SkyRun Eryri® 2025 Race Director's Report
A lot has changed for me personally since delivering this event last year, but I’m still as passionate as ever about delivering the absolute best trail, ultra and skyrunning events that I possibly can. Without doubt, this year’s sixth edition of SkyRun Eryri® was a memorable one for me for myriad reasons. Please read on to uncover the experience of this year’s event from my perspective as the RD.
The technical ridges of Eryri make for a truly world-class destination for a Skyrunning event. © Tanya Raab
Despite boldly claiming in last year’s RD report that I was convinced the event would fill at capacity of 800 well in advance of race day this year, those numbers didn’t materialise and I was eventually down on numbers by 13%, with 567 set to take to the start lines across the event’s four races.
Several of my RD peers in the scene concur it’s tough out there at the moment, with the growth in number of trail runners not keeping up with the growth in events, while bigger companies able to commit larger marketing budgets and resources claiming proportionally larger market shares of the domestic pool of runners.
This year’s SkyRun Eryri was again proudly part of the Skyrunner® UK & Ireland Series.
Things were going very smoothly in the run-up to this year’s event, but unfortunately, with ten days to go, Aber Falls Distillery withdrew their offer of hosting the 14 Peaks Ultra start, despite successfully hosting two previous race starts for us in the past (14 Peaks Ultra last year and Race Across Snowdonia 2021). I didn't have much time to secure an equally suitable alternative, so therefore, I apologise for the somewhat grassroots nature of the start location this year and will seek out a more suitable alternative for the future.
Eventual winner Hugh Chatfield in the early miles of the 14 Peaks Ultra. © Joel Jameson
On a brighter note, this year’s 14 Peaks Ultra benefitted from being chosen as the long distance GB team selection race for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, which will be held in Spain in September. In addition, it was also the 2025 Middle Distance British Trail Running Championships race.
Pre-race, the start lists were a who’s-who of talented domestic names, which undoubtedly helped to stir up some excitement in the week leading up to race day. Therefore, I’m very grateful to James Elson (Chairman of the Trail Running Association also owner of Centurion Running) for the opportunity of hosting this championship selection race and hope this exposure helps the event to grow for subsequent editions.
Jack Scott set a blistering pace early on in the 14 Peaks Ultra. © Joel Jameson
On Saturday afternoon, it was amazing to witness a tearful Lizzie Richardson claim victory in the 14 Peaks Ultra in a stunning 08:12:15, with a commanding lead over second place Holly Wootten (herself also a very strong athlete). Originally from nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog and recently becoming a mother, Lizzie is the current Paddy Buckley Round record holder (17:22) and without doubt a world-class mountain athlete.
An emotional Lizzie Richardson claims victory in the 14 Peaks Ultra. © Evan Davies
My first interaction with her was at the winter Pen Llyn Ultra in late 2018, where she passed me in the closing kilometres with a steely determination in her eyes. She flew under my radar in the Skyrunning UK race preview due to her current lack of ITRA/UTMB Index. Now based in Aberdeen, I’m super thankful she decided to make the long trip down to revisit home turf, and hope she will take up the offering of a GB vest later this year.
The 14 Peaks Ultra has quickly gained notoriety as a must-do race for technical mountain ultrarunners. © Tanya Raab
Despite Friday being particularly hot, high temperatures eventually eased for Saturday. Instead, we were presented with the chance of thunder for a brief period during the early evening. This alone wasn’t enough to make us seriously consider enacting the bad weather or partial bad weather routes, but was a concern for the safety team and continued to be monitored closely.
Some of the nation’s best scenery greets runners along the race routes. © Tanya Raab
Almost exactly as forecast, in the early evening a brief spell of thunder arrived, but quickly moved through the area. I’m aware several participants managed to apply their own sound mountain judgement and decided to end their run before traversing the final sting in the tail of Crib Goch in unfavourable conditions. I’m glad you made the right call for you and hope you are not deterred from returning to this event again in future.
The opportunity to traverse Crib Goch in a race setting is undoubtedly a draw for many at this event. © Tanya Raab
As part of my duties as director of Skyrunning UK, in early May this year it was a pleasure to host the inaugural SkyRun Academy in Eryri – an expenses-paid weekend away for ten talented U23 athletes to immerse themselves in all things skyrunning, learning and developing as athletes and forging new friendships along the way.
Earlier this year, with the inaugural SkyRun Academy group, in front of Tryfan. © Tanya Raab
All attendees were offered a free entry to SkyRun Eryri, so I was delighted to see four take up the offer, with some outstanding performances realised on race day: in the 10 mile Fairy Trail race, Tomas Black from South Wales claimed a convincing overall victory, shortly followed by champion obstacle course racer Libbie Joyce, finishing 4th female (currently aged just 17, she looks forward to being old enough to return to race the Copper SkyTrail next year!) just a few minutes ahead of Vicky Woof in 6th – her longest race to date. In the Copper SkyTrail, Adam Williams placed a solid 3rd overall too. Well done to you all! Ones to watch in the trail and skyrunning space in future for sure…
Aged 17, a focused Libby Joyce takes on the first climb of the Fairy Trail. © Evan Davies
A late addition to the start line of the Fairy Trail was old friend Kev Keenan, who I’ve known through working on my events, since way back at the first edition of Ultra-Trail Snowdonia in 2018. Acquired by UTMB in 2021, we worked closely on developing it into the beast which it is today, before I moved on to pastures new two years ago. I’m glad you had fun finally racing an Apex event yourself and for suggesting it could be possible for me to run the Fairy Trail myself next year – we shall see!
Just like old times! At the finish with Kev Keenan. © Evan Davies
Another personal highlight of the event was witnessing Ed Brewer claim victory in the Snowdon SkyRace® in a new course record of 05:51:29. I first met Ed at the Skyrunning World Championships last year as he was selected to run for the UK team and it’s been a joy to witness his ascension in the sport since placing second at Pinnacle Ridge Extreme last year, where he’ll again be racing in a few weeks’ time.
Ed Brewer ascends the Ranger Path to Snowdon summit in the SkyRace. © Evan Davies
Just before nightfall, an emotional atmosphere at the finish welcomed the arrival of Teddy Chamberlain and friends, having completed the 14 Peaks Ultra. Many will know of Teddy’s father Stephen Chamberlain, a passionate and well-known trail runner in the UK scene, who was tragically killed in a car accident last year.
Stephen was entered to this race before his passing, so a group of friends and family decided to run the race in his memory — carrying what would have been his bib number from start to finish with them — with several others, including Teddy’s mother Karen kindly offering to volunteer at the event. It’s rare moments like this, where I witness what events can mean to people, that I’m reminded of the privilege it is to be a Race Director.
Friends and family of late Stephen Chamberlain, including son Teddy (yellow top) at the finish. © Evan Davies
If you want to take a deep-dive into how each of the three SkyRaces unfolded at the sharp end of the fields (which were all part of this year’s Skyrunner® UK & Ireland Series), the detailed race report can now be found on the Skyrunning UK website HERE. Provisional race results for the 14 Peaks Ultra can be found HERE, the Snowdon SkyRace HERE, the Copper SkyTrail HERE and the Fairy Trail HERE.
Smiles abound at the finish of this year’s event. © Evan Davies
If you were racing this year, I truly hope you had a memorable event experience! All runners have been invited to partake in the post-event survey, the results of which will aid us in our quest to continually improve the event for the future.
WITH THANKS
Hosting an event like this — enjoyed by several hundred other runners — would simply not be possible without the outstanding efforts and commitment invested by our incredible volunteer and staff event team. This year, those superhumans were are as follows:
Senior Event Team
June Harrison – Event & Volunteer Coordinator
Matt Cooper – Route & Safety Manager
David Thomson – Merch & Store Manager
Yricka Gardener – Catering Manager
Volunteer Event Team
Alex Chan
Alex Mason
Anthea Thomas
Arabella Binder
Balazs Pinter
Ben Johnson
Bob Overbury
Cain Muse
Cris Oxley
Dorrian Jones
Felicity Aries
Fenella Ward
Fiona Young
Garfield Jones
Gemma Holmes
John Parkin
Karen Chamberlain
Keira Warren
Lee Campbell
Leticia Benelli
Lucy Oldfield
Mat Clement
Maurice Luffman
Nikki Toomer
Peter Harrison
Sally Cameron
Tomas Boza
Viktor Russkij
Mountain Safety Team
Alex Riley
Dom Roe
Doug Braidwood
Hawys Williams
Henry Giles
Jonathan Learniham
Lee Campbell
Mark Handford
Owain Thomas
Owen Jones
Rodney Parker
Samuel George
Sebastia Ramon
Route Waymarking Team
Arabella Binder
Artur Grenda
Christopher Scoles
Dorrian Jones
Jake Lane
Jordan Collins
Kathryn Roberts
Louise Brockwell
Louise Evans
Lucinda Conder
Luke Seddon
Simon Grout
Tim Jones
Media Team
Evan Davies
Tanya Raab
Joel Jameson
Rich Breakwell
Race images can now be purchased via My Bib Number HERE.
It was a pleasure to work with such an awesome Event Team this year! © Tanya Raab.
THAT'S A WRAP!
All participants from the past two editions will soon receive a short survey regarding possible dates for next year. I am contemplating moving the event away from June for one edition, as this date unfortunately coincides with the final project submission and exhibition period for the dual Masters I am currently studying in London (MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering as the Royal College of Art & Imperial College London) – a once in a lifetime opportunity and hence something on which I feel my focus should predominantly lie next year.
Once the date is confirmed within the next month or so, entries will be live shortly after, so do keep an eye out on the event’s social media accounts (@SkyRunEryri) for further details.
Many thanks again to everyone who made this year’s sixth edition event possible: from runners to volunteers alike. I look forward to seeing you in wild and mountainous Eryri again in future!
