Important announcement from The Fred Whitton Challenge
It is with deep regret that we are having to cancel this year’s event. After many discussions with the Fred Whitton Steering Group it has been decided that to change the date to later in the year was not practical considering the current international fight against COVID-19.
We did consider moving the event to a later date, but this proved difficult with the venue, daylight hours and volunteer staff. The last thing we would want to happen is to rearrange the date, allow you all to reschedule you plans and accommodation and then have to cancel again due to further disruption.
We have therefore decided to move all entries on the 2020 rider list to Sunday 9th May 2021, no additional cost with be incurred to yourselves. Throughout the year more information will be placed on our website, and all riders will receive reconfirmation of a place early in 2021.
Thanks for being patient with us while we made this decision, we will make 2021 better than ever to make up for our loss this year. We will still be supporting our special charities who more than ever will need to make use of all our donations this year. Therefore, all donations that were given by riders this year will be passed on to the charities concerned.
Thanks again from all on the Fred Whitton Steering Group, we hope you make it safe and well through the rest of this year, and will see you on the start line in 2021!
Kind Regards,
Paul Loftus MBE
President of The Fred Whitton Challenge
Next Event: 09/05/21
FRED WHITTON
The person who inspired the ride, and whose untimely death moved us to ride the route and raise money for charity in his memory.
SADDLEBACK
Our main sponsors and valued supporters of the event for the past 10 years
CHALLENGE
That’s exactly what it is – 113 miles on the toughest route in Britain. We make no bones about the ride, it is hard, and will probably be the hardest one day ride you will ever complete. It will take a lot of effort and willpower to finish the event, please don’t take it lightly, and don’t attempt it if it’s your first sportive.
RIDER LIST
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Fred Whitton Challenge, places for the 2021 event have already been allocated (rolled on from 2020). There may be a small number of places available for 2021 if people drop out if this is the case we will announce these places on the website and Facebook in early January 2021.
VOLUNTEER
3 MONTH TRAINING PLAN
YEARS
CHARITIES
TOTAL RAISED
FWC News
Packing for The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge (or any other 100+ mile mission)
The last thing you want the night before any big ride, is the taxing task of packing all the right kit before getting up early doors to make the start of your ride. Use the kit list below to ensure you have everything and make use of some of the tips experienced...
Fred Whitton & the Challenge
The Fred Whitton Challenge has been raising money for charity since it began in 1999, but who is Fred Whitton – and why is it named after him? Until his untimely death in 1998 at the age of 50, Fred Whitton was an extremely popular member of the Lakes Road Club. Not only was Fred the main instigator behind all the clubs’ activities, but he was also always there on the club runs and training weekends. Living near to all the big Lake District steep climbs Fred would have known them all, so the year following his death we decided to cycle the route in his honour and use it as an opportunity to raise a bit of money for charity… twenty years later that ‘bit’ for charity is now reaching the £2000000 mark! We always think of Fred’s reaction to the event on the day and wonder what he would have made of it all.
How & When to Register
- The registration process begins in early December with Special entry places
- The Main entry opens around the first week in January. This is a ballot entry so is not a case of ‘first come first served’ – all have the same chance for a place when the ballot is taken at the end of January
- There is a reserve list for spaces opened by any who drop out before the event
Dates for your Diary
Registration
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Fred Whitton Challenge, places for the 2021 event have already been allocated (rolled on from 2020). There may be a small number of places available for 2021 if people drop out, if this is the case we will announce these places on the website and Facebook in early January 2021
Rider List Announcement
The rider list is usually announced around the third week in January to give riders enough time to get training! The main entry is via a ballot system. This is so we can be as fair as possible to all riders and avoid an “internet race” to get places in the event. Every year the event is oversubscribed, and as ever we receive a huge amount of entries via the ballot.
The Event (09/05/21)
The event is usually held on the Sunday following the May Day Bank Holiday, the 2020 event date was planned to move away from this due to a change in bank holidays. However, the 2021 event will revert back to this date, making it Sunday 5th May 2021.
ROUTES TO ENTRY
ADVANCE
CHARITY
OVERSEAS
GROUP ENTRY
GENERAL ENTRY
Friends of the Fred
Want to get involved?
It takes over 350 registered volunteers to keep the Fred Whitton Challenge going. If you’d like to help out at the event jobs for volunteers vary depending on location, time of day and skills. Please register your interest before the event. All volunteers are guaranteed a place on the following years' ride.
Or you can donate to any of our chosen charities. All donations are well received and go to helping fund these fantastic services in the community.
