Today the team provided its usual standby rescue cover provision for the gruelling Winter Hill Fell Race, organised excellently as ever by Horwich RMI Harriers and Athletic Club.

Now in its 26th year (the team has attended every event), the course takes in an 11 mile route with 2700 feet of ascent, centred on Winter Hill, starting and finishing at Rivington Hall Barn.

This year, 33 Call Out List members provided cover at each of the nine checkpoints, with ’spot pick up crews’, radio links, start/finish liaison and control and communications (MRT radio network only).

In addition two members of our Support Group, Gillian and Tina provided an endless supply of bacon butties and hot drinks to the team from our Catering Trailer.

Thanks also to junior team member Alex (with us for his Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award Service Section) for helping out with the catering.

With clear blue skies, excellent visibility and hilltop temperatures reaching an unseasonal 12 degreeC, it was a straightforward event, with the usual small number of retirements, 9 in total, including one competitor who retired with an ankle injury.

The excellent weather conditions of this year’s fell race compare wildly to the torrential rain and snow seen on the previous 3 years!

The team is happy to provide standby rescue cover for this event (as with other fell running events on our moors) and to support our local fell running community.