Montane, the British outdoor clothing specialist, has renewed its partnership with one of the world’s toughest endurance races – the Montane Spine Race – for an additional three years. The move comes following the conclusion of the Montane Spine Race 2022 – the 10th anniversary of the event – in what was one of the most thrilling events to date.
The race sees contestants tackle the Pennine Way, the UK’s first national trail, in a gruelling, non-stop, seven-day race that pits participants against extreme weather conditions.
In the women’s Spine event, Montane athlete of 10 years and renowned ultra-runner, Debbie Martin-Consani, claimed first place, recording a time of 104 hours 8 minutes, coming in just under three hours ahead of second-placed Elaine Bisson.
Debbie Martin-Consani, speaking on how she felt after her win, said: “I’m surprised but happy, as I know I gave it my absolute everything and that’s all I wanted to achieve.” Discussing what she found the toughest part of the race, Debbie added: “The final day, as I was having real problems with my back. I knew that I had 26 miles to go to finish, but if that had happened any other day, that would have been game over.”
The renewed partnership between Montane and the Spine Race will take effect from June 2022 and includes title sponsorship for all Spine events across the next three years. This includes a new series of Montane Spine Expedition Races which includes overseas expedition races, as the Spine moves towards becoming a year-round offering.
The agreement sees both Montane and the Spine Race further align their growth, expanding upon the successful decade-long partnership, and sees more focus placed on racer experience, branding and kit support for the support crew.
Montane’s Global Marketing Manager, Matthew Hickman, said: “The Spine Race is a staple in the Montane event calendar, regularly producing thrilling events that push contestants to their limits. We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Spine Race for an additional three years, in what promises to be three years of exciting growth and opportunities for both Montane and the Spine Race, as we build upon our hugely successful partnership.”
Phil Hayday-Brown, Managing Director of The Spine Race, added: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with Montane. This new agreement expands on our longstanding collaboration. We look forward to making our current events even better and launching new Montane Spine Expedition Races together.”
The men’s event saw Eoin Keith, a previous winner of both the winter and summer Spine, claim first place with a time of 92 hours 40 minutes, crossing the line in the early hours on Thursday morning, over three hours ahead of the rest of the pack.
Montane has been providing innovative, lightweight, and breathable clothing and equipment for over 25 years, specifically designed for endurance sports and activities in some of the world’s harshest and most extreme environments. Alongside the Spine Race, Montane also sponsors races such as the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra (MLAU) and Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra (MYAU), the Montane Dragon’s Back Race, and the Montane Cheviot Goat Winter Ultra, amongst others.
