Multiple Manx athletes taking on 2026 Spine Race events

Island competitors have enjoyed strong performances in recent years

Multiple Manx competitors are set to take take on events at the 2026 Montane Winter Spine Race from this weekend.

Two athletes from the Island - Graeme Hatcher and Phil Marshall - are set to take on the gruelling full Spine Race.

Meanwhile, the Isle of Man will be represented by Peter Bradley in the slightly shorter Spine Challenger North event with local duo, Jane Rose and Geoff Quayle signed up for the Spine Sprint South.

Rose and Quayle are first away today (10 January) with their race getting underway at 12pm whilst Hatcher and Marshall will be next up, commencing the Spine Race from 8am tomorrow (11 January).

After that, Bradley begins his test on the Spine Challenger North from 6pm on Sunday (11 January).

Having enjoyed previous success at the event, local pairing Orran Smith and Nikki Arthur will not be part of this year's competitions.

Smtih successfully completed the Spine Race in both 2023 and 2024 whilst Arthur won the Spine Challenger North in 2024 and was the third female finisher of the Spine Race itself last year.

The Spine Race itself involves competitors having to complete 268 miles in 168 hours, starting this year in Edale, Derbyshire and finishing iat Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders region.

Edale is also the starting post for the Spine Sprint South with that race ending in a different location of Hebden Bridge, South Yorkshire.

Elsewhere, the Spine Challenger North will also finish in Kirk Yetholm but starts in Hardraw, North Yorkshire.