Entry
The next Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge will be on Sunday 12th May 2024
Because the Fred Whitton Challenge is so popular and we only have a limited number of places available we hold a ballot entry system for general entries.
We have moved our general ballot entries process from January to December to allow you more time for training over the holidays in preparation for the ride.
Our ballot will open on Friday 1st December 2023 and remain open for 10 days, please add a note to your diary so you don’t miss these dates. The ballot announcement will take place on 14th December.
As usual, first-time riders will be prioritised in the ballot. We will pull all the first-time riders out and 400 first-time riders from the list will be randomly selected, any first-time riders that don’t get a place on this first draw will be put back into the main ballot, allowing them two opportunities to get a ride.
The entry fee is £99 plus a small fixed transaction charge.
All successful places will be notified via email.
Groups
This is a special entry offered to anyone who volunteers at the event in the previous year. Volunteer entries cannot be transferred to anyone else.
Only ‘official’ registered volunteers are eligible. A link will be sent out via email.
If you volunteered in the previous year’s event and don’t receive an email with your entry link, please contact us via info@fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk. Entry costs £35 + small fixed admin fee.
If you deferred your entry in the previous year you will be on our deferral list. If you are on our deferral list you will be sent a bespoke entry via email. You will have to pay for your ride at full price, this is £99 + a small fixed admin fee.
For details on our entry fees please visit our terms and conditions: https://fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk/fwc-terms-and-conditions/
This entry will give riders a guaranteed entry ahead of the ballot. Sold out for 2024
The cost of the entry is £199.
£99 of this fee is the event entry, and the extra £100 is a non-refundable charity donation to one of our three charities. There will also be a small fixed payment admin fee that the banks take.
You can enter with a special charity entry for one of our three special entry charities: the North West Air Ambulance, the Great North Air Ambulance and the Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue. Entries open on Wednesday 1st November 2023.
We would also like to invite riders using this entry method to create Just Giving pages for their chosen charities, for any further donations from friends and family. Golden jerseys and other prizes will be awarded to the top fundraisers of each charity.
Please note: These charity entries are not available for Macmillan Cancer Support, Macmillan is the main charity of The Fred Whitton Challenge and is generously supported by the event itself.
There are also some places available for genuine riders living abroad.
The entry fee is £99 plus a small fixed transaction charge.
If you would like an overseas entry please email info@fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk and we will add you to the list. A bespoke link will then be sent out, allowing you to enter (depending on payment type, we may ask you to make a BACs payment to us).
Rider packs will be sent out via email around 14 days before the event.
Words from the wise…
The Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge is a tough day in the saddle across remote and mountainous terrain. Before entering for the first time, we always recommend you get experience in a 100 mile sportive and/or a hilly sportive with over 2800m of elevation gain to get a feel for the distance and climbing expected on the day.
Fund Raising
Please help our event charities by getting sponsorship for your ride. Our main event charity is Macmillan Cancer Support and most rider sponsorship money from the event goes to this well-known national charity. But we also support three smaller more local registered charities – the North West Air Ambulance, the Great North Air Ambulance and the Duddon & Furness Mountain Rescue Team. All three are an important part of the emergency services in Cumbria and the Lake District and they have helped us from the start of our event and we have supported them in their fund-raising over the years.
You can use a paper sponsorship form to raise sponsorship for Macmillan Cancer Support, by downloading and printing a Sponsorship Form. Alternatively you can use an on-line sponsorship system by setting up your own personal fundraising webpage for any of the four charities.
Start
The ride will start from Grasmere Sports Ground between 06:00 – 08:00. You can start anytime within this time frame, but please take into account the cut off when planning your ride.
Facilities
Please make sure you have read the all the FWC T&Cs, and please note anyone with multiple entries will be excluded from the draw.
Best of luck to everybody entering the draw.
Dates for your Diary
(to be confirmed)
Pre-entries will be in November, and the main ballot window will be in December
1st November 2023
Special Charity entry / Overseas entry / Deferred entry / Volunteer entry
1st December 2023
General ballot places open for entry
10th December 2023
General ballot places close for entry
14th December 2023
Ballot places announced
12th May 2024
Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge
Frequently Asked Entry Questions
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How old do I have to be to enter?
Sixteen years old
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Can I enter on the weekend of the event?
No, you must enter in advance. Entries happen in November for pre entries and December for the ballot– for details see our website in the December prior to the event. Some cancellation places are usually available later, typically in April, but these are first offered to people who didn’t get a place in the event and asked to be put on our reserve list.
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If I have to cancel will I get my registration fee back?
If your entry is successful and you later cancel, then after a small administration cost all of the rest of your fees will go to the event charities. However if you can’t ride the event and let us know and cancel your place in time for us to find a replacement rider (who pay their own entry fee), then we will save you a place in next year’s event (entry fee payable again next year if you take up that place). Note that we might not have time to do a replacement unless you cancel at least three weeks before the event.
See our event terms & conditions for more information.
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If I raise more than £500 do I get a free entry the following year?
Only if the money raised is for one of our own special charities.
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Do all riders have to wear a helmet?
Yes, Helmets are compulsory and to be worn at all times, this will be strictly enforced.
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Can we ride as a team?
Yes, up to 4 riders can enter on one entry form
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Do we / I have to be in a Cycling Club to enter?
No, Cycling Club membership isn’t a pre-requisite for entry.
Want to get involved?
It takes over 350 registered volunteers to keep the Wheelbase Fred Whitton Challenge going. If you’d like to help out at the event jobs for volunteers vary depending on location, time of day and skills. Please register your interest before the event. All volunteers are guaranteed a place on the following years' ride.
Or you can donate to any of our chosen charities. All donations are well received and go to helping fund these fantastic services in the community.
