Jermaine “JJ” Ricketts dominated the Teneo Prison Break leading from the start and never looking back. He completed the 9.81 mile race with 3,400 feet of elevation change in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 53 seconds. He took 5 minutes and 22 seconds off his 2023 finish time, and beat Julius Farley’s winning time last year by 38 seconds.
Sam Thompson and Jason DuPlessis were neck and neck throughout the race and at some stage decided not to contest the finish. They enjoyed a collegial run back to Trellis Bay and finished second together. However, Jason did take 3 minutes and 9 seconds off his 2023 time.
Kat Lindsay was first woman, cruising in at 1:25:59. She was slightly slower than last year, but had St John’s 8 Tuff Miles in her legs from the day before where she beat 617 other ladies to second place. Vicki Francis was second (1:27:46) and Rose Johnson (1:35:55) was third.
Starting and finishing at Jeremy’s Kitchen, Trellis Bay, the runners headed west to East End Police Station, uphill to Josiah’s Bay junction, hung a right and ran the last part of the Tortola Torture course past the prison, and back to Trellis Bay. The much-hated Little Mountain Loop, a 1.36 mile detour near the end of the Tortola Torture, was included in this race and continues to be hated by all the runners.
Conditions were excellent for the runners with overcast skies, but organisers would have preferred more sun to better replicate conditions in the closing stages of the Tortola Torture. Although this race featured less climbing than other sections of the Tortola Torture course, there were some nasty kicks with 15-20% gradients.
The Teneo Prison Break is the second race in the Tortola Torture Triple, a series of three feeder races, but open to all comers, for the Tortola Torture ultramarathon on April 20. Next up is the the KPMG West End Wobbler on March 24, a more challenging 13.48 mile race with 10,600 feet of elevation change. The Mourant Ring Of Fire kicked off the series.
Tortola Torture entry fee is currently $120/person. Entry fees includes: finisher’s medal; Tortola Torture Triple entry; HydraPak SpeedCup; six environmental-friendly water stops; post-race swim in Caribbean Sea and party.
The Tortola Torture Triple is open to any runners. Entry fee for the next race is $20.
Mourant, platinum sponsor, is a leading offshore law firm, advising on the laws of the BVI, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey.
Teneo, another platinum sponsor, provides full-service financial advisory, with a specialist expertise in cross-border restructuring and insolvency assignments. Fastest time to Sage Mountain from Stoutt’s Lookout Aid Station will win the Teneo KOM Award.
KPMG, another platinum sponsor, provides audit, tax and advisory services together with industry insight. Fastest time from start to West End Aid Station will earn the KPMG Sprint Award.
Reduce & Reuse
The Tortola Torture banned the use of disposable bottles on the race course in 2017. By using reusable five-gallon jugs and coolers, organisers eliminate the use of over 1,200 half litre bottles. In 2023 each runner was given a HydraPak SpeedCup to eliminate the use of reusable cups at the aid stations.
