Changes to cut-offs and checkpoints at Montane Spine Race

The Montane Spine Race has announced a series of changes to checkpoints and cut-offs for the 2024 edition.

The winter event is widely regarded as ‘the most brutal race in the world’ and next year’s edition will take place on 14 January.

Damian Hall set a new male record time as he clinched a dramatic overall victory in the 2023 Montane Spine Race, while Claire Bannwarth cruised to victory in the women’s edition.

With essential ‘race packs’ still being updated, the race’s organisers have announced a checkpoint alteration as well as cut-off changes for both the full winter Spine and Spine Challenger North.

Checkpoint change

The checkpoint change relates to Checkpoint 3 on the full winter Spine, which has recently also been used as Checkpoint 1 on the Spine Challenger North.

The Kingsway Centre in Middleton-in-Teesdale has housed this checkpoint in the past, but it has been sold and is no longer available.

The new checkpoint will be at Langdon Beck YHA, grid reference NY860304, 600 metres from grid reference NY854301 at Saur Hill Bridge. The change will have minimal impact on the overall distance.

As always, the route off the Pennine Way to the checkpoint will be signed by the CP Team and its status as the Curry Capital of Checkpoints will not be diminished.

The Montane Spine Race organisers have also noted that the change relates to the winter race only, and that the summer checkpoint is still at Low Way Farm.

Cut-offs tweaked

The new Langdon Beck YHA checkpoint will see a series of cut-off times tweaked for both the full winter Spine Race and Spine Challenger North.

There will be an increased cut-off time for the Langdon Beck YHA checkpoint, while the Alston YHA checkpoint will feature the same cut-off, but come eight miles earlier in the race.

Spine Race

Old cut-offs:

CP3, Kingsway Centre – distance: 34 miles, cut-off 84 hours

CP4 , Alston YHA – distance: 39 miles, cut-off 110 hours

New cut-offs:

CP3, Langdon Beck YHA – distance: 42 miles, cut-off 87 hours

CP4, Alston YHA – distance: 31 miles, cut-off 110 hours

Spine Challenger North

Old cut-offs:

CP1, Kingsway Centre – distance: 34 miles, cut-off 24 hours

CP2, Alston YHA – distance: 39 miles, cut-off 50 hours

New cut-offs:

CP1, Langdon Beck YHA – distance: 42 miles, cut-off 27 hours

CP2, Alston YHA – distance: 31 miles, cut-off 50 hours