SILVA Northern Traverse

Close races, Dominant Performances and a Shared Course Record

Press Release / 12.04.2023

Competitors at the 2023 SILVA Northern Traverse and Lakes Traverse served up some exciting and impressive racing. James Nobles secured victory in the 300km Northern Traverse after a close race, while the women’s event was won in dominant fashion by Lizzie Faithfull-Davies. In the 100km Lakes Traverse, friends Mark Darbyshire and Gavin Dale took the win together in a record breaking time, having spent the best part of the race running alongside each other. In the women’s race, Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn defended her title with an emphatic win.

James Nobles started the SILVA Northern Traverse with a pack of strong runners, before pulling ahead and building a significant lead after crossing Cumbria and reaching Richmond in Yorkshire. Second placed Robin Carter started to catch him, until James sped up significantly on the final overnight section, securing a win in 47 hours, 14 minutes and 45 seconds, just over half an hour ahead of Robin (47:46:48), with Robert Barnes in third (48:37:21). For James, the win is his second major recent victory, following his win at the 2022 Montane Dragon’s Back Race.

James Nobles comments: “I was elated to be at the end. For me, it was probably five times more difficult than the Dragon's Back Race just because of the continuous nature of the event. I had no idea who I was for half of it. It was the lack of sleep - I struggled with that.

“Because of Robin, I was nervous that he was going to creep up on me. After Lordstones, I tried to have a sleep there and it was unsuccessful. I was there for 45 minutes in total, and he was in and out for 10 minutes. I just got out in front of him, and from then, he was just pushing the whole time. And it was a proper race for the last 40 miles. I kept looking on the tracker. There was usually about 5km between us then we got to one point where he was 1km away. It was unbelievably difficult – I’ve never ever felt this tired or drained before. I feel broken.”

Lizzie Faithfull-Davies won the women’s race at the SILVA Northern Traverse. After battling with Nikki Sommers for the lead early on, Lizzie pulled away as the race progressed and was comfortably ahead by the time she crossed the line in 58:23:44. Nikki completed the race in 60:46:12, with Emily Mills third in 68:36:54.

Lizzie comments: “I never ever imagined I would do that, and I really doubted it on the first night. Lots of things kept me going, especially enjoying the route. It was really good being in amongst some really good runners and being out in the hills. That was fantastic! I had my first experience of falling asleep on my feet. I was with somebody else, and literally, I was zig-zagging across the track, and I woke up and all I can think is ‘Just keep walking uphill!’”

“More than anything I think I enjoyed not having a computer and just doing something that's totally absorbing. And with really lovely people. That's the thing about ultra running - everyone is so friendly, so easy going, and you meet all sorts of random people, you hear their life story within the first five minutes and then spend the next day talking about it.”

In the SILVA Lakes Traverse, Mark Darbyshire and Gavin Dale crossed the line together after 100km in 9:46:58, breaking the course record by over an hour. Mark is well-known on the ultra circuit as the course record holder for both the prestigious Lakeland 100 and the Arc of Attrition, while Gavin won the most recent edition of the latter, so it always looked to be a close race between the two.

Gavin and Mark decided to finish together about four to five miles before the end.

Gavin explains: “By then, we'd done all of it together. There wasn't a feeling of one holding the other back. We both pushed, we worked together on it. At that point, when we've done so much of it together, it just felt right to end it together. I don’t think either of us had a lot left there.”

Mark adds: “We just matched our paces early on. I couldn't have gone any faster. I pushed as hard as I could. It felt natural. It's nice running with someone - time goes quicker. I don't think I'd have run it that quickly if we hadn’t stayed together.”

Relative newcomer Lewis Byram came in third in 10:19:24.

Kaars Sijpesteijn Retains Women's Title

Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn won the women’s SILVA Lakes Traverse in 11:55:48, defending the title she won in 2022, and finishing in fifth place overall. Running a dominant race, Team GB mountain runner Katie finished almost two hours ahead of Victoria Morris (13:54:26), with Libbi McGibbon third in 15:01:48.

Katie comments: “I love that route. It's fast becoming my favourite, the Lakeland 50 was always my favourite but it's really satisfying going from the coast. Just going across the Lake District – the whole thing.You can't control what anyone else is doing. I'm always running as fast as I can go at that point.”

For detailed reports from the races, visit www.northerntraverse.com/news-viewer. Entries for the 2024SILVA Northern Traverse and SILVA Lakes Traverse are open now at www.northerntraverse.com/enter.