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Three Peaks Race facts for kids

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The Three Peaks Race is a super tough running race that happens every year in the Yorkshire Dales in England. It's held on the last weekend of April. The race starts and finishes in a small village called Horton in Ribblesdale.

Runners have to climb over the three famous mountains of Yorkshire Three Peaks: Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough. The whole race is about 23 miles (37 kilometers) long!

The Race Story

Early Adventures

Before it was an official race, some brave athletes tried to run the route. The first known attempts were in the winter of 1948-1949. Three climbers from Leeds – Des Birch, Jack Bloor, and Arthur Dolphin – were also runners. They completed the course, with Des Birch setting the first record time of 4 hours and 27 minutes.

The First Official Race

The very first Three Peaks Race was organized by Preston Harriers in 1954. People thought Des Birch's record might be broken! The weather was pretty good, but a strong wind made it chilly.

The race started at the Hill Inn in Chapel-le-Dale. Only six runners took part.

  • First, they climbed Ingleborough. All the runners were close together at the top.
  • Next was Pen-y-ghent. Fred Bagley was the first to reach this peak, a minute ahead of Stan Bradshaw.
  • Finally, they tackled Whernside. Fred Bagley was still in the lead, 12 minutes ahead of Stan Bradshaw.

Fred Bagley finished the race back at the Hill Inn in 3 hours and 48 minutes, winning the first race! Stan Bradshaw came in second, and Alf Case was third.

Changes Over Time

From 1964 onwards, the Three Peaks Race Association took over organizing the event. In 1975, the race start and finish moved from Chapel-le-Dale to Horton in Ribblesdale, where it is today.

The race course has changed a few times to make it longer or harder. This happened in 1975, 1983, and 1987.

Race Cancellations

Sometimes, the race has to be postponed or cancelled.

  • In 1981, heavy snow meant the race was moved to October.
  • The 2001 race was cancelled because of an animal disease outbreak called foot-and-mouth disease.
  • The 2020 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2008, the Three Peaks Race was part of a bigger international event called the 5th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. This meant runners from all over the world came to compete!

Race Winners

Here's a list of some of the amazing runners who have won the Three Peaks Race over the years.

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 --- ---
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