Author: Andy Tomlinson

Huge congratulations to Julie Finn who won the individual Equinox 24 ultra race over the weekend of 21/22 September. This was the first time a woman has won the overall solo category [with over 650 solo runners], she also ran further than any other woman has before with 190km…and all this when it was her ‘proper’ event since the birth of her daughter Evie just over a year ago! [A post on Ukrunchat provides further details.] Julie on the Equinox 24 Julie with Winners Trophy It has been quite a year for the Finn/Zeidan family as Mike completed the Ramsay Round in June in a time of 23:38…especially good since it was partly self-supported and, with a young child, he’d not had time to recce the route properly beforehand! This completes the trilogy of mountain rounds for Mike, with the Bob Graham in 2016 and Paddy Buckley in 2017. Mike on the Ramsay Round Well done both…even more so because I understand they are also in the middle of moving house…as if ultra running was not enough!

Carole Smithies writes: Sad to report that Ricky Wilde, a member since 1992 died on 24th September after a long illness.  His funeral will take place at Dukinfield Crematorium, Hall Green Road SK16 4EP at 2pm on Thursday 10th October 2019 and afterwards at The Village, Captain Clarke Road, Dukinfield SK14 4QG .   Please let Wade Cooper know if you are going to attend. Contact details in handbook.  

Fancy something different! The programme for the British Mountain Medicine Society (BMMS) Science Day taking place on Wednesday 13th November 2019 is now available…and what an eclectic programme it is too! There are scientists, clinicians and researchers from across the UK speaking on a wide range of fascinating topics. From the latest research on the brain, heart and GI tract at high altitude, to the evidence behind recent developments in mountain rescue techniques and training. There are also got talks on the evolution of MEDEX’s highly popular “Travel at High Altitude” booklet and the science that underpins the climbing of Pik Lenin, a 7134m giant that lies on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan! If all this wasn’t enough, there are posters and short presentations on a diverse range of subjects ranging from the role of beetroot juice in acclimatisation to the management of a frozen shoulder in Antarctica and the high altitude illnesses of Sir Edmund Hillary!  The final session of the day will celebrate the 1960-61 Silver Hut Expedition and it’s enormous contribution to mountain medicine. Two of the original members – Jim Milledge and Mike Gill – will be joined by Annabel Nickol and the award winning writer[…]

Congratulations to Helen Pritchard who completed this year’s Ultra Tour Monte Rosa [UTMR] last weekend finishing as the first V40 lady and 6th female overall…in good Rucksack Club tradition in such races! Day 3 was cancelled because of heavy snow. Conditions on the first 2 days were perfect, however Day 3 was cancelled because of heavy snow…as a consequence an alternative reduced route was ran on day 4 with the organisers flag a 25km 1600m route in the early hours of that morning!!! Helen noted “It was a circular route keeping us much lower down but just stunning. I loved it!” Helen on the UTMR with the Weisshorn behind Helen running through Zermatt    

A quick reminder from Carole [Smithies] that the High Camp 29 or Camp on a Welsh not quite Three Meet is next weekend [30 August – 1 September]…as a reminder of what you will miss if you don’t attend, and to ensure there is sufficient cake, Carole has sent the following: Fifty five years ago Vin Dillon went off to Wales for his first Camp on a Welsh Three.  Vin and Arthur Clarke with MRC guests Cutting & Richardson, and “member’s wife”, spent the night on Crib y Ddysgl. “Rum and cigars in leader’s tent at 7.00 followed by Talisker and biscuits and talk, then come “bottle empty” time, all along to Snowdon under a black sky peppered with stars”.  And we’ve been following Vin’s lead ever since.  Given the success of last year’s combined High Moss/Harter Fell High Camp I thought why not go back to our beginnings and do the same in Wales.  So I’ve booked Beudy for the weekend but, since Vin used up all the Welsh Threes, I’m going to camp at Llyn y Cŵm, a mere 2,000ft, just above the Devil’s Kitchen.  Like last year, the plan is for people to arrive Friday evening or Saturday morning.  No[…]