The Lakeland 100 men’s event saw Ali Bailey claim first place with a time of 20:46:02, over an hour ahead of Neil MacNicol in second place. In the women’s event, Emma Stuart took the crown with a time of 23:05:54, almost two hours ahead of runner-up Eve Moore.
The Lakeland 50 men’s event saw Andrew Siggers claim the victory in a nail-biting finish, crossing the line less than a minute ahead of second-placed Spencer Shaw, while the women’s event was saw a more resounding win with Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn setting a new course record with a time of 08:02:19, which just pipped the previous record and saw her finish over 40 minutes ahead of runner-up Sabrina Verjee.
The Lakeland 100 ‘Ultra Tour of the Lake District is one of the toughest long-distance trail races in the UK, with the circular, non-stop route encompassing the whole of the Lakeland fells and seeing participants tackle a climb, descent, rugged terrain, and darkness.
The route includes in the region of 6300m of ascents and consists almost entirely of public bridleways and footpaths, beginning in Coniston and heading South before completing a clockwise loop which takes in the Dunnerdale fells, Eskdale, Wasdale and Buttermere before arriving in Keswick. From here the route heads to Matterdale and continues over to Haweswater before returning via Kentmere, Ambleside and Elterwater, before eventually heading back to Coniston for the finish.
Both the 100 and 50 races follow the same route with the 50 starting at the half-way point, while the 100 route has a time limit in place of 40 hours, compared to a 24-hour time limit for the 50 route.
Race organiser, Marc Laithwaite, commented: “We’ve enjoyed a long and successful partnership with Montane to date, and this year is yet a further continuation of that. The partnership is built on a strong synergy, with the Lakeland being perfect for people who are looking for a new challenge, and Montane being renowned for producing clothing which helps those to break barriers. I look forward to the partnership continuing to prosper over the coming years.”
If you have been involved in this event in any way, shape, or form, be that competitors or marshals, then our thanks goes beyond what words can express.”
Montane UK head of sales, Pete Sissons, who took part in the Lakeland 50 race said: “The race went better than planned as I finished! The conditions were extremely wet but I celebrated with a breakfast buttie, some coffee and then the pub!’
Montane Global Marketing Manager, Matthew Hickman, commented: “The Lakeland 50 & 100 races have been a staple of the Montane race calendar for a number of years now, so it’s of no surprise to see another hugely successful year for the event. The Lakeland is a fantastic community and forum for the ultra-running and outdoor community. The event itself has an amazing vibe and family feel that is truly inspiring! Once you are on site, even if you are simply spectating or volunteering, I guarantee it will lure you in to attempt it the following year. I’d like to offer my congratulations to participants across both formats, with some astonishing performances on display, helping to push this already successful event to new levels. ”
Montane has been providing innovative, lightweight, and breathable clothing and equipment for over 25 years, specifically designed for endurance sports and activities in some of the world’s harshest and most extreme environments. Alongside the Lakeland 50 & 100, Montane also sponsors races such as the Montane Spine Race, the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra (MLAU) and Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra (MYAU), and the Montane Dragon’s Back Race, amongst others.
More information on the Lakeland 50 and 100 can be found over on the Montane site: https://montane.com/blogs/blog/top-moments-the-montane-lakeland-50-100