CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF THE 2006 EVENT

Pledges hit their highest peak!

Around 159 fit fundraisers were today nursing blisters, aches and strains after completing one of the UK’s toughest tests of endurance - the Wooden Spoon Vauxhall Four Peaks Challenge 2005.

But they were comforted by the fact they had been part of a fantastic event and had helped to raise a staggering £461,211 for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.

The teams gathered at the foot of Ben Nevis, Scotland, last Thursday for the start of their marathon effort - visiting four countries to scale four mountains with a total height of over 14,000ft, inside 48 hours. They completed the challenge at Carantouhill, Ireland, on Saturday, having also scaled Helvellyn (England’s Lake District) and Snowdon (North Wales) in between.

Geoff Morris, chief executive of rugby union’s official charity Wooden Spoon, said: “This is the 16^th time this wonderful event has taken place and it never fails to amaze me. So many people putting in so much effort and raising so much money – it is quite astounding. “A total sum raised of more than £461,000 is simply stunning and we are going to be able to help so many young people as a result. It brings the total amount raised by this event over the years to £4million. I would like to thank each and every one of the competitors, the marshals, the sponsors and everyone that has contributed to this success story.”

The Challenge Award was won by a team from Cargill International who raised an incredible £100,000 and completed all four mountains in 10 hours 6 minutes.

The team to complete all four mountains in the fastest total time of just 8 hours 21 minutes was led by Luton father-of-two John Ford, general sales manager at West End Vauxhall, London. The 38-year-old was taking part in the gruelling challenge for the 5^th time but this was the first time his team had actually won. His team-mates were David Smart, aged 36, a sales manager from Luton, and Mathew Spendley, 32, an accountant from Luton.  Retired Roy Spendley, 64, also from Luton, was the team driver and ferried the athletic trio a total of around 1,900 miles in a vehicle supplied by Vauxhall.

Each of the 53 teams of three competitors raised at least £4,500 towards the total £461,000 for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.

A convoy of around 70 Vauxhall vehicles travelled from peak to peak.

David Crundwell, manager of business affairs, Vauxhall Motors, said: “We are very pleased to have once again supported the Vauxhall Four Peaks Challenge - in aid of Wooden Spoon - providing a fleet of Astras, Vectras and commercial vehicles. The teams found the load carrying space across the Vauxhall range to be second to none - transporting them almost 2,000 miles in style and comfort. The additional design features of our estates ensured that they, and their equipment, arrived at each peak rested for the next challenge. Vauxhall estates really do Go Large!”

Roll of Honour

Everyone’s a winner on the 2005 Four Peaks Challenge but special congratulations go to the prize winners: Sick Snails from Cargill International who, in great health, broke their own challenge record set in 2004 by pledging a mind blowing £100,000 and completing all four mountains in a respectable 10 hrs 6 minutes. This achievement made them winners of the main prize: the Challenge Award. The Rescuers ran off with the Most Funds Raised Award with another staggering pledge of £36,000.

West End Vauxhall made it after 4 years of trying by coming first on Nevis and Snowdon and second on Helvellyn and Carantouhill to win the Fastest Time Award by completing in 8hrs 21mins. Thirst Baa None waved the flag for Yorkshire Spoon committee and were presented with the Veterans Award with a total climbing time of 12rs 9mins and £13,300 raised.

The Quick Chicks successfully defended their title by taking the Ladies Award in a time of 13hrs 12mins and £4,500 raised. Vivaro Veterans were the rightful winners of the Sponsors Award with an impressive climbing time of 9hrs 28mins and £5,000 raised. The Rovers Return roved away with the Ben Nevis Award with a climbing time of 2hrs 50mins.

Llandewi Breffi Harriers conquered the English and won the Helvellyn Award with a climbing time of 1 hour 26 minutes whilst Dimon Wheezers did anything but and took the Snowdon Award with a climbing time of 2hrs 10mins.

2005 saw the introduction of the Mixed Team Award and Boots and Blisters reaped the benefit with a climbing time of 13hrs 42mins.JHC battled the elements and won the Carantouhill Award with a time of 2hrs 53mins.

For Fox Sake Get Me Out Of Here! won the battle of the car park to take the Best Dressed Vehicle Award. Last but by no means least the Wooden Spoons were awarded to Don’t Panic who completed all four mountains in a knee buckling 18hrs 39mins.

Congratulations to you all but the real winners will be the young and disadvantaged who will benefit from Wooden Spoon projects all over the UK and Ireland.

Special Note: Snowdon & Veterans Award

We’ve made a blunder which we are putting down to severe fatigue (can you imagine?!). Unfortunately Team 4 ‘Dimon Wheezers’ were omitted from the Veterans Award in error and would in fact have won it with a total climbing time of 9hrs 47mins and total funds raised of £11,500. Having spoken to both teams involved, existing winners ‘Thirst Baa None’ have agreed to accept a ‘senior’ version of the Veterans Award with their average team age of 48, whilst a second Veterans Award will be presented to ‘Dimon Wheezers’ who had an average team age of 43. This is all good news for ‘L’Equipe Anglais’ who will now take the Snowdon Award from ‘Dimon Wheezers’ in conjunction with our rule that teams may only win one award. Thank you to the teams involved for their understanding, apologies to all and congratulations to the newly crowned winners!

To view the final results for all teams, click here.

Thankyou...

All our teams worked incredibly hard both raising funds and climbing hills but none of it would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. A big thank you to Mark Dunk, Sam Duke, David Crundwell and Nick Fishleigh at Vauxhall Motors and Scott Jancey, Kelly Barr and the team at Vauxhall Demonstration Centre who transported us in such style, OKI Systems who made sure we stayed in print, Maureen Kilfoyle and all at Irish Ferries who ferried us to Ireland (& back!), Walon UK who sponsored our logistics and Groupama who insured our success. Thanks must also go to our subsidiary sponsors, Office Watercoolers who kept us hydrated and Panavision and Audiolink who kept the marshals in touch.

A hearty thank you to our avid supporters including John, Gordon the staff at the Nevis Centre in Fort William who provide a great send-off, Tom and his team of masseurs at Glen Nevis, John, Ruth and Richard and all their colleagues for a very welcome pit stop and excellent breakfast at the Threlkeld Cricket Club, Dave McGuinness for his massage service at Threlkeld, Margot, Kathryn and the girls for their fantastic massage service at a windswept Carrantouhill.

Thanks also go to Tracy and staff at the Quality Hotel and Jane at Janie’s Café, our Darlings Eileen & Joe Cronin who once more provided endless tea and sympathy at the bottom of Carantouhill, Eileen Daly of the Killarney Mountain Rescue who provided the BBQ, Viv O Shea and her team at VMR for printing the shirts so efficiently, Merv & Paul who provided the set and sound for the prize giving and Michael Brennan and his staff at the Hotel Europe, a fabulous hotel to finish at!

And lastly to Fiona Roger at Glen Nevis, Dave Russell at Helvellyn, and Peter Trumper at Snowdon who provide advice, guidance and support to ensure the challenge’s respect for the environment.

And Finally..... None of this would be possible without the help of our band of volunteers who give up their time and energy to make the event what it is and were truly exceptional this year. Big thanks must go to Matt, Anja, Kerry and Helen who timed and scored the teams, Robin who co-ordinated the marshals, Alan S our head chef; Tony, Ian, Paul S, Pete, Steve, Simon, John, Paul S (Jnr), Sean, Henry and Mac who did some car parking, some kit checking and a lot of standing on mountains.

Thanks also to Ted, Mike, Graham and Paul C who marshalled Snowdon and to the medical team of Ian and Sarah who did a fantastic job patching, strapping and sympathising and generally made us feel safe. We used massage teams local to each mountain this year, which proved to be very successful – thanks to you all.

A special mention for Derek Morton who not only marshals but also makes fantastic cakes to have with our tea at Carantouhill and Ian Richards who has now completed nine year’s worth of Four Peaks in his quest to photograph teams, and to Phil who tries to be in the places Ian isn‘t!

David A the Treasurer did lots of supervising and even more counting the pennies and looks forward to receiving even more in the coming weeks! Many thanks to all the marshals, our challenge motivators, who give up their time and make the effort to make this event the success it is - see you all next year!