Seventh spot ultra-marathon finish for Blois-Brooke

FORMER Great Britain and Shiplake College rower Henry Blois-Brooke completed the infamous ‘Montane Spine Challenger’ ultra-marathon earlier this month.

This unsupported event along the Pennine Way is known as one of the most brutal of Britain’s races. It covers 108 miles and 5,500m of climbing along some of the remotest parts of the country. It is renowned for extreme weather and this year’s event was true to form with freezing temperatures, strong winds and driving rain and sleet.

Fifteen hours of the event are during the hours of darkness. Many of the 98 competitors who started dropped out along the way due to the appalling conditions. Blois-Brooke, who lives in Wargrave, completed the event in 32 hours, 39 minutes placing him seventh overall.

Speaking after the event, Blois-Brooke, said: “It’s as tough as rowing but goes on much longer. Never have I had to dig so deep into both my mental and physical reserves. I found myself in a very dark hole on Sunday afternoon as I approached the finish.”

Blois-Brooke is an accomplished GB rower having won the U23 World Championships and the Head of the River in 2019 and had success at Henley Royal Regatta in 2019 and 2021 rowing for Oxford Brookes University.