THE threat of severe weather in Teesdale led to records being smashed in the gruelling 2024 Winter Spine Race.
The annual challenge sees competitors follow the 268 miles along the Pennine Way, from Edale, in Derbyshire, to Kirk Yetholm, in the Scottish Borders.
Jack Scott won the race in 72:55 hours, smashing the previous record by more than ten hours.
Famed dale mountaineer Alan Hinkes, who formed part of the race’s media team for the northern stretch, said a combination of frozen bogs making the going easier and a bid by competitors to beat the weather before it arrived, led to the record being crushed.
He added however, the incredible pace led to many of the top competitors dropping out early on.
Spine race support member Claire Cook, from Butterknowle, added: “They were busting records all the way, but I think part of it was the weather, because they knew bad weather was coming in yesterday.”
Ms Cook, who was based at the Langdon Beck YHA checkpoint, added that the winner was particularly motivated for this year’s event.
She said: “He came second last year because he had a time penalty unfortunately, because he ended up taking a bit of a detour, so I know he was gutted.”
The front runners entered Teesdale early on Monday afternoon, and crossed the A66 at about 2pm, while they beat the weather and passed through the area along the normal route, the course had to be altered to avoid Cauldron Snout when frozen conditions made it unsafe.
Ms Cook said: “It is a bit longer, but it is a bit better because you don’t have to go across boulders up the waterfall.”
Athletes were still coming through the Langdon Beck checkpoint late Wednesday afternoon. The cut-off time was 11pm.
One of those was Mark Aldridge, from Sheffield, who was taking part in his third event.
He said: “It has been great, I love it. The frozen bogs have made it faster, but it hurts your feet a lot more, and your joints.”
Fellow competitor Martin Kennedy, who was making his first attempt at the challenge said: “My goal was to get to Hebdon, everything thereafter is a joy.”
