True grit heroes face mountain fundraising challenge

Three members of Oldham Mountain Rescue Team are putting their best foot forward in a mammoth challenge to raise vital funds for a key rescue vehicle.

The Spine Mountain Rescue Team Challenger is a non-stop 108-mile race between Edale in the Peak District and Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales, following the Pennine Way.

The intense race, with a notorious reputation for weather being a defining factor, includes 6300m of ascent and is set against the possibility of snow, gales and driving rain.

The continuous event has an overall time allowance of 60 hours, but winners are expected to finish closer to the 30-hour mark. The Braveheart trio from Oldham Mountain Rescue Team, which operates across Greater Manchester, will not have time to stop or sleep on the torturous route.

Team member Rob Jones, an accountant, is taking part in the race next weekend for the third time.

He said: “Weather is a key factor. We competed in the race one year when winds were gusting up to 80mph. You struggled to stand up. It took us 10 hours to cover the last ten miles.”

Since the inception of the race, Oldham MRT has entered athletes each year. To date, it has been completed by David Wyatt, Iain Airth, Chris Maylor and Matt Torr.

 

 

This year, Rob, 37, will be facing the course with Ron McFaull, a first time challenger, and Luke Viney, at 26 the youngest member of the mountain rescue team, determined to get home after he did not finish last year.

Their mission is to raise funds for the cost of a new mountain rescue control vehicle - estimated at £65,000 - to replace the current control vehicle, now more than 15 years old.

The Spine MRT Challenger starts at 9am on Saturday 11 January. The normal Spine Challenger race begins one hour earlier (8am). There is also the full Spine race, which covers all 268 miles of the Pennine Way which starts at 8am on Sunday 12 January.

To support the venture, please visit:

• www.justgiving.com/fundraising/robert-jones-spine2020