Event Overview
| Date | Jan 10-16, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Location | Edale to Kirk Yetholm, United Kingdom |
| Format | 200+ Mile |
| Terrain | Mountain |
| Region | Europe |
| Distance / duration | 268 mi |
| Course model | Point-to-point |
| Edition note | Entries for 2027 opened at noon UK time on February 4, 2026, through a virtual queue, with a waitlist once places are filled. On October 20, 2026, the race page said “Check back soon for entry details” and the public 2027 roster showed no names, so current availability could not be verified from those public pages. The entry fee is £1,345. The 2027 time limit is 156 hours; the 2025 race pack gave 168 hours. The 2027 live tracking link had not been posted. |
| Elevation gain | 10,732 m |
| Elevation loss | 10,941 m |
| Cutoff | 156 hours (8:00 PM Saturday, January 16, 2027), with cut-offs at each checkpoint. The organizer sends the checkpoint cut-offs in its race pack. |
| Start | 8:00 AM Sunday, January 10, 2027, at Edale |
| Field size | 150 places. The organizer’s 2026 results list 153 runners, 88 of whom finished. |
| Highlights | Full Pennine Way, British Winter Expedition, Record 72:55:05 (Jack Scott, 2024) |
Montane Winter Spine 2027 races
Every race in the 2027 Winter Spine week, with start, finish, distance, time limit and places from the organizer’s race pages.
| Race | Start | Finish | Distance | Time limit | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spine Race | Edale, 8:00 AM Sun, Jan 10 | Kirk Yetholm | 268 mi | 156 hours | 150 |
| Challenger South | Edale, 8:00 AM Sat, Jan 9 | Hawes | 108 mi | 60 hours | 150 |
| MRT Challenge South | Edale, 8:30 AM Sat, Jan 9 | Hawes | 108 mi | 60 hours | 30 |
| Challenger North | Hardraw, 6:00 PM Sun, Jan 10 | Kirk Yetholm | 160 mi | 108 hours | 100 |
| MRT Challenge North | Hardraw, 6:00 PM Sun, Jan 10 | Kirk Yetholm | 160 mi | 108 hours | 30 |
| Sprint South | Edale, noon Sat, Jan 9 | Hebden Bridge | 46 mi | 18 hours | 100 |
| Sprint North | Brown Rigg, noon Tue, Jan 12 | Kirk Yetholm | 43 mi | 18 hours | 75 |
The MRT races are for active Mountain Rescue team members and follow the Challenger routes. Montane’s event page lists the Challenger North as Hawes to Kirk Yetholm; the organizer’s race page gives the start as Hardraw, next to Hawes.
Sources: Official Spine Race page; Official Challenger South page; Official Challenger North page; Official MRT Challenge South page; Official MRT Challenge North page; Official Sprint South page; Official Sprint North page.
Spine Race checkpoints
Main checkpoints, monitoring points and huts on the full route, with approximate mileages.
| Location | Type | Approx. mile |
|---|---|---|
| CP1 Hebden | Checkpoint | 46 |
| Malham Tarn | Monitoring point, 30-minute stay | Not published |
| CP2 Hawes | Checkpoint | 109 |
| CP3 Langdon Beck | Checkpoint | About 152 |
| Dufton | Monitoring point, 30-minute stay | About 170 |
| CP4 Alston | Checkpoint | 186 |
| CP5 Bellingham | Checkpoint | 224 |
| Byrness | Monitoring point, 30-minute stay | 240 |
| Huts 1 and 2 | Cheviot mountain huts, 2-hour stay | Not published |
| Kirk Yetholm | Finish | 268 |
Mileages are approximate figures from iRunFar’s 2026 race report; the organizer’s race pack, which has the checkpoint details, comes through a sign-up form on the race page. The organizer’s own race distances agree: the Sprint South ends at Hebden Bridge after 46 miles and the Challenger South at Hawes after 108. CP1 is in Hebden Bridge (the race page names the Birchcliffe venue), and the race page also lists Hardraw, the Challenger North start next to Hawes.
Sources: Official Spine Race page; Official FAQs: checkpoint and monitoring-point stays; iRunFar: 2026 Winter Spine Race results.
Montane Winter Spine Race winners by year
First man and first woman at every edition of the full winter race, from the organizer’s results archive.
| Year | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sébastien Raichon (FRA), 95:43:52 | Anna Troup (GBR), 106:19:12 |
| 2025 | Kim Collison (GBR), 82:46:32 | Lucy Gossage (GBR), 87:41:38 |
| 2024 | Jack Scott (GBR), 72:55:05 | Claire Bannwarth (FRA), 92:02:23 |
| 2023 | Damian Hall (GBR), 84:36:24 | Claire Bannwarth (FRA), 97:39:58 |
| 2022 | Eoin Keith (IRL), 92:40:30 | Debbie Martin-Consani (GBR), 104:08:22 |
| 2020 | John Kelly (USA), 87:53:57 | Sabrina Verjee (GBR), 108:07:17 |
| 2019 | Eoin Keith (IRL), 98:18:23 | Jasmin Paris (GBR), 83:12:23, first overall |
| 2018 | Pavel Paloncy (CZE), 109:50:22 | Carol Morgan (IRL), 130:37:22 |
| 2017 | Tom Hollins (GBR), 99:25:36 | Carol Morgan (IRL), 109:54:00 |
| 2016 | Eoin Keith (IRL), 95:17:00 | Anna Buckingham and Zoe Thornburgh (GBR), 166:38:00 |
| 2015 | Pavel Paloncy (CZE), 81:34:00 | Beth Pascall (GBR), 90:59:00 |
| 2014 | Pavel Paloncy (CZE), 110:45:00 | Debbie Brupbacher (GBR), 153:17:00 |
| 2013 | Eugeni Roselló Solé (ESP), 124:52:00 | Annabel Gates (GBR), 172:59:00 |
| 2012 | Gary Morrison and Steve Thompson (GBR), 151:02:00 | No female finisher |
The archive has no 2021 tab; Wikipedia records that the 2021 race was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2015 course was altered (no Dufton), so 2015 times do not count as records. The archive gives 2013 times in days and hours (5d4h52m and 7d4h59m). Its 2025 tab is headed “Montane Spine Race 2024” but holds the 2025 results, which iRunFar and Wikipedia confirm. Some early winning times are longer than today’s 156-hour limit.
Sources: Official Winter Spine Race results archive; iRunFar: 2026 Winter Spine Race results; Wikipedia: Spine Race (cross-check).
Selected 2027 Spine Race mandatory kit standards
The 2027 winter kit list applies to all Winter Spine races and numbers 29 items. These are some of the minimum standards.
| Item | Minimum standard |
|---|---|
| Sleeping bag | Mummy style with a hood and an EN/ISO comfort limit of 0°C (32°F) or colder; no quilts and no bags older than 15 years |
| Sleeping mat | At least 5 mm thick and long enough to reach from head to knees (119 cm minimum) |
| Bivvy bag | Waterproof, opening only at the top; no foil or survival bags |
| Head torch | At least 100 lumens, plus spare batteries or a second torch |
| Waterproof jacket | Fixed hood, fully taped seams and at least 10,000 mm hydrostatic head |
| Traction aids | Coil or spike type covering the front and rear of the foot; no nanospikes |
| Navigation | GPS device, maps and compass |
| Food | At least 1,500 kcal carried from the start and from each checkpoint |
| Water | Capacity to carry 2 liters |
| Mobile phone | Working on a UK network, fully charged at the start and above 50% when leaving a checkpoint |
| Mug | At least 300 ml and not collapsible, because the event is cupless |
| Eye protection | Clear goggles or glasses with a strap and a seal around the eyes |
Each missing item can cost a 1-hour time penalty, and runners cannot leave a checkpoint until it is replaced. Several missing items can lead to a warning or disqualification. The kit list’s summary numbers 29 items, while its penalty section says there are 30.
Sources: Official winter kit list page; Official 2027 winter kit list (PDF).
Course & Terrain
Non-stop, point-to-point route on the Pennine Way from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, North Pennines, Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland National Park and the Cheviots. The five main checkpoints are at Hebden, Hawes, Langdon Beck, Alston and Bellingham, with monitoring points at Malham Tarn, Dufton and Byrness and two mountain huts in the Cheviots.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Kinder Plateau, Malham Cove and Pen-y-Ghent on the southern half
- The Cross Fell climb out of Dufton
- Hadrian’s Wall
- The Cheviots and the finish at Kirk Yetholm
Moorland, bog, rocky paths and high fells, often under snow or ice. Runners must navigate with a GPS device as well as maps and a compass. The organizer plans bad-weather diversions at Deans Clough, Bank Newton, Pen-y-Ghent, the River Tees and Cauldron Snout, and lower routes around Cross Fell and the Cheviots for extreme weather. It also warns of a marked bog hole on Sleightholme Moor after Tan Hill.
The organizer expects 0 to 10°C by day and −10 to 2°C at night, with about 8 hours of daylight. The 2026 race started in the wake of Storm Goretti, which brought snow, freezing temperatures and gales, followed by a thaw that left slush and ice.
Entry & Logistics
| Registration and fees | Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms. |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Entrants must be 21 or older. Finishing an ultra over 80 miles, or a Montane Spine Challenger North or South, qualifies automatically. Other experience, such as mountain marathons, long fell races, the Bob Graham Round, remote expeditions or recent mountain rescue or military service, is reviewed by the race director. The race page asks for a mountain, hill or moorland ultra over 100 miles, which is stricter than the qualification page. |
| Support model | The main checkpoints offer hot meals, hot and cold drinks, a place to sleep, medical staff and your resupply bag, with showers at Hawes, Alston and Bellingham. Runners may stay up to 6 hours at a main checkpoint, 30 minutes at a monitoring point and 2 hours in each Cheviot hut. Cafes, pubs and shops on the route can be used. |
| Crew / pacers | No crews or pacers. The race is unsupported: planned support and following vehicles are banned, and friends and family may cheer only once during the race and must not hand over food, drink or kit. Poles are allowed. |
| Drop bags | One resupply bag of up to 20 kg goes to CP1 to CP5 and the finish. International runners can pay to have one extra 20 kg luggage bag moved along the route, but it cannot be opened during the race. |
| Logistics note | Kit check and registration take place in Edale before the start, and a GPS tracker is fitted to every runner. Runners make their own way to Edale and home from Kirk Yetholm; the team can help with taxi numbers, bus and train times and lift sharing. Hotels, B&Bs and campsites may not be used for sleeping, but runners can bivvy on the trail or sleep at checkpoints. International runners can book a luggage transfer for a fee. |
Why This Race Matters
The Montane Winter Spine Race is the main event of the Spine Race series: a non-stop January crossing of the whole Pennine Way National Trail. The organizer’s results archive starts in 2012, when three runners finished, and covers every year to 2026 except 2021, when the race was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jasmin Paris won outright in 2019 in 83:12:23, still the women’s record, and Jack Scott set the overall course record of 72:55:05 in 2024. The same week includes the Spine Challenger South and Challenger North, which cover the southern and northern parts of the route, plus two Sprints and two races for Mountain Rescue team members.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- Overall course record: Jack Scott (GBR), 72:55:05, 2024.
- Women’s record: Jasmin Paris (GBR), 83:12:23, 2019, when she won the race outright.
- Pavel Paloncy’s 81:34:00 in 2015 does not count as a record because the course was altered that year; the organizer’s 2015 results note “No Dufton – altered course”.
- Most men’s wins: Pavel Paloncy (2014, 2015, 2018) and Eoin Keith (2016, 2019, 2022), three each. Carol Morgan (2017, 2018) and Claire Bannwarth (2023, 2024) have each won the women’s race twice.
- 2026 winners: Sébastien Raichon (FRA), 95:43:52, and Anna Troup (GBR), 106:19:12.
Preparing for a Race Like Montane Winter Spine Race
The 200-mile race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- 200-mile race strategy: Pacing, sleep loss, aid stations, navigation, crew and feet, with a worked Moab 240 plan.
- Sleep strategy for multiday races: An individual sleep plan with safe locations and clear stop criteria.
- Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
- Foot-care kit for multiday running: Tape, lube, socks, blister pads and simple hot-spot rules.
Best Fit
- Experienced mountain ultrarunners who can navigate alone at night
- Runners who have finished a Spine Challenger and want the full Pennine Way
- Dot-watchers following a week-long race
Planning Notes
- Prepare for sleep decisions, weather swings, and aid-station discipline. The distance is only one part of a multi-day fixed-distance race.
- Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
- The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
- Strict checkpoint cut-offs, and a 156-hour limit that is shorter than the 168 hours in the 2025 race pack
- Mandatory kit is checked at registration and on the course, and each missing item can cost a 1-hour penalty
- Only about 8 hours of daylight a day
- Sleep deprivation and navigation errors; a time penalty applies if going off route gives an advantage
Event FAQs
When is the 2027 Montane Winter Spine Race?
The full Spine Race starts at 8:00 AM on Sunday, January 10, 2027, in Edale, Derbyshire, and the 156-hour limit runs to 8:00 PM on Saturday, January 16, at Kirk Yetholm. The rest of the Winter Spine week starts on January 9 (Challenger South and Sprint South), January 10 (Challenger North) and January 12 (Sprint North).
How long is the Spine Race, and what is the time limit?
268 miles along the Pennine Way, with 10,732 m of ascent and 10,941 m of descent by the organizer’s figures. The limit is 156 hours, with cut-offs at each checkpoint.
What is the Spine Challenger South?
A non-stop 108-mile race on the southern part of the Pennine Way, from Edale to Hawes. It starts at 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 9, 2027, with a 60-hour limit and 150 places, and crosses Kinder Plateau, Malham Cove and Pen-y-Ghent. The organizer says to treat it as similar in difficulty to the full race. An ultra over 60 miles or any finished Spine event qualifies automatically.
What is the Spine Challenger North?
A non-stop 160-mile race from Hardraw, next to Hawes, to Kirk Yetholm. It starts at 6:00 PM on Sunday, January 10, 2027, with a 108-hour limit and 100 places, and its checkpoints are Langdon Beck, Alston and Bellingham. An ultra over 60 miles or a Challenger South finish qualifies automatically.
How can I follow Spine Race live tracking?
Every runner carries a GPS tracker, and the organizer’s FAQ says friends and family can dot-watch on its live tracking system, alongside updates on Facebook, Instagram and X and daily videos. In 2026 the tracking ran on Open Tracking, and on October 20, 2026 Montane’s Spine event page still linked the 2026 race at live.opentracking.co.uk/spinerace26/. The 2027 tracking link had not been posted yet.
What are the Spine Race records?
Jack Scott holds the overall course record of 72:55:05, set in 2024. Jasmin Paris holds the women’s record of 83:12:23 from 2019, when she won the race outright. The 2026 race was won by Sébastien Raichon in 95:43:52 and Anna Troup in 106:19:12.
How do you get into the Montane Winter Spine Race?
You must be 21 or older and show relevant experience. The qualification article accepts an ultra over 80 miles or a Spine Challenger finish, but the race page asks for a mountain, hill or moorland ultra over 100 miles. Confirm which standard applies with the organizer before relying on the lower threshold; meeting experience criteria does not itself secure a place. Entries for 2027 opened at noon UK time on February 4, 2026, through a virtual queue with a waitlist. The fee is £1,345, either in full or as a £600 deposit with £745 due 100 days before the race. Deposits are non-refundable.
Can Spine Race runners have support crews or pacers?
No. The Spine is an unsupported race: pacing, planned support and following vehicles are banned. Runners can use cafes, pubs and shops on the route, and friends and family may cheer once during the race but must not hand over food, drink or kit. Support comes from the race’s checkpoints and a 20 kg resupply bag.
Related Preparation
- Open the 200+ Mile format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
- Print a pace band for your goal time
- Estimate race calories and plan fueling
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 20, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Official Montane Winter Spine Race page — https://www.thespinerace.com/race/montane-winter-spine/montane-winter-spine-spine/
- Official Challenger South page — https://www.thespinerace.com/race/montane-winter-spine/montane-winter-spine-challenger-south/
- Official Challenger North page — https://www.thespinerace.com/race/montane-winter-spine/montane-winter-spine-challenger-north/
- Official Winter Spine 2027 entry information — https://www.thespinerace.com/winter-spine-2027-entry-information/
- Official qualification criteria — https://www.thespinerace.com/what-experience-do-i-need-to-qualify-for-a-montane-spine-race/
- Official FAQs — https://www.thespinerace.com/spine-hq/faqs/
- Official route information and diversions — https://www.thespinerace.com/spine-races-route-info/
- Official winter kit list page — https://www.thespinerace.com/spine-race-winter-kit-list/
- Official Winter Spine Race results archive — https://www.thespinerace.com/winter-spine-race-results/
- Official 2025 race pack (PDF) — https://www.thespinerace.com/wp-content/plugins/advntm-events/uploads/montane-winter-spine-2025-65/winterspine25_racepack_v7-pdf.pdf
- Montane’s Winter Spine event page with 2027 dates and 2026 tracking links — https://www.montane.com/montane-spine-race-i56
- iRunFar: 2026 Winter Spine Race results — https://www.irunfar.com/2026-winter-spine-race-results
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 20, 2026.