Runners pass the mast at Windy Hill as night falls on the first day. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Leaders in the Montane Winter Spine Race are setting a blistering pace as they head north along the Pennine Way.

Jack Scott currently has a commanding lead over second-place Damian Hall, as they enter the Northumberland National Park on the third day of the event.

Konrad Rawlik was in third place at the time of writing, and Dougie Zinis was in fourth place. Behind him in fifth overall place was Claire Bannwarth, who leads the women’s competition about 12km ahead of second-fastest female Lucy Gossage.

Sub-zero temperatures and the fast pace have seen several fancied runners retire from the race, among them John Kelly, who holds the record for the fastest traverse of the Pennine Way, albeit in the opposite direction.

Jack Scott. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Past winners Eugeni Roselló Solé and Pavel Paloncý have also dropped out of the event, along with Kim Collison who shared the lead with Damian Hall during early stages of the race. Victoria Morris, who was among leading women, has also pulled out, as have James Nobles and David Phillips who were in the group chasing the leaders. Some of the athletes reported minor injuries as their reason for withdrawal.

Leading woman Claire Bannwarth. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

The route was diverted in upper Teesdale to avoid the exposed, iced-up ascent at Cauldron Snout. After freezing conditions for most of the first two days, with participants facing frozen drinks bottles, snow has arrived in the North Pennines.

While race leader Scott has left Hadrian’s Wall, the field is strung out over a long stretch of the Pennine Way, with final runner Alan Cormack more than 100km south of the first-placed athlete, approaching Hawes.

The top three runners are currently ahead of the course record of 3 days 11hrs 12mins 23secs set by Jasmin Paris in 2019, though Paris’s pace picked up in the later stages of the race.

Damian Hall. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Runners in the Montane Spine Challenger North and its mountain rescue category are still en route between Hardraw and Kirk Yetholm with leader Joe O’Leary north of Bellingham, and lead female Nikki Arthur having just left Hadrian’s Wall.

In the other shorter races, Samantha Lissauer and Daniel Weller took victory in the Montane Spine Winter Challenger South, from Edale to Hawes. The winners of the MRT Challenge South were teammates Tom Parkin and Ruth Smith representing Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

Rupert Allison and Jessica Johnson, the winners of the 46-mile Sprint race, from Edale to Hebden Bridge, shattered the course records.

Runners’ progress in the Spine Race and Challenger North categories can be followed on the Open Tracking website.