Three Peaks Race
54°09′03″N 2°17′55″W / 54.1509°N 2.2987°W
The Three Peaks Race is a fell race held annually on the last weekend in April, starting and finishing in Horton in Ribblesdale.
The course traverses the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The present distance is about 23 miles (37 km).
The first known circuits undertaken by athletes, as distinct from walkers, were not made until the winter of 1948/49. Three Leeds climbers, Des Birch, Jack Bloor and Arthur Dolphin, who were also members of Harehills Harriers, completed the course in times varying from 4hrs 27mins to 5hrs 20mins, with Des Birch setting the first record at 4:27. The first race was organised by Preston Harriers and took place in 1954 and it was thought that there was a good chance of Des Birch's time being beaten. The conditions for the race were reasonably good but with a strong easterly wind making it feel cold. The start was at the Hill Inn, Chapel-le-Dale, with six runners taking part. Ingleborough was climbed first, where the competitors were bunched together after twenty-seven minutes, followed by Pen-y-ghent which was reached by the leader Fred Bagley in 1:48, one minute ahead of Stan Bradshaw. At the summit of the final peak, Whernside, Bagley's time of 3:28 gave him a lead of twelve minutes over Bradshaw, and the former returned to the Hill Inn with a total time of 3:48. Bradshaw finished in 4:06 and the third finisher was Alf Case in 5:02.[1]
From 1964 onwards, the event was organised by the Three Peaks Race Association and in 1975 the race venue was transferred from Chapel-le-Dale to Horton in Ribblesdale.[2]
Alterations which led to a longer or a more difficult course were taken in 1975, 1983 and 1987.
In 1981 the race was cancelled because of a blizzard and rescheduled in October. The 2001 edition was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
The 5th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge was incorporated into the 2008 race.[3]
Winners
| Date | Men | Time | Women | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April, 2016 | Marc Lauenstein | 2:48:58 | Victoria Wilkinson | 3:26:47 |
| 25 April, 2015 | Ricky Lightfoot -2- | 2:51:42 | Helen Bonsor | 3:27:24 |
| 26 April, 2014 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:53:16 | Victoria Wilkinson | 3:21:32 |
| 27 April, 2013 | Joe Symonds -2- | 2:54:39 | Jasmin Paris | 3:33:04 |
| 28 April, 2012 | Joe Symonds | 2:55:58 | Sarah O'Neil | 3:28:46 |
| 30 April, 2011 | Thomas Owens | 2:53:34 | Anna Frost | 3:30:00 |
| 24 April, 2010 | Morgan Donnelly | 3:02:34 | Anna Lupton -2- | 3:30:45 |
| 25 April, 2009 | Rob Jebb -4- | 2:54:53 | Anna Lupton | 3:36:31 |
| 26 April, 2008 | Jethro Lennox | 2:53:39 | Anna Pichrtová (CZE) | 3:14:43 |
| 29 April, 2007 | Rob Jebb -3- | 2:51:49 | Mary Wilkinson | 3:30:22 |
| 30 April, 2006 | Rob Jebb -2- | 2:54:15 | Helen Sedgwick | 3:43:40 |
| 24 April, 2005 | Rob Jebb | 2:57:50 | Sally Malir | 3:59:56 |
| 25 April, 2004 | Andy Peace -4- | 2:55:46 | Louise Sharp | 3:39:49 |
| 27 April, 2003 | David Walker | 3:06:27 | Beverley Whitfield | 3:56:40 |
| 28 April, 2002 | Simon Booth -2- | 3:10:43 | Tracey Brindley | 3:46:12 |
| 2001 | cancelled | |||
| 30 April, 2000 | Simon Booth | 2:52:43 | Sally Newman | 3:38:11 |
| 25 April, 1999 | Mark Croasdale | 3:04:48 | Angela Mudge | 3:20:17 |
| 26 April, 1998 | Mark Roberts | 3:03:31 | Carol Greenwood -3- | 3:34:16 |
| 27 April, 1997 | Ian Holmes | 2:52:28 | Carol Greenwood -2- | 3:34:39 |
| 28 April, 1996 | Andy Peace -3- | 2:46:03 | Sarah Rowell -4- | 3:16:17 |
| 30 April, 1995 | Andy Peace -2- | 2:52:52 | Jean Rawlinson | 3:48:40 |
| 24 April, 1994 | Andy Peace | 2:56:52 | Sarah Rowell -3- | 3:21:50 |
| 25 April, 1993 | Gavin Bland | 3:05:17 | Carol Greenwood | 3:39:50 |
| 26 April, 1992 | Ian Ferguson -3- | 3:01:11 | Sarah Rowell -2- | 3:19:11 |
| 28 April, 1991 | Ian Ferguson -2- | 2:51:41 | Sarah Rowell | 3:16:29 |
| 29 April, 1990 | Gary Devine | 3:00:51 | Ruth Pickvance | 3:44:18 |
| 30 April, 1989 | Shaun Livesey -2- | 2:51:45 | Vanessa Brindle -4- | 3:32:43 |
| 24 April, 1988 | Ian Ferguson | 2:57:29 | Vanessa Brindle -3- | 3:37:16 |
| 26 April, 1987 | Hugh Symonds -3- | 3:00:01 | Vanessa Brindle -2- | 3:44:05 |
| 27 April, 1986 | Shaun Livesey | 2:56:40 | Carol Walkington -2- | 3:49:12 |
| 28 April, 1985 | Hugh Symonds -2- | 2:49:13 | Vanessa Brindle | 3:38:10 |
| 29 April, 1984 | Hugh Symonds | 2:50:34 | Bridget Hogge | 3:41:00 |
| 24 April, 1983 | Kenny Stuart | 2:53:34 | Carol Walkington & Wendy Dodds |
4:08:01 |
| 25 April, 1982 | John Wild | 2:37:30 | Jane Robson | 3:40:54 |
| 11 October, 1981 | Harry Walker -3- | 2:56:34 | Fiona Hinde | 3:59:16 |
| 27 April, 1980 | Mike Short | 2:43:32 | Sue Parkin | 3:35:34 |
| 29 April, 1979 | Harry Walker -2- | 2:53:11 | Jean Lochhead | 3:43:12 |
| 30 April, 1978 | Harry Walker | 2:43:34 | --- | --- |
| 24 April, 1977 | John Calvert -2- | 2:51:04 | --- | --- |
| 25 April, 1976 | John Calvert | 2:43:59 | --- | --- |
| 27 April, 1975 | Jeff Norman -6- | 2:41:37 | --- | --- |
| 28 April, 1974 | Jeff Norman -5- | 2:29:53 | --- | --- |
| 29 April, 1973 | Jeff Norman -4- | 2:31:58 | --- | --- |
| 30 April, 1972 | Jeff Norman -3- | 2:36:27 | --- | --- |
| 25 April, 1971 | Jeff Norman -2- | 2:36:26 | --- | --- |
| 26 April, 1970 | Jeff Norman | 2:48:11 | --- | --- |
| 27 April, 1969 | Colin Robinson | 2:44:44 | --- | --- |
| 28 April, 1968 | Mike Davies -4- | 2:40:34 | --- | --- |
| 30 April, 1967 | Mike Davies -3- | 2:47:19 | --- | --- |
| 24 April, 1966 | Mike Davies -2- | 2:53:22 | --- | --- |
| 25 April, 1965 | Mike Davies | 2:47:00 | --- | --- |
| 26 April, 1964 | Peter Hall | 2:53:00 | --- | --- |
| 28 April, 1963 | Dennis Hopkinson | 3:18:37 | --- | --- |
| 29 April, 1962 | Geoff Hodgson -2- | 3:00:07 | --- | --- |
| 30 April, 1961 | Geoff Hodgson | 3:05:10 | --- | --- |
| 24 April, 1960 | Frank Dawson -2- | 2:58:53 | --- | --- |
| 26 April, 1959 | Frank Dawson | 3:13:25 | --- | --- |
| 27 April, 1958 | George Brass -2- | 3:08:25 | --- | --- |
| 28 April, 1957 | Peter Dugdale | 3:33:50 | --- | --- |
| 29 April, 1956 | Jack Bloor | 3:33:15 | --- | --- |
| 24 April, 1955 | George Brass | 3:28:45 | --- | --- |
| 24 April, 1954 | Fred Bagley | 3:48:00 | --- | --- |
References
- ^ H.W. Eccles, "Three Peaks - A New Record", The Dalesman, 16(1954-55):141-42; Bill Smith, Stud Marks on the Summits (Preston, 1985), 336-37.
- ^ W.R. Smith, "Runners on the Three Peaks", The Dalesman, 37(1975-76):966-68.
- ^ Hughes, Danny (2008-04-27). Pichrtova, Lennox take Three Peaks title – WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-23.