2019 Fred Whitton Challenge 20th Anniversary

2019, the 20th year of the Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge

Returning from a short rest the 12 person steering group team are now back working again to make the 2019 ride something special. After finalising this year’s ride we can now announce that the final amount that will go to our charities, and was raised by the riders and the surplus on the 2018 event was a staggering … £207.884

Macmillan Cancer Support is the main charity we support and they received £113.992
The two Air Ambulances £17.000 each
Mountain Rescue £20.400 and our donations to
Youth Cycling projects £30,000.
Charity Donation to MacMillan

The youth projects involve boys and girls youths/junior racing teams who with the help of FWC funding have raced successfully at home and abroad this year, we are also supporting various school initiatives that are encouraging children to cycle to school, maintain, and build their own bikes from scratch. Something we will continue in contributing to, helping to create the cyclist of the future.

Amazingly the donations are still coming in so it is very likely that the total raised will increase more.

Special mentions

We have had some outstanding individuals making a big effort this year raising donations for our special charities, as a small thank you the following riders will receive a gift from our Sponsors Saddleback.

Tim Wildenberg Epsom (raised £7,708)
Alastair Eagels Lancaster (raised £3,315)
Jack Wilder Peterboro (raised £2,808)

The following riders received a Golden Jersey for their special commitment to the event this year:

Ben O’Dowd
Ben has followed the growing Fred Whitton event every year since he was 5, supporting riders, including Dad, Uncle and friends.
Gary Hardy Cyclewise Altura
The only rider to start and finish every event – an achievement in itself.
Tim King
A huge fan of the Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge, Tim has ridden the last six events and also raised more than £8,200.
Ian Tyson
Broughton’s famous butcher and delicatessen owner took up cycling after his brother, Alex, sadly passed away from cancer. Has raised thousands over the years and also donates all the events Bananas each year.

L to R: Ben O’Dowd, Gary Hardie, Tim King, Ian Tyson

Fred Whitton Challenge 2019

Alistair Boston – Our organiser of the 250 marshals that are needed to make the event happen, also promoter of social events, this year an evening with ITV presenter Ned Boulting talking cycling and other things, Ned generously gave his time up for free enabling Alistair to make £1,332 each for The Children’s Ward at Furness General Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support, also coaches Hockey in his spare time.

At the end of August we start planning for 2019, this includes finding the 250 volunteer helper/marshals that we need to put the event on, without these generous people who give their help before and on the weekend of the ride, the ride could not take place.

A World Heritage Site venue

This year The Lake District has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site joining iconic locations such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef and Grand Canyon as a place of international acclaim, the whole of our 114 mile route takes place within this boundary.

The Tour of Britain

Grasmere of Wordsworth fame is one of the most picturesque and popular villages in the UK and is the start and finish of the event. The Tour of Britain visits Grasmere at the beginning of September 2018 along with Whinlatter Pass one of the climbs that feature on the Fred Whitton, we only climb it once, but the Tour of Britain climbs it three times, and it is the stage finish for both days the Tour is in Cumbria. The visit of the Tour and the continuation of The Fred Whitton is down in part to all the encouragement we receive from the Lake District Park Authority and Cumbria County Council.

YRDP Ladies team mixing it on the cobbles in Belguim

Because we have a unique event we realise that we have to limit the number of riders taking part, we now have nearly 20 years experience of this, and we know the limit on the number we can allow on some of the narrower roads in Cumbria, we have tried to help this by increasing the number of road closures we can operate including – Hard Knott Pass Wyrnose Pass and the Blea Tarn road.

From previous experience we know we will be oversubscribed again in 2019, but there are a few different ways you can guarantee a place on the ride, the full details will be available on our site at the start of December, following this the main entry will be available at the beginning of January.