Fifteen Bermudian runners are preparing to push themselves to the absolute limit as they take on the world’s elite in the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships on 17 October.
The unique satellite competition sees teams from 74 nations running concurrently on home soil, bound by a deceptively simple yet punishing format: complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour, on the hour, until only one person remains standing.
Any minutes spared before the top of the hour are spent refueling, resting, and recovering, with the contest running day and night until the field is whittled down.
While the last runner standing wins locally, the global team title is decided by the aggregate laps completed by all 15 squad members.
Bermuda's course will be staged at Clearwater Field in Southside, St David’s.
It marks the island's second outing at the championships, having debuted in 2024 with a 50th-place finish. That campaign saw the squad tally 220 laps, finishing ahead of far larger nations including Pakistan, Egypt, and Ecuador.
This year, Bermuda are aiming to eclipse their previous total and secure a spot for their national winner at the Individual World Championships, held in Tennessee at the home of cult ultra running creator Lazarus Lake.
Squad selection was determined across a two-year window from August 2024 to August 2026, taking in two editions of Run Bermuda’s Backyard alongside the 2024 world championships.
National record holder Jason Williams leads the lineup, having set the benchmark with 42 loops at the 2025 Individual World Championships. He is joined by two-time local champion Florin Teleman; both men share the domestic course record of 28 "yards" (116 miles).
Phil Woollins, who completed 24 hours of continuous running as the "assist" during February's open race, also features in a squad blending experienced ultra runners with in-form qualifiers.
Defending champions Belgium enter as clear favourites, having produced a staggering 1,147 aggregate laps in 2024 — an average of 76 per runner — featuring three athletes who reached a then world-record 110 loops. Traditional powerhouses Australia, the United States, Japan, France, Poland, and New Zealand are also expected to challenge for top honours.
Global coverage will be streamed via the Backyard Ultra Channel on YouTube, with local proceedings broadcast live on @bermudabackyardultra.
Team Bermuda squad (qualifying loops):
Jason Williams (42)
Florin Teleman (28)
Philip Woollins (24)
Toby Derham (19)
Katie Vanner (18)
Dave Courcy (18)
James Roberts (17)
Rich Howells (16)
Claire Gemmell (15)
Edward Ferrari-Willis (15)
Jonny Chapman (15)
Michelle Bergsma (15)
Miles Smith (15)
Hanah Cannon (13)
Mark Harris (13)
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