Brit sets new women’s Everesting record

Hannah Rhodes is also the fastest rider in the UK to have completed the challenge
Jonny Long

A British rider has set a new women’s Everesting record, while also becoming the fastest Brit to have completed the challenge.

Hannah Rhodes ascended 8,848m, the height of Mount Everest, in 163km, taking just over nine hours.

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Her time of 9-08-31 smashed former pro Lauren De Crescenzo’s previous best time of 9-57-29 by nearly 50 minutes, with De Crescenzo having taken the crown off Boels-Dolmans Katie Hall.

Successful Everesting attempts have boomed during coronavirus lockdown, with both the women’s and men’s records changing hands numerous times in the past few weeks, as the lack of club rides and races necessitate professional and amateur riders keep themselves occupied.

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Rhodes’ successful attempt took place in the Lake District in the north of England, riding Kirkstone Pass 27.5 times. The climb has an average gradient of 10.9 per cent.

Hannah Rhodes’ ride on Strava (Strava)

Her average speed was 18.2km/h and held a weighted power average of 215w as she also became the fastest British man or woman to have completed the Everesting challenge.

“Not sure I could go so far as to say I feel fine,” Rhodes wrote on Strava following her ride, which she rode in support of Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent Citizen’s Advice Bureau, having raised hundreds of pounds so far via her Go Fund Me page.

“In addition to the 124 pages of QOMs that Hannah Rhodes holds, she also won last summer’s Alpe d’Huez Grimpee (50:39) and was 4th at the Nat HC on Haytor last year,” Hells 500, who adjudicate Everesting attempts, wrote on their Facebook page.

“It’s no surprise that she chose the very steep climb of Kirkstone for her Everesting, picking up the Steep badge and hitting 8,848m in 163km..!”
Bora-Hansgrohe pro Emmanuel Buchmann had attempted to take the men’s Everesting record last week and beat the previous best time by 12 minutes, but his effort was deemed invalid after inadvertently breaking a number of rules.
This was because the German rider’s effort didn’t take place on one single climb, and his fastest time was moving time, not elapsed time, therefore finishing ten minutes slower than Keegan Swenson’s record pace.