The ‘Tour’ was the second race in the weekend’s Double Header of fell races in South Wales. Local legends Mark Palmer and Helen Fines took the honours at the Hatterrall Hammer race on Saturday and then turned up at a very cold Torpantau on Sunday to lay claim to the ‘double double’.

The weatherman appeared to have got the weather forecast wrong as I was greeted by clear blue skies when I arrived at the barren car park which serves as the start and finish for the race, but fear not, the ‘Tour’ lived down to its reputation, with ferociously cold, stormy gusts developing, accompanied by sharp hail, sleet and snow showers on the tops.

The weather conditions didn’t seem to bother Mark and Helen who went on to claim the ‘double double’ by taking the mens’ and womens’ honours respectively, with Helen knocking over nine minutes off the previous record.

As always a big thank you to the very cold and windswept marshals, Derek Thornley, and Steve and Bethany Force for looking after the summits. Derek was so numb and befuddled with cold that he couldn’t find the pub for the post-race drink! Thanks also to Gareth Jones for sweeping and my wife Louise for helping with registration, and of course, to the select band of runners who took the Tour.
Andrew Blackmore

Pics by Liz Eynon