Great Lakeland Challenge 2009 - A Sweltering 114,466 Pledged in the Best Weather Ever!

After a few years of dwindling team numbers, an impressive 24 teams defied the current climate and once again demonstrated triumph over adversity to safely complete England’s longest, steepest and highest charity challenge and pledged an amazing £114,466.00.  Congratulations to all the competitors, sponsors and marshals who worked so hard to make the challenge such a success.  At 07.31 on Friday morning, 24 teams headed off the start line at the bottom of Lake Windermere in their bid to conquer the 13th Ford Ranger Great Lakeland Challenge. The lake was like a mirror and there wasn't a breath of wind which meant that (unusually!) all teams managed to remain upright and in their canoes for the length of England’s longest lake, and record some impressive times to boot. With adrenaline pumping, the canoe/cycle transition area was a flurry of activity as teams raced to get ready for the cycle start, with some dreading what lay ahead.

Again the conditions were  perfect for cycling, it was just the navigational skills of some of the teams that let them down — 2  of the 24 teams added miles to what was already a gruelling 26 mile bike ride and failed to make it to the mountain start by the cut-off time of 2.00pm. The mountain section was fantastically clear with full visibility and great views all the way and the remaining 22 teams jostled for position and completed the event with a closely fought race to the finish line for first and second positions. The clear skies and sunshine helped make the atmosphere at the finish area the best yet as teams and supporters in high spirits enjoyed the free bar and BBQ and remained to cheer the last teams in.
 
Everyone’s a winner on the Ford Ranger Great Lakeland Challenge, but special congratulations go to: overall winners Charing Cross Chancers who won the Challenge Bowl by completing all three sections in 7 hours 23 minutes and pledging an amazing £6,000. Two Backs and a Prop did some phenomenal fund raising to win the Funding Bowl pledging an enormous £12,001.  3 Dentists and a Fill-in won the Fastest Time Bowl completing all three sections in an impressive 7 hours 27 minutes including changeovers.

RES were left stroking the canoe bowl with a calm 1 hour 59 minutes; Cats Cream rode off with the Cycle Bowl in 2 hours 29minutes and Tribac Trotters ran away with the Mountain Bowl with a climbing time of 3 hours 1 minute. The Devon Dumplings were the winners of the Mixed Team Bowl having completed all three sections in 10 hours 10 minutes whilst The Ford Underwater Canoeing Team II took the Veteran’s Bowl with a total time of  9 hours 9 minutes. Two Backs and a Prop sped off in the Best Dressed Vehicle and Fat Boy Run won the Wooden Spoons having finished all three sections in a steady time of 12 hours 1 minutes.
 
Congratulations to you all, but the real winners will be the disadvantaged children and young people throughout the UK who will benefit from your amazing hard work and dedication – thank you one and all. The financial success of this event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and volunteers. Firstly a huge thank you to Ford Motor Company for supplying team and marshal vehicles as well as logistical support and teams on the event. Special thanks to Mark Beal, Nigel Pointer and his team for supporting the event from Head Office and Jennifer Banfield from the Ford Event Team for handling the vehicle logistics and Simon and Nick for their logistical support and event dressing on the day.

The vehicles were once again insured free of charge by Groupama and we thank Phil McNally for continuing their support.  Thanks to Panavision and   Audiolink who provided the marshal communication, Activ8rehab for providing fitness advice prior to the challenge, Maximuscle for keeping the teams energised and Peter Midwood, Andy Cruxton and the staff at YMCA Lakeside who did an excellent job once again providing canoe training and safety cover on the event.  Thanks also to Nick Lancaster  and Jackie Lancaster and all the staff at The Langdale Hotel & Country Club who provided a fabulous venue and service, to the National Trust for allowing us to use Fell Foot Park, Low Wray Campsite and Wasdale Head, and the Rowand family for allowing us to finish the event at Stool End Farm.
 
Last & by no means least, very special thanks to the voluntary committee and section leaders and our cheerful and willing band of marshals – we couldn’t do it without you. And finally to our Challenge Photographer Ian Richards and his better half Deborah who did a fantastic job of capturing the event on film.  Thank you one and all….
 
Plans are already underway for the 2010 Challenge.  The date will be Friday 10th September 2010.  Please visit http://www.spoonchallenges.com/ and enter online, or contact Kerry at challenge@eventsunlimited.co.uk for an entry form.