Piranha director completes Fred Whitton Challenge, raising more than £1,000 for charity

By Piranha Advertising and Marketing Solutions

24 Sep 2021

paul-airey-director-at-piranha-digital-002.jpg

Piranha Digital director Paul Airey has just completed the famous Fred Whitton Challenge raising more than £1,000 for charity in the process.

On Sunday 19th September 2021, Paul completed the grueling 112-mile course in 8 hours 55 minutes, finishing a respectable 467 out of the estimated 2,500 participants.

The Fred Whitton Challenge consists of a 112-mile sportive around the Lake District, now a World Heritage Site. Starting at Grasmere, the challenge takes in a total of 10 of the hardest Lakeland climbs including Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott, Wrynose and Blea Tarn passes.

The Fred Whitton Challenge is one of the most popular cycling sportives in the UK and is also famed as being extremely difficult and often extreme. Dubbed ‘The Daddy of them all’ by Cycling Weekly, cyclists rank the Fred Whitton alongside iconic European cycling events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty.

The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge is a charity event in honour of the late Fred Whitton who was a great advocate for cycle sport in Cumbria and North Lancashire. It is with respect to Fred and his ideals that the event remains just that, ‘a challenge’.

The very top riders complete the route in just under six hours but eleven hours and over are not uncommon for the average sportive rider. This is a very tough route and the hardest one-day ride in the UK. The event takes in all of the Lakeland passes, including Hardknott Pass, which with a 30% gradient, comes at 98 miles along the route, when the legs are already feeling the strain of the previous 7 climbs and 10,000 feet of ascent!

Paul has so far raised £1,090 for research into Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC) which is a rare condition classified under a broad spectrum of genetic disorders known as telomere diseases. These diseases can often cause bone marrow failure and lung disease. People with DC frequently develop unusual skin pigmentation patterns, nail discoloration, white patches in the mouth (oral leukoplakia) and are especially susceptible to conditions that impair bone marrow function.

Paul chose this charity following the diagnosis of the condition in a close school friend of one of his daughters. In addition, Paul’s participation contributed to the Fred Whitton chosen charities and in recent years the event has given MacMillan Nurses an average of just over £100,000 each year. Along with this, the event has shared the donation of £608,000 to the two Air Ambulances in Cumbria, The Mountain Rescue and various youth cycling projects.

As well as a keen cyclist, Paul is also a founding direct of Piranha Digital, a digital marketing agency in Preston established more than 20 years ago. Commenting on his ride Paul said “it was a great day out supported by thousands of fantastic people, I carefully stuck to my 3 month training plan provided by the organisers which was a great help in getting over all the mountain passes on the route “  

Information on The Fred Whitton Challenge www.fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk

Information about Piranha and media enquiries https://piranha-solutions.com/ 

Photograph

Paul Airey, who completed the 112-mile Fred Whitton Challenge raising £1,090 for charity  

Latest news

1

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University Keir Starmer meets Indian PM and included Prof Simon Guy Lancaster University. Pic Simon Dawson

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University

09 Oct 2025

2

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026 Best Events and Talented students on Lancashire Tourism Awards finalist list

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026

09 Oct 2025

3

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards Andrew Dewhurst with the award win

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards

09 Oct 2025

4

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool Jason Davenport PHX Training

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool

09 Oct 2025

5

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m Velocity Composites Has Announced Its Entry Into The Us Market

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m

08 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th
Ai 10.10.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Oct 2025 - 10 Oct 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 12:00

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West

Strathmore Hotel, Morecambe, LA4 5AP

08:00 - 10:00

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials
EventBrite NORi - 15th Oct 2025 Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials

Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine
LBV Advert_Autumn Reset 1200 x 630px.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine

The Artistry House , Preston , PR1 3JJ

17:30 - 19:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Header (26).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

October Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

October Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin