2007 Four Peaks Challenge

39 teams, 4 mountains, 4 peaks, 2 days and £385,019.00 pledged for Spoon projects throughout the UK and Ireland!
 
What a fantastic total to mark the end of one of the most emotional, exhausting and exhilarating Wooden Spoon Four Peaks Challenges yet. The emotion started at Fort William where four peaks teams were invited to attend a new Wooden Spoon project in Fort William, the town at the foot of Ben Nevis and the start point for the Four Peaks Challenge for the last 18 years. The Lochaber Hydrotherapy pool to which Wooden Spoon has contributed,  is in the process of being built and will help approximately 300 disabled and deprived children in the immediate Fort William area that live at home or in residential facilities that will benefit from the pool. Trustees of the project met teams and marshals and described the plans for the future and what a huge difference it will make to the region.

Having registered and been thoroughly briefed, at 4.00pm on Thursday afternoon 39 teams nervously gathered at the start line ready to fight the elements and conquer 4 mountains in our  4 home nations in 48 hours! Although Fort William had avoided some of the appalling weather conditions experienced throughout the rest of the UK, exhaustion set in early as teams faced driving rain and snow on Ben Nevis—yes, snow, in June!! Despite the conditions, all teams completed the mountain and made the long night drive to North West England.

At 06.00 on Friday morning the weather conditions had improved greatly as teams set off to conquer Helvellyn, the shortest of the four climbs. Snowdon was the second climb of the day in long awaited sunshine, lifting spirits and as teams crossed the finish line knowing there were 3 down and only one to go. 

The overnight ferry to Dublin offered some welcome sleeping time followed by a deceptively sunny drive down to South West Ireland and Killarney where thick black clouds hovered menacingly over Carantouhill. It threatened to be wet and wild, and it was, and with every weather condition thrown at them, including hail, the teams battled up and down determined to complete the challenge. The exhilaration set in as , despite the driving rain, teams crossed the finish line to the sounds of ‘Tuatha’ our resident Irish Band and the welcome smell of massage oil and bacon butties.
 
Whilst the fastest time was an impressive 8 hours 14 minutes on all four mountains, only 30 minutes slower than the previous year, the slowest teams were more adversely affected by the weather conditions with the Wooden Spoon winners completing all four mountains in a knee buckling but determined 21 hours and 30 minutes—ouch!

At the end of an amazing 48 hours it was time to party, and what a party (although the organisers would like to apologise for the use of  a higher than normal stage with steps for the legendary prize giving ceremony which tested the sore muscles of event the fittest team members!).
The 2007 challenge is a record-breaker; teams have raised more on average than ever before (an average of £9,900 per team—wow!) and they just keep coming back for more—Team 2 ‘The Wooden Tops’ celebrated their 60th birthdays by competing for the 10th time and winning the veterans award whilst Dennis Gittins competed for a record 11th time and is already planning his 12th. Fantastic friendships were forged, personal battles won, a great party had at the end and smiles were stirred throughout the UK and Ireland. Well done to all the teams on their fabulous achievement.
 
Results
Everyone’s a winner on the Four Peaks Challenge but special congratulations go to the prize winners: The Flyers did and were the 2007 Challenge Award Winners pledging a fantastic £17,800 and completing all four mountains in a swift 8 hrs 14 mins. The Rovers Return‘ed’ again and won the Corporate Challenge award completing all four mountains in 8hrs 53mins and pledging £16,000. Va Va Victory from HMS Victory flew the flag and pledged a victorious £31,501 and won the Most Funds Raised Award. Vivaro motored up and down all four mountains in a roaring 8hrs 24mins and won Fastest Time Award. The Wooden Tops celebrated 10 years of Four Peaks and won the Veterans Award with a stirring total climbing time of 11hrs 16mins and £10,755 raised whilst The Honey Buzzards soared and took the Ladies Award in a time of 13hrs 4mins and £7,560 raised. The Mixed Team Award went to Norton Rose with a climbing time of 12hrs 25mins and £15,000 raised. Proof It! Proved their worth and won Ben Nevis Award with a climbing time of 2hrs 48mins. 4peaks.com surfed up and down in 1 hour 32 mins and won the Helvellyn Award whilst the Vivaro Veterans made it a Vivaro double and took the Snowdon Award with a climbing time of 2hrs 11mins. Ex Brigands did ex tremely well and won the Carantouhill Award with a time of 3hrs 12mins. Lost In Space won the battle of the car park to take the Best Dressed Vehicle Award. Last but by no means least the Wooden Spoons were awarded to 4BD (loves) 4PC who bravely completed all four mountains in a knee buckling 21hrs 30mins.

Click here to download a full set of results
 
Salute The Sponsors
All our teams worked incredibly hard both raising funds and climbing hills but none of it would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. A big thank you to James Titchener and his team at Enterprise Rent A Car who supplied some of the team vehicles and marshal vans respectively, HH Associates who made sure we stayed in print, Stena Line who ferried us to Ireland (& back!), Maximuscle who fuelled the teams, Walon UK who sponsored our logistics and Groupama who insured our success. Thanks must also go to our subsidiary sponsors, Office Watercoolers who kept us hydrated and Panavision and Audiolink who kept the marshals in touch.

WE THANK YOU ALL AND HOPE TO ENJOY YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT NEXT YEAR!!!
 
2008 will mark Spoon’s 25th Anniversary and we’re planning an extra special Four Peaks!
The date will be 26-28th June 2008, contact the Challenge Office for an entry form – challenge@eventsunlimited.co.uk Tel:01889 582889.