Scott and Page so impressive despite brutal conditions for Winter Spine Challenger South

Montane Winter Spine Race record holder Jack Scott added another title to his impressive ultrarunning CV when he won the Challenger South by nearly four hours.

Ciaran Croke was second, with Sarah Page third as she took the women’s title in clear-cut fashion too.

The Challenger South is a non-stop, 108 mile race along the Pennine Way. Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 60 hours to get to the finish at Hawes. The race covers the southern section of the trail which features the iconic moorland of the Kinder Plateau, numerous National Parks, Malham Cove and Pen-y-Ghent.

A class apart – again

Scott obliterated the record books for the full 268-mile Winter Spine Race a couple of years ago with a staggering time of 72 hours 55 minutes and 5 seconds.

That beat the previous best of 83:12:13, set by Jasmin Paris in 2019, which still stands as the women’s record.

On that occasion he reached Hawes in not much more than 24 hours so the Challenger South best of 22:53:28 by fellow Brit Jim Mann could have been under serious threat in ideal conditions.

But conditions were anything but that after a cold snap and plenty of snow in the UK.

Soaked through and freezing cold Scott made it to Hawes in 25hrs and 10mins.

108 miles of pure brutality came before him. Deep snow, ice and soaking wet sleet proved difficult as he pushed through the night, but nothing could deter him.

He again showed his class as he built a huge lead over Croke and Page, with Croke crossing the line next in 28:47.

Phenomenal run

Next to reach Hawes – and way clear in the women’s race – was Page.

She stormed away from the field, building an immense 13-mile lead over the next female competitor.

Sarah crossed the line in 29hrs 03mins, one of the fastest times ever recorded for the Challenger South, in seriously trying conditions.

Because the course was significantly amended at Pen-y-Ghent due to severe weather, this won’t count as an official record, but make no mistake, this was a phenomenal run from a seriously powerful athlete that deserves recognition as one of the best ever on the southern half of the Pennine Way.