The Montane Winter Spine Race lived up to its billing as ‘Britain’s most brutal’ as a number of big-name contenders retired within the first 24 hours.
Snow and ice faced runners at the 8am Sunday start of the 268-mile trek up the Pennine Way from Edale after a prolonged cold spell in the UK.
But the big thaw came on Sunday evening, leading to treacherously slippery underfoot conditions first and then likely a bog-fest as the participants make their way up to Kirk Yetholm on the English-Scottish border.
‘Tough and brave decision’
American ultrarunning legend John Kelly was the clear favourite for the men’s race. He won the event first time up in 2020 and is a FKT (fastest known time) holder for the Pennine Way but has been frustrated at the Winter Spine in the last couple of years.
And that was the story this time too – he was in the mix at the first checkpoint at Hebden but lost ground thereafter and retired at Malham Tarn in the early hours of Monday morning.
He wasn’t the only one. Chris Cope, winner of the Summer Spine Race in 2024, had led the way early on but only got as far as Hebden.
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The Spine Race media team posted on Instagram: “Through the night and small hours this morning both John Kelly and Chris Cope have made the tough and brave decision to withdraw from the race.
“They were both pushing at the front end of the men’s field, which has really shaken up throughout the night.
“Both runners are well, and have been looked after by the Spine Safety and Checkpoint teams.”
Doug Stewart and Joe O’Leary were others to exit the race but going strong at the head of affairs was the experienced Eugeni Roselló Solé, the winner of the Winter Spine back in 2013.
The Spaniard was first into Hawes in a seriously impressive 25 hours and 25 minutes. To give that some context, Winter Spine record holder Jack Scott won the 108-mile Challenger South by a distance on Sunday, reaching Hawes in a little over 25 hours – though the Challenger South runners were first on the trails so had to contend with the snow at its worst.
James Nobles has unfinished business at the Spine Race – he was in the lead group with Scott and Damian Hall on his debut in 2024 only to withdraw in the second half – but he’s made another fine start and was second to reach Hawes, 40 minutes after Roselló Solé.
Nobles’ fellow Brits and namesakes James Hargreaves and James Leavesley were third and fourth.
France’s Sébastien Raichon remains firmly in contention as well, hanging on to the back of this elite front pack and keeping pressure on the leaders.
KO for Kershaw
It was a similar story in the women’s race. Two-time winner Claire Bannwarth had been on the original race roster but didn’t start and in her absence Alice Kershaw was one of the leading contenders.
She has featured on a Spine Race podium in the shorter races no fewer than four times and was the winner of the Challenger South 12 months ago.
But she retired at Hebden at around 21:30 on Sunday by which point Finland’s Johanna Antila had carved out a lead at the front of the race, with British duo Anna Troup, the reigning Summer Spine Race champion, and Fiona Horsfield her closest challengers and New Zealand’s Sophie Grant going well on her Spine Race debut in fourth.
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