Three peaks and 1,000-mile drive net city firemen a bronze medal

In the past 10 years a dedicated six-strong team made up of firemen from Crescent Link and Northland NIFRS stations have competed nine times against the fittest teams in the Fire Service across the UK in the Challenge.

This year runners Chris Philson, Billy Orr, Joe Morrison and Eamon Gallagher, together with driver navigators Ronnie Cathers and William Spence once again faced the gruelling ‘sub-24’ race - so-called because it must be completed in under 24 hours.

The competitive men began their challenge on Sunday of last week at the foot of Ben Nevis in Scotland - the highest peak in the Highlands - and drove through the night to reach the highest peak in England, Scafell Pike, in the small hours of last Monday morning. The team them piled back into their van for the drive to Wales, where the runners once again got their running shoes on and ran up Snowdon.

They finished the three peaks and 1,000-mile drive in just 17 hours and 43 minutes. In all 11 hours of this was driving, the rest was spent on the mountains.

The team were the only fire crew members from the Province to travel to take part and in addition to coming third overall across the UK in the ‘Open Race’, the team took the titles of ‘First Overseas Team’ and ‘First Veterans Team’.

“Over a period of 10 years we have competed nine times. We only missed one year due to the Foot and Mouth crisis because all of the hills were closed down, so we will be going back to compete for the tenth time next year. We cannot leave it at nine, we want to finish on an even number,” said pacesetter Chris, adding: “We won it outright once, in our seventh year and we always finish in the top two or three. The look on other younger teams faces when we got vets prize and it was announced ‘four runners with an average of 50’ was priceless.”

The camaraderie on the gruelling journey is a key element of the race for Chris who said the team members while being competitive were also supportive of each other.

“We keep each other going. The banter is good crack and it keeps everybody going. We are very much all in it together and we enjoy each other’s company. William is a star turn and he knows everyone involved in the Challenge at this stage, and his wise cracks keep us going.”