A proper commitment – Part-time Whitehaven gear up for 470-mile Cornwall trip
Part-timers Whitehaven are limbering up for rugby league's longest domestic road trip as they prepare to face Betfred League One rivals Cornwall in Penryn on Sunday.
The cash-strapped Cumbrians will set off at seven o'clock on Saturday morning on their epic 470-mile journey, via an overnight stay at a hotel in Truro, and expect to return home in the early hours of Monday.
With stops, the one-way trip is expected to take Whitehaven the best part of 10 hours – roughly the same as the flight time from London to Las Vegas, where Wigan and Warrington showcased Super League last month.
Whitehaven were relegated from the Championship last season amid real fears the club would fail to complete the season and head coach Anthony Murray admits the club's finances will take another untimely hit.
Murray told the PA news agency: 'It will have a massive impact on the players and staff – we're all part-time so after a late trip back on the Sunday it will be tough not to take Monday off work.
'There is considerable cost for each club to go down there, but it's just one of those things if you want to develop the game outside the M62 corridor. It's a proper commitment, but you accept it and get on with it.
'I'm all for it. It's a really good weekend and the fans down there can make it quite an intimidating place. The lads get the opportunity to spend a full weekend together and feel like professionals for a few days.'
Starting with a familiar five-mile trawl up the A595 to the edge of Workington, their League One rivals who have already undertaken a slightly shorter journey, Whitehaven's team coach – stocked with extra provisions including an off-the-record amount of beer – will have already chugged for two-and-a-half hours before it makes its first stop to pick up Murray and the club's Lancashire-based players near Wigan.
The trip might be long enough to put Whitehaven and Cornwall in the rugby league record books, but it still falls short when it comes to ranking the longest road journey in domestic sport.
Four hundred and eighty-three miles separate Newcastle Falcons and Cornish Pirates, who met twice in rugby union's Championship, while Penzance-based Mount's Bay traipsed 482 miles to Tynedale in 2008 in their single season in National League Two before folding, perhaps unsurprisingly, due to debts.
The prize for the longest English sporting road trip is surely held by speedway's Elite League, whose 2001 Premier League paired Berwick Bandits with St Austell-based Trelawny Tigers – busting the 1,000-mile round trip barrier at a cool 505 miles each way.
Nothing, however, quite compares with sport's ultimate road trip, which was undertaken by a group of Zenit St Petersburg fans to watch their team play Luch Vladivostok in the Russian Premier League in 2006.
The fans crossed seven time zones in the course of their 6,500 mile journey and, after watching their team win 2-0, were forced to take the train home because their car had finally broken down.
They arrived just in time for the following week's home game, whereupon they were presented with a new car and the Honda in question was put on display in Zenit's official museum.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Parky influence hailed by Wrexham executive director Ker
Parkinson was appointed by co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as the Reds' manager in July 2021 and in his four years at the helm, he has led Wrexham to three promotions. Speaking to Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman on The Sports Agents podcast, Wrexham executive director Ker said: 'He's been extraordinary and I think, again, people point to our success and there's, obviously, lots of debate about 'oh, have you thrown a lot of money? Have you done this, that and the other?'. 'I think the single greatest thing we did was hire Phil and say you're in charge. 'It's quite an old-fashioned way of doing things. We don't have a director of football. 'We don't have a head of data, a head of scouting, a head of this, that and the other. You're the manager. You're in charge.' The Wrexham story is now a prominent one around the world, thanks to the success of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. Currently screening its fourth season, a further year has been commissioned when Wrexham take their place in the Championship, with viewers and fans being taken for more fly-on-the-wall peaks inside the changing room. While viewers have got used to these behind-the-scenes views, Ker says that Parkinson also has his say on what is filmed for the documentary. He added: 'He has complete carte blanche to turn them (cameras) away. 'But, also, he's come to understand, you know, I think at the start he was probably a little bit reluctant and you've seen the documentary. 'He has a long conversation with Rob, where I think Rob did impress upon him, you know, this is not like Sunderland 'Til I Die, because, actually, we control the cameras. 'So, you're not going to be made to look like a wally. You're not going to get egg on your face. 'We're not going to be intruding... and it's become this extraordinary situation where I think the relationship between Rob and Ryan and Phil, and our players, and dare I say myself and Rob and Ryan, and the players and Phil, we're all so, so close. 'It's a very stable environment. It's very rare, I think, for a manager to operate with as little peril as Phil has done over the last four years. 'There's, like, no point when we've had bad runs, where there's been anything approaching pressure.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Sophie Ecclestone recalled by England for T20 series with India
Ecclestone missed the opening stages of Edwards' reign due to a knee injury and announced last week that she was taking a break from domestic cricket with Lancashire to 'prioritise her well-being' and manage a sore quad. But the plan was always for the team's most highly-rated bowler to return for the five-match series against India and the slow left-armer takes here place in a 14-strong squad. Did someone say squad announcement? 👀 Our T20 squad has just dropped for our India series 👇 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 13, 2025 Ecclestone's comeback means no room for leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, who drops out after featuring in just one of the three T20s against the West Indies. 'It's great to have Soph back, and we're looking forward to having her back in the group. She has obvious qualities and she'll be an asset to us,' said Edwards. 'It does mean Sarah Glenn misses out, we are blessed with a strong group of spinners and we unfortunately can't play them all. It's now a great opportunity for Sarah to go back to The Blaze and play some competitive cricket in the Vitality Blast.' Em Arlott and Issy Wong are included again after coming in for Edwards' first series but the team must once again do without former captain Heather Knight, whose hamstring problems have already ended her summer. Reflecting on the challenge of taking on a strong India team who sit third to England's second in the International Cricket Council rankings, Edwards added: 'They're one of the best sides in the world and it'll be a huge test for us. 'There was lots to be happy about in the West Indies series but equally lots of things we want to keep improving on – we're always looking at getting better. Five games against India in front of big crowds at great venues will serve us really well. This is a significant series for us with the countdown well and truly underway towards the home ICC Women's T20 World Cup.' England Women's squad for Vitality T20 series against India: E Arlott, T Beaumont, L Bell, A Capsey, C Dean, S Dunkley, S Ecclestone, L Filer, A Jones, N Sciver-Brunt (c), P Schofield, L Smith, D Wyatt-Hodge, I Wong.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford
Spurs announced Frank as their new head coach on Thursday night on a three-year deal. It ended Frank's time at Brentford, where he won 136 of his 317 matches across a seven-year spell, with the Danish coach able to lead the club into the Premier League for the first time in 2021 via Championship play-off success at Wembley. A message from Thomas ✍ — Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) June 13, 2025 In an emotional message posted on Brentford's official club website on Friday, Frank said: 'The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters. 'I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one. 'For my family and I, it has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of such a special community – it's an experience and adventure that we will cherish for life. So, thank you. 'Whatever we have achieved, we have achieved together, and our success is built on unity, spirit, courage and ambition at every level of the club and amongst the fans. A post shared by Tottenham Hotspur (@spursofficial) 'Everybody has contributed, and every contribution has been invaluable. I am not just leaving a football club, I am saying goodbye to friends whose support through good and bad times I will carry with me always. 'I would like to say a special word of thanks to Matthew Benham. His trust and friendship have meant so much and the fact he gave me a chance in English football means I will always owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you, Matt. 'So, while this is a goodbye, I hope the relationships I have built with everybody will be lasting ones and, of course, we will meet again in the wonderful world of football. 'Thank you, Thomas.' Spurs announced on Friday they would visit Luton for a pre-season friendly on July 26. Further fixtures in addition to Tottenham's tour of Asia towards the end of July are still to be announced, but Frank's first fixture in charge will currently be at Kenilworth Road.
