mile race in Dartmouth where he also finished second.
In its second year, the Natal Day race was run on a longer course from Halifax to Dartmouth through Bedford and what is now know as Burnside. Following the crack of the starter’s pistol, spectators rushed to catch the ferry to Dartmouth to cheer on the finishers. That must have been a race in itself! The winner that year was Hans Holmer. Incidentally, he was the same runner that beat Lennerton to win the Mayor’s Cup the year before.
The records of early road races in Dartmouth are spotty, but we do know that from this point until the late 1970s the race was run from downtown Dartmouth to Woodlawn. In 1977 the course was changed to its current form, providing a short but challenging “Tour-de-Downtown Dartmouth.” First, the start was at the Somme Branch Legion Hall. Later years saw it move to the old Town Hall on Ochterloney Street, the fire hall just off Ochterloney, and finally, to its current home at Christ Church Hall.
Do you have a tidbit of Natal Day race history or historic Natal Day Road Race photos we can add to our page? If you have something you think we should know please send it to us.
In 1907, 17 year old Dartmouth native Chris Wolfe ran the Boston Marathon and finished 23rd out of 102 starters. On his return home he was presented with a silver tankard and congratulations from both the mayor and the city council. Our local boy’s success clearly helped “jump-start” Dartmouth’s enthusiasm for the sport, as it was that same year that the Natal Day committee decided to add a road race to the program.
The race was originally run from Dartmouth to Woodlawn and back into town. The exact course of the inaugural event is not known, but it likely followed a path similar to the route through Woodlawn that was used in most succeeding years until 1977. The winner of the first Natal Day Race was Leander Lennerton. Not much is known of his life in Dartmouth, but his race results tell us he was quite a runner: the same year he won the Natal Day race Lennerton finished second in the Thanksgiving Day 10 mile race that was run from Bedford to Halifax. Later that year, he travelled to Montreal to run a 15 mile “marathon” and finished thirteenth out of seventy-five runners. He returned home in time to run the Mayor’s Cup six mile race in Dartmouth where he also finished second.
In its second year, the Natal Day race was run on a longer course from Halifax to Dartmouth through Bedford and what is now know as Burnside. Following the crack of the starter’s pistol, spectators rushed to catch the ferry to Dartmouth to cheer on the finishers. That must have been a race in itself! The winner that year was Hans Holmer. Incidentally, he was the same runner that beat Lennerton to win the Mayor’s Cup the year before.
The records of early road races in Dartmouth are spotty, but we do know that from this point until the late 1970s the race was run from downtown Dartmouth to Woodlawn. In 1977 the course was changed to its current form, providing a short but challenging “Tour-de-Downtown Dartmouth.” First, the start was at the Somme Branch Legion Hall. Later years saw it move to the old Town Hall on Ochterloney Street, the fire hall just off Ochterloney, and finally, to its current home at Christ Church Hall.
Do you have a tidbit of Natal Day race history or historic Natal Day Road Race photos we can add to our page? If you have something you think we should know please send it to us.
Historic Trophies:
The Dartmouth Natal Day Races present several major trophies each year. These prestigious awards date back as far as 1923 and help tell the history of the races.
The Evening Mail Trophy was first awarded to the winner of the Dartmouth Natal Day 6 Mile Race in 1923. It has been won by runners you may of heard of, such as Johnny Miles (1925), George Gallant and Bob Book. In more modern times it has been won by runners such as Robert Englehutt, Peter Beazley, Rami Bardeesey, Greg Wieczorek and Matt McNeil. |