Three Peaks Race

This article is about the fell race in Yorkshire. For the running and sailing race in the United Kingdom, see Three Peaks yacht race. For the running and sailing event in Tasmania, see Australian Three Peaks Race.

Coordinates: 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
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 Paul 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

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ W.R. Smith, "Runners on the Three Peaks", The Dalesman, 37(1975-76):966-68.
  3. ↑ Hughes, Danny (2008-04-27). Pichrtova, Lennox take Three Peaks title – WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-23.

External links