The issue arose the other night when Dermot O'Toole asked me who was the youngest ever winner. His own book said it was Ian Hodkinson at 21. I also won as a 21 year old winner but 35 years later I am still not certain where I stand in the age rankings. Graham Young and Lee Cain won at about 26 and I'm sure some of the early winners would be in their 20s.
At the other extreme the three oldest were all visitors. Brian Ashwell won aged 62, Charlie Weston was 57 and Chris Flint at 54.
Of the locals, Robbie Callister took the honours aged 52 and joint record holder Vinny Lynch was 51.
My theory has always been that the best performances should come from people aged 25 to 35 but very few of the winners have been in that age band. In fact very few of the winners took part during that age band.
Please let me know if you can fill in any of the gaps.
| Name | Time | Year | Age |
| Stan Cleator | 19:50:30 | 1960 | |
| Henry Harvey | 17:10:17 | 1961 | |
| Henry Harvey | 16:25:40 | 1962 | |
| Joe Brown | 17:04:09 | 1963 | |
| Henry Harvey | 16:21:06 | 1964 | |
| Albert Johnson | 15:54:51 | 1967 | 46 |
| Leece Kneale | 16:05:52 | 1968 | |
| Ian Hodkinson | 17:11:25 | 1969 | |
| Dudley Seddon | 17:21:49 | 1970 | |
| Graham Young | 15:43:12 | 1971 | 26 |
| Derek Harrison | 16:19:15 | 1972 | 37 |
| Derek Harrison | 16:36:04 | 1973 | 38 |
| John Dowling | 16:40:07 | 1974 | |
| Ted Warner | 18:49:52 | 1975 | |
| John Cannell | 17:28:12 | 1976 | 30 |
| Steve Gardner | 19:11:01 | 1977 | 28 |
| Murray Lambden | 16:19:37 | 1978 | 21 |
| Derek Harrison | 15:20:51 | 1979 | 44 |
| Derek Harrison | 16:13:10 | 1980 | 45 |
| John Cannell | 16:15:11 | 1981 | 35 |
| John Cannell | 15:59:33 | 1982 | 36 |
| John Cannell | 16:31:38 | 1983 | 37 |
| Derek Harrison | 16:10:17 | 1984 | 49 |
| Willie Corkill | 16:29:31 | 1985 | |
| Willie Corkill | 17:03:45 | 1986 | |
| Willie Corkill | 16:58:33 | 1987 | |
| Martin Lambden | 17:12:01 | 1988 | 35 |
| Charlie Weston | 18:17:55 | 1989 | 55 |
| Gordon Vale | 17:55:10 | 1990 | 28 |
| Charlie Weston | 17:46:58 | 1991 | 57 |
| Graham Young | 16:38:27 | 1992 | 47 |
| John Cannell | 16:11:11 | 1993 | 47 |
| John Cannell | 16:13:46 | 1994 | 48 |
| Brian Ashwell | 16:37:47 | 1995 | 62 |
| Lee Cain | 17:26:29 | 1996 | 26 |
| Chris Flint | 17:36:40 | 1997 | 52 |
| Richard Brown | 15:59:44 | 1998 | 51 |
| Chris Flint | 17:07:46 | 1999 | 54 |
| Peter Kaneen | 16:59:54 | 2000 | 38 |
| Robbie Callister | 16:59:27 | 2001 | 46 |
| Robbie Callister | 16:34:30 | 2002 | 47 |
| Peter Kaneen | 15:26:07 | 2003 | 41 |
| Robbie Callister | 15:26:31 | 2004 | 49 |
| Robbie Callister | 15:24:24 | 2005 | 50 |
| Sean Hands | 14:47:36 | 2006 | 43 |
| Robbie Callister | 15:36:47 | 2007 | 52 |
| Jock Waddington | 15:44:43 | 2008 | 44 |
| Jock Waddington | 15:45:56 | 2009 | 45 |
| Jock Waddington | 15:18:06 | 2010 | 46 |
| Jock Waddington | 15:01:48 | 2011 | 47 |
| Richard Gerrard | 14:42:32 | 2012 | 40 |
| Vinny Lynch | 14:42:32 | 2012 | 51 |
