High Peak Marathon (HPM) 2007
Quicker Times on High Peak Marathon
Rob Howard and Tim Fairbrother / 05.03.2007
There were some tough conditions on this years High Peak Marathon, the classic 40 mile overnight mountain marathon around the Derwent Watershed, which crosses some of the wettest (and featureless) terrain in the Peak District. At the Bleaklow checkpoint the conditions were reported as –5C with significant windchill and visibility down to 10m at times. There was consistent rain and wind through the night, but no snow and this may have accounted for the winning times being much quicker than those from last year (when there was fresh, soft snow).
This years quickest team were Team Montrail, who won the Millstone Trophy in a time of 9 hours 21 minutes 51 seconds. They were well ahead of second placed ‘High Peak Rollerbladers’, who finished in 10.02.45.
The planetFear team of Shane Ohly, Heather Dawe, Colin Taylor and Pete Rostron in 10.30.12 won the hotly contested mixed team category for the Tanky Stokes trophy. They took 3rd place overall, despite an early navigational error, and were 19 minutes ahead of mixed team challengers Aberdeen Asset Management, who finished 4th overall. (Defending titleholders Team SleepMonsters/Inov8 withdrew at Snake Pass.)
In the tricky conditions there were the expected navigational mishaps and Team Bombadier who were bringing up the rear were lucky to get out of theirs and finish the course.
With only 3 left on the team they were unsure of their position and had decided to pull out so called in requesting a pick up from near Snake Pass. The marshals on Bleaklow, who were waiting for them, heard the call. Then a few minutes later they heard the team who were only 300m from the checkpoint in the opposite direction to Snake Pass!See All Event Posts
