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

Morecambe shortlisted in National Visa Awards celebrating the UK’s thriving towns David Waddington and John O'Neill

Morecambe shortlisted in National Visa Awards celebrating the UK’s thriving towns

04 Jul 2025

2

County council sets out 'areas of focus for 2025-26 in document Coun Stephen Atkinson

County council sets out 'areas of focus for 2025-26 in document

04 Jul 2025

3

Warden Construction completes project to help Preston school double pupil numbers Warden Construction completes project to help Preston school double pupil numbers

Warden Construction completes project to help Preston school double pupil numbers

04 Jul 2025

4

Grant Thornton advises RJ Power Networks on sale to Ipsum Jamie Roberts

Grant Thornton advises RJ Power Networks on sale to Ipsum

04 Jul 2025

5

College principal resigns Karen Buchanan

College principal resigns

04 Jul 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
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

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

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers
Champagne-Jewellery 10 07 25_page-0001.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers

Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn, BB1 5AA

18:00 - 20:30

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast
talentreimaginedbb.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast

Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR71PS

08:00 - 10:30

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

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 LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin