Hotelympia 2008 got off to an athletic start on Sunday morning, when more than 750 runners competed in the Hotelympia 10k Run around ExCel. 

The race was contested by a range of industry teams including BaxterStorey, the Craft Guild of Chefs, Heinz, 3663, Bunzl and Brakes. All proceeds from the race, currently estimated at £35,000, will go to Springboard, the Charitable Trust responsible for promoting hospitality as a career of choice. 

Hotelympia’s group exhibition director, Toby Wand said, “I can’t think of a better way of kicking off this year’s event – hundreds of operators and suppliers enjoying a morning in the sun together in support of one of the industry’s leading charities.” 

Brakes won the fastest team award, prompting a stage invasion by tens of Brakes runners at the prize-giving ceremony. The best dressed team award went to the BaxterStorey, whose runners completed the race dressed in chef’s whites. The Fastest Team award was scooped by the Caterer and Hotelkeeper team. 

Top 10 runners

• James Buchanan 0:33:46
• Eoin O'Connell 0:34:14
• Simon Fawcett 0:34:25
• Andrea Fraquelli  0:34:45
• Man Wearing Female Number (Heinz) 0:35:58
• Christian Thomas 0:36:13
• Daniel Gaffney 0:36:23
• Carlo Paul 0:37:15
• Nick Gabriel 0:37:17
• Claire Donnelly 0:37:28

By Mark Lewis

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