Ultra runner and #TeamMontane athlete, Simon Roberts, has claimed victory at the 2023 Montane Cheviot Goat, with Nicky Spinks successfully defending her crown to secure first-placed woman, in brutal, icy conditions.
Settingoff in minus temperatures with a persistent cold front, Roberts finished the Montane Cheviot Goat 2023 with a time of 13 hours 4 minutes, 12 minutes ahead of fellow #TeamMontane athlete, James Nobles, in second place despite the frozen conditions. Sam Downing rounded off the top three, with a time of 13 hours 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, Spinks put in a strong performance to finish in a time of 15 hours 11 minutes as first-placed woman, just under two hours ahead of Fiona Horsfield in second, and three-and-a-half hours ahead of Louise Goddard in third.
The route features ascents of 12,500ft, with the 55-mile unmarked course seeing runners traverse a loop of the largest hills in the border region. Participants are taken high up in the Cheviot fells, across peat-covered hills and down grassy banks, while running along the border ridge, all within a 24-hour cut-off time.
The victory for Roberts marks his second win in the competition after claiming gold in the 2021 edition and adds to his roster of achievements after he triumphed at the 2021 Montane Dragon’s Back race. The race included a successful performance from recently inducted #TeamMontane athlete Nobles, while Spinks successfully defended her Montane Cheviot Goat crown after winning last year’s race. This year’s success makes it three victories in total for Spinks after she placed first in the 2019 edition.
Speaking on his win, Simon Roberts said: ‘We were spoilt with true Cheviot Goat conditions. Ice, snow, bog and below-zero temperatures. This was a true test to get through and put the Montane kit through its paces. Surrounded by beautiful skies, at times, it was an amazing day out.’
Montane’s Marketing Director, Matthew Hickman, said: “Every year we see participants pushed to their limit taking on the Montane Cheviot Goat, and this year that was certainly the case. The freezing, snowy, and very harsh conditions added an extra element of difficulty for runners and while it makes the event more challenging, it also makes crossing the finish line even sweeter. We are delighted to see two strong performances from our athletes, Simon Roberts, and James Nobles this year and extend our congratulations to Nicky Spinks on the defence of her crown, as well as to those that took part in the race.”
This year was the sixth edition of the Montane Cheviot Goat, with its namesake given to highlight the harsh conditions of the December race, a time when livestock are brought down from the hills and only the hard Cheviot goat roams the hills. 2023 saw Montane once again positioned as headline sponsor of the border ridge race.
More information on the results can be found here: https://results.opentracking.co.uk/event/cheviotgoat23
More information on the Montane Cheviot Goat can be found here: https://montane.com/pages/montane-cheviot-goat-winter-ultra
