World Record Broken on Winder: Everesting Challenge – Saturday 7th June 2025
Winder Fell, Sedbergh
In a breathtaking feat of endurance, Old Sedberghians Joe and Andrew Symonds smashed the Everesting World Record on Saturday 7th June by climbing the height of Mount Everest (8,849m) in a jaw-dropping 10 hours, 8 minutes and 53 seconds, taking an incredible 36 minutes off the previous record.
Their chosen route? A brutal 185m climb up a 450m stretch of Winder, repeated 48 times with a gradient hitting 41%—a true test of physical and mental fortitude. Aiming for an ambitious pace of 8 minutes up, 4 minutes down, the brothers surged through the early stages and never looked back.
Pupils Rise to the Challenge
At 10:30am, Sedbergh’s pupils, staff, Old Sedberghians, Prep School children and family members joined in the effort, taking part in their own Everesting Challenge relays. In teams of three, with names drawn from all corners of the Sedbergh community, they undertook the immense challenge of 32 ascents of Winder to collectively match Everest’s height.
The weather was characteristically Cumbrian—intermittent sunshine interrupted by sharp, soaking showers. But the tough conditions did little to dent the enthusiasm, camaraderie, or sheer determination on display. Each team checked in at the summit with James and Caroline Morgan, who had set up base camp atop Winder.
New World Record: Joe & Andy Symonds
Just after 6:00pm, after nearly 50 ascents and relentless climbing, Joe and Andy Symonds made one final push to the summit. As cheers rang out from below, the stopwatch stopped at 10:08:53—a new World Record. A historic moment on their home fell.
Joe & Andy Symonds: 🥇 10hrs 08mins 53s (New World Record).
Team Efforts – Cumulative Times for Everest (8,849m via 32 Winders)
Despite the absence of Year 11 and 13 pupils (occupied with GCSE and A Level preparations), the relay teams still delivered astonishing performances:
Junior Boys: 🥇 11hrs 52mins 23s
(George M, Alec, Hugo, Will, Ben, Daniel, Arthur, Kieran, Andrew, Oliver)
Junior Girls: 12hrs 40mins 31s
(Betsy, Grace, Julia, Leonie, Lucia, Sophie)
Senior Boys: 12hrs 40mins 43s
(Joe, Konstantin, Edouard, George S, Sean, Leo)
Allcomers (Staff, OS, Prep School): 14hrs 12mins 25s
(featuring Prep School stars Will & Jess, and Mr & Mrs Mather)
Senior Girls: 14hrs 30mins 52s
(Elsie, Jemima, Nell, Fleur, Fran, Sonia, Elif, Olivia)
Special Mentions
Mr & Mrs Mather, who completed 12 laps with remarkable consistency and Mr Mather recorded the fastest time of the day: 15:25
Lucia (9R) and George (10H) were standouts among the pupils, repeatedly appearing in the top 10 fastest times. Lizzie James, the school’s hairdresser, impressively completed nine ascents of Winder. OS Geoff Watson and other family participants added to the day’s festival spirit.
Top 10 Fastest Winder Times
Mr Mather – 15:25
George M (10H) – 15:30
Lucia (9R) – 16:52
Mr Mather – 17:14
George M (10H) – 17:50
George S (12H) – 17:52
George M (10H) – 18:04
Lucia (9R) – 18:16
George M (10H) – 18:23
George M (10H) – 18:29
By the Numbers
Total Distance Run: 450km
Total Ascent: 65,298 vertical metres
(Equivalent to seven ascents of Everest)
The climb alone would take you beyond the ozone layer (40km) and almost two-thirds of the way to space (100km).
A Day to Remember
It was a day that celebrated endurance, community, and school spirit. From a world record-breaking performance to the shared effort of dozens of runners from across the Sedbergh family, the 2025 Everesting Challenge will go down in the annals of Sedbergh folklore.
Go the Brown! 🟤🏃♂️🏃♀️⛰️
