Welcome to The Fred Whitton Challenge
The Fred Whitton Challenge is one of the most popular sportives in the UK and is also famed as being particularly difficult. Dubbed ‘The Daddy of them all’ by Cycling Weekly, riders rank it alongside European events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty. The ride is a real challenge and everyone who completes it has a true sense of achievement. The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge is a charity event in honour of the late Fred Whitton who was a great advocate for cycle sport in Cumbria and North Lancashire. It is with respect to Fred and his ideals that the event remains just that, ‘a challenge’.
The Fred Whitton Challenge consists of a 114 mile sportive around the Lake District, now a World Heritage Site. Starting at Grasmere and taking in climbs of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott , Wrynose and Blea Tarn passes.
The very top riders complete the route in just under six hours but eleven hours and over are not uncommon for the average Sportive rider. This is a very tough route and going on rider feedback the hardest one day ride in the UK, the event includes all the Lakeland passes, one with a 30% gradient and this comes at 98 miles.
Next Event: 07/06/20
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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 – 114 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.
2020 RIDER LIST
VOLUNTEER
YEARS
CHARITIES
TOTAL RAISED
FWC News
Fred Whitton Challenge Charity total for 2019
Fred Whitton Challenge Charity total for 2019 After finalising our 2019 year ride we can now announce that the final amount that will go to our charities, all this was generously donated by the riders, includes Gift Aid and the surplus on the 2019 event was -...
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 places by any who drop out in the months leading up to the event
Dates for your Diary
Registration
Registration starts early December, with deferred entries from 2019, Overseas riders, Riders who raised over £500 in 2019, And riders who volunteered in 2019.
Main Entries will Start on the 6th January 2020, entries will be open for 10 days and results of the ballot will be announced late January.
Rider List Announcement
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 rider list is usually announced around the third week in January to give riders enough time to get training!
The Event (07/06/20)
The event is usually held on the Sunday following the May Day Bank holiday. For 2020 there is an official change in the date of this holiday to mark the anniversary of the end of the second World War, we have thus moved the event to Sunday 7th June. After 2020 we will revert to our original date for the event.
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.
