Ras yr Wyddfa: The Snowdon Race’s History, Records and International Story

Every July, several hundred runners line up in Llanberis, run to the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and come straight back down again. Ras yr Wyddfa, the International Snowdon Race, is one of the classic events in mountain running, and for fifty years it has been a meeting point for Welsh club runners, English fell specialists and some of the best mountain runners in Italy. This is the story of the race: how it began, who has won it and the records that have stood for decades.

The race in brief

The course is about 10 miles (16km) there and back. Runners leave the village, climb the Llanberis Path for roughly five miles to the summit at 1,085m, touch the top and turn for the descent. The climb rewards strength and patience; the descent rewards nerve, quick feet and a good knowledge of where the path is loose. Many races are won or lost on the way down.

How the Snowdon Race began

The first race was held in July 1976. Ken Jones of Llanberis suggested it to the village’s carnival committee, and 86 runners turned up to race up the Llanberis Path to the summit and back. The idea caught on quickly. International teams began to take part, the field grew to close to 500 by 2010, and the race became one of the best-known mountain races anywhere.

It has stayed a Llanberis event at heart, run from Cae Ddol in the middle of the village. The 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled because of the pandemic, so the 2026 race, fifty years after the first, was the 49th edition, and the 2027 race will be the 50th. One runner, Malcolm Jones of Eryri Harriers, has taken part in every race since 1976. The course has also hosted international championships, including the European Mountain Running Trophy in 1996.

When this blog first covered the race in 2011, the report was of a close men’s battle between English and Scottish runners and strong Scottish team performances, a reminder of how competitive the home nations’ rivalry has always been.

England, Italy and Wales on one mountain

What makes Ras yr Wyddfa special is its international flavour. From around 1980 onwards, Italian teams began travelling to Llanberis, and they have won the men’s race many times since, including in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1990, and again in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2025. English fell runners, brought up on the steep, rough ground of the Lake District and the Pennines, have been their great rivals, with Welsh runners and athletes from across Europe joining the fight at the front.

The 2025 race showed that the old pattern is alive and well: Luca Magri of Italy won the men’s race in 1:06:11 and Nancy Scott of England won the women’s race in 1:20:31.

Snowdon Race records

That rivalry produced the race’s most famous results, and the course records have stood for decades:

• Men: 1:02:29, set by Kenny Stuart, the Cumbrian fell runner, in 1985.
• Women: 1:12:48, set by Carol Greenwood in 1993.

To put that in perspective, most fit walkers allow five or six hours for the same round trip. Both records are a reminder of just how fast the very best can move on this mountain, and feature in our Yr Wyddfa fact file. For slower but no less memorable days, see remarkable ascents on Yr Wyddfa.

Following the race on S4C and radio

You do not need to be in Llanberis to follow the race. The Welsh-language broadcaster S4C (one of our Snowdonia 100 experiences) produces a highlights programme with profiles of individual runners, and Radio Cymru has covered the event live. Look out for it on the S4C sport pages and catch up later on S4C Clic, the channel’s on-demand service, which offers English subtitles on many programmes. Back in 2011 the Daily Post previewed S4C’s coverage of that year’s race, a sign of how long television has been part of the story.

Watching or running it yourself

If you would rather be there in person, our spectator guide explains how to watch the Snowdon Race from the Llanberis Path and Cae Ddol, with parking tips and spectator etiquette. If the records have inspired you to have a go, our guide to how to enter the Snowdon Race covers who can run, kit rules and training. The organisers’ site, snowdonrace.co.uk, has the current year’s arrangements, and our guide to Yr Wyddfa covers the mountain itself.

Shout “pob lwc!” (good luck!) as the runners go past. It goes down well.

FAQ

When did the Snowdon Race start?

The first race was held in July 1976, with 86 runners. It was suggested by Ken Jones of Llanberis and organised through the village carnival committee.

How long is the Snowdon Race?

About 10 miles (16km) from Llanberis to the summit of Yr Wyddfa and back, using the Llanberis Path both ways.

What is the record for the Snowdon Race?

Kenny Stuart’s men’s record of 1:02:29 has stood since 1985. Carol Greenwood holds the women’s record of 1:12:48, set in 1993.

Who usually wins the Snowdon Race?

Italian runners have won the men’s race many times since the early 1980s, with English fell runners their main rivals.

Can I watch it on television?

S4C shows a highlights programme, and many S4C programmes are available on demand with English subtitles.