Sam Fitzsimmons Travel Award
We spoke with Ed Brewer, an Engineering student at John’s (2021), to hear how he got on at the Skyrunning World Tour in Europe over the summer thanks to the Sam Fitzsimmons Travel Award.
Over the summer, I travelled around Europe, competing in some of the most challenging and prestigious skyrunning events. Skyrunning, is an extreme mountain sport that pushes both physical and mental limits, blending high-altitude running with elements of mountaineering and technical climbing. These races are often held at altitudes exceeding 2,000 meters, and the terrain is steep, rugged, and unforgiving, requiring participants to navigate knife edge ridges, snowfields, and graded scrambles.
I had the privilege of participating in two Skyrunner World Series events, Skyrace du Mercantour, and Ultraks Extreme in Zermatt Switzerland, where the fierce competition draws in elite athletes from around the globe. Each race tested my endurance, agility, and technical mountaineering skill as I tackled dizzying ascents and perilous descents in some of the most breathtaking landscapes Europe has to offer. The Ultraks Extreme race was particularly exciting as it played to my strengths being one of the most technical races in the whole series, with very little runnable terrain. This combined with it being a slightly longer race, close to 5 hours, meant I was able to finish as the 2nd Brit, and 19th overall!
In addition to the world series I competed in one race from the UK Skyrunning Series. This was a particularly challenging course, with grade 3 scrambles, and steep exposed ridges, including the well known Striding Edge, up Helvellyn. After fighting hard for nearly 4 hours, I was able to finish 2nd overall and 6 seconds under the old course record! A fantastic result that qualified me for the UK skyrunning team!
Finally, the highlight of the season, the Skyrunning World Championships in Soria Spain. Competing at this level was a dream come true, and I was beyond exhilarated to spend several days in Spain wearing UK colours and hanging out with some amazing athletes! When it came to the race, I lined up alongside the best mountain runners in the world, nervous, excited, and with no expectations. The championship course was 37km with nearly 3000m of ascent. The conditions were perfect, but the terrain was slightly less technical than I would have preferred, making it an extremely fast course! With the added pressure of having to finish in under 5 hours or my team would leave for the airport without me, I pushed hard to finish as the first British athlete, and 56th overall, out of nearly 550 athletes!
What were some of the things you enjoyed most?
I loved pushing myself physically to see what I could achieve, and who I could beat. I loved the technical terrain, and beautiful mountains. But most of all I loved meeting other athletes, making friends, and learning from them. This was particularly cool during the world championship trip, where I was staying with the 4 other UK athletes.
What aspects did you find most challenging?
In the middle of the summer I started to develop a knee injury, it really restricted the amount of training I could do, and I started to worry that my season of racing was ending prematurely. Fortunately, by reducing my training volume significantly and working with an osteopath, I was able to get back on track and compete in all the races I had planned.
How has this project assisted your studies?
Participating in skyrunning events across Europe has been a standout experience in my personal development. The extreme physical and mental challenges required for skyrunning have taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of staying focused and positive when everything in you is begging you to stop. These qualities are invaluable, not only in sport but in life as a whole. Additionally, competing and training in technical, high-altitude, and dangerous mountain environments has honed my mountain skills, allowing me to adapt and respond quickly to rapidly changing situations. This has allowed me to look after myself and others in harsh mountain conditions, like 2 years ago when my mum fell 20m off a ridge in Glencoe and I was responsible for finding her and carrying her off the mountain.
My journey as a skyrunner has also cultivated a strong sense of discipline and time management, essential for balancing the demands of training and competing at an elite level. I have been able to use these skills extensively in my studies and life as a whole, leading me to achieve my goals, and strive for more. Further, the opportunity to travel and engage with athletes from around the world has broadened my perspective, gaining me new friends, and teaching me a little about other cultures. Overall, skyrunning has expanded my personal growth, pushing me to excel in ways I never thought possible, both physically and mentally.
The money provided allowed me to compete with athletes I used to think were completely out of my league, but also it allowed me to enjoy the mountains that I love so much!
