Three Peaks Race
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 postponed due to heavy snowfall and took place in October. The 2001 edition was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The 2020 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 5th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge was incorporated into the 2008 race.[3]
Winners
| Date | Men | Time | Women | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 27 April 2019 | Brennan Townshend | 2:50:22 | Victoria Wilkinson -5- | 3:20:01 |
| 28 April 2018 | Tom Owens -2- | 2:49:08 | Victoria Wilkinson -4- | 3:22:17 |
| 29 April 2017 | Murray Strain | 2:49:38 | Victoria Wilkinson -3- | 3:09:19 |
| 30 April 2016 | Marc Lauenstein | 2:48:58 | Victoria Wilkinson -2- | 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 | Tom 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 | 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 due to foot-and-mouth outbreak | |||
| 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.