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Champions of the Pennine Way - Winter Spine Race 2026

While "Britain's Most Brutal" is a title the race earns every year, 2026 set a new bar for resilience. From the 46-mile Sprint to the full 268-mile expedition to Kirk Yetholm, read on to find out the first men and women to cross the line in this year's Winter Spine race series.

Full Spine Race

Congratulations to the winners of the full Montane Winter Spine Race 2026.

Men's: Sebastien Raichon 95h 43m 52s

Women's: Anna Troup 106h 19m 12s

Competitors in this year's Spine Race were pushed to their limits by relentless winter conditions. Following a severe cold snap and violent storms, the course became a gauntlet of sub-zero temperatures and biting winds. Underfoot, racers battled a shifting landscape where frozen paths dissolved into deep, energy-sapping bogs.

Challenger North:

Men's: Harry Firth 46h 00m 29s

Women's: Elaine Bisson & Nicky Spinks 55h 57m 59s

MRT Men's: Rhys Beddoe 54h 42m 33s

MRT Women's: Cleo Bishop-Bolt 87h 51m 51s

Sprint North:

Men's: Jon Shield & Damian Hall 8h 06m 51s

Women's: Louise Goddard 11h 53m 25s

Challenger South:

Men's: Jack Scott 25h 12m 00s

Women's: Sarah Page 29h 03m 20s

MRT Men's: John Evason 33h 58m 02s

MRT Women's: Sarah Perry 31h 37m 42s

Sprint South:

Men's: Joe Leadley 8h 17m 58s

Women's: Sophie Littlefair 11h 00m 12s

Continue to track this year's champions of the Pennine Way on the official tracker.

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