Three Peaks Race in the Yorkshire Dales called off due to coronavirus fears

The Three Peaks Race is a premier event in the UK's fell running calendar and was scheduled to be held in the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday April 25.

It has now been postponed until September 26 because it regularly attracts more than 1,000 runners as well as large numbers of spectators.

The event began in 1954 with a route including Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough - the same hills that feature in the Three Peaks Challenge walk - and has only been cancelled once before, in 2001 due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

The 37.4k race starts in the village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale. It can only be held in September with the permission of the National Park Authority.

Race association chairman Martin Bullock said: “Hopefully, we are looking to re-arrange the race for Saturday September 26, but this is under discussion with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and others.

“Our prime consideration is the safety and wellbeing of entrants and our 250 marshals, including radio operators, the Cave Rescue Organisation mountain rescue team and Horton-in-Ribblesdale Playing Field Association members, who host our event.”

The event costs £45,000 to stage and £7,000 has already been spent ahead of the race. It has a corporate sponsor in footwear brand Inov-8.

Race director Paul Dennison added: “Although runners spread out over the race route, they start the day close together at registration in the race marquee and return for refreshments and the prize-giving. It is the close assembly of more than 1,000 people which we see as possibly risking the spread of infection.”

The Three Peaks Race Association has been considering the coronavirus risk for the past 10 days and has had discussions with its contractors. By postponing the event, contractors, including marquee suppliers and caterers, are prepared to honour their commitments without the association losing money.

Runners who have already registered online will have their entries transferred to the revised date. Anyone who cannot attend will have their entries returned minus a small administration charge.

The Three Peaks Race record over the current route of 2hrs 49mins 3secs was set by Andy Peace of Bingley Harriers in 1996.

In 2017 another Bingley Harrier, Victoria Wilkinson, knocked five minutes off the women’s record set by Anna Pichrtova (Strakova), of the Czech Republic, when the Three Peaks hosted the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in 2008.

Victoria cut the women’s record to 3hrs 9mins 19secs. She claimed a £500 bonus prize, which is on offer to male and female winners who set new records. Victoria finished 13th overall, the highest race position by a female runner in the race’s history.

September 26 has been provisionally chosen as the new date because it is one of the few weekends available in the calendar which does not clash with a major fell running event.