RIP << Dave Boxall C-464 >> Share this article

Richard and Sandra Brown: our insight into Dave’s exploits 

Dave Boxall was one of our great Centurions. He completed 12 UK Centurion events over more than 30 years 1971 – 2005, winning 6 of these.

He qualified as C464 at Ewhurst 1971 in 18 h 26' 33" [4th in race]
He won 6 times in 1972, 1973,1974,1975, 1979 and 1980.
His best time was 1979 Ewhurst: 17 h 24' 00". This performance is the 10th best men’s time for UK Centurion completions.
His completions were all sub 20 hours except the last, Kings Lynn 2005 in 22 h 11' 10". We think he was 72 years of age when he achieved this completion.

In France, Dave completed 19 qualifying races for the Paris-Colmar, in the past Paris-Strasbourg 520 km ultra-distance classic. He won the following qualifying events:

1973   Rouen 200 km, 22 h 12'
1974   Rouen 24 H, 206 km
1976   Conflans-Sainte-Honorine 200 km, 23 h 09'
1977   Château-Thierry 200 km, 23 h 26'
1978   Conflans-Sainte-Honorine 200 km, 22 h 04' (this may be the 2nd fastest 200 km recorded by a UK walker).

He came second in a further 5 events. This is an outstanding record of success unsurpassed by any other UK male walker. He entered the Paris-Strasbourg/Colmar on 5 occasions but never completed, his furthest distance being 302 km in 1972.

In later life, he gave generously to the Centurions before succumbing to ill health.

Dave will be forever missed !