Pinnacle Ridge Extreme
A Wild, Wild Run at Pinnacle Ridge Extreme
Press Release / 17.07.2019
At the same time as the Lakes Sky Ultra 2019 was played out, the organizing team delivered the inaugural Pinnacle Ridge Extreme to a field of 45 seriously skilled sky runners. The feel of the race is in the name and oh boy this is one seriously extreme race. Pinnacle Ridge Extreme has 4 graded scrambling sections from Grade 0.5 to Grade III comprising of roped sections on the ascents, highly technical descents and is played out over 28km of the Lakeland Central Fells with a whopping 2700m of ascent thrown in for good measure.
Charlie Sproson, the race creator and director, says; “This course is one serious race, not only do you need to prove your climbing skills through a vetting process, you need to have a steady head, nerves of steel and legs of iron.” He continued; “This is everything we wanted to showcase extreme mountain running in the Lakes. We have a history of combining running with rock climbing and the PRE ticks every box there is going. Hard single track trails, wild and inviting hands on rock ascents and severely technical descents often involving fast and exciting screes. We challenge the worlds best to come and enjoy this mind-bending course”.
Runners representing 8 nations (Scotland, England, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Germany, South Africa, the USA and Canada) entered to pit themselves against this highly technical and extreme course.
Rob Sinclair, winner of the Lakes Sky Ultra in 2018, took the lead from the start literally tearing up the course as he floated his way up the scrambles to take the win in an unbelievable time of 3:57:02. Ayron Comber and Colin Smith took 2nd and 3rd places respectively. Sinclair said, “The course is just wild, wild and awesome. The climbing was unreal and its just ascent after ascent”
Ursula Moore dominated the women’s race pushing exceedingly hard to take 1st place in 5:45:13, with local Catherine Evans picking up the 2nd place not far behind in a time of 6:01:44. Visiting Scottish skyrunner, Keri Wallace from Girls on Hills, was hot on her heels in a time of 6:03:30 to complete the podium trio.
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