Home success for Scotland at mountain running festival

Kinlochleven in the Highlands served as the base for last weekend’s event. 

Over two days, thousands of runners took part in a series of “skyraces” and trail runs, ranging in distance from 5km to 80km. 

The annual Salomon Skyline Scotland event attracted a large number of spectators into the area, to cheer on the participants and enjoy talks, entertainment and food and drink in the event village.

The USA's Evan Williams finished second in the Salomon Glen Coe Skyline race - Image Credit: No Limits Photography (Image: Image Credit: No Limits Photography)

The action kicked off on Saturday September 17 with one of the new races on the event programme, the Lochaber 80 Ultra. 

The longest distance race of the weekend, it saw runners take on trails through the wild and remote landscapes of Lochaber. 

The race was won by Sweden’s Simen Hjalmar Wästlund in seven hours, 17 minutes and 25 seconds, with Jacob Snochowski of Poland second in seven hours, 39 minutes and 19 seconds and Eoin Lennon of Ireland third in eight hours, 11 minutes and 21 seconds. 

Distance and climbing weren't the only challenges - Image Credit: No Limits Photography (Image: Distance and climbing weren't the only challenges - Image Credit: No Limits Pho)

UK athlete Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn won the women’s race in eight hours, 49 minutes and five seconds followed by Ireland's Emma Stuart in nine hours, 32 minutes and 57 seconds and the UK's Elaine Bisson in nine hours, 47 minutes and 39 seconds. 

Governed by the International Skyrunning Federation (SKF), the growing sport of skyrunning involves participants running on steep mountain inclines.

The programme involved three skyrunning events, all of which led to some home success. 

Scotland's Lynne Allen won the women's Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra skyrace, with 52km and 4000m of ascent that took participants towards Glen Nevis, up to the summit of Ben Nevis and then back to Kinlochleven in nine hours, 30 minutes and 47 seconds. 

Scotland's Naomi Lang was the first-placed woman in the Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace - Image Credit: No Limits Photography (Image: No Limits Photography)

Those taking on the Salomon Glen Coe Skyline race faced 52km and 4750m of ascent, with a route that included the two famous ridges of Curved Ridge and Aonach Eagach. 

It was regarded as the most challenging event of the weekend.

Scotland's Clementine Mitchell came in third in the women's event with a time of 11 hours, 33 minutes and 17 seconds. 

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Also taking place was the Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace which saw 700 runners head off from Kinlochleven to tackle a route across the Mamores - taking in 29km and 2500m of climbing. 

The race was won by the UK's Alan Cherry with fellow countryman Daniel Connolly in second but in third overall and the first-placed woman was Scotland's Naomi Lang who finished in three hours, 55 minutes and 38 seconds. 

Meanwhile, there were three more trail races on the Sunday morning, providing challenges and beautiful views for every level of runner.

The 27km Mamores Stalker Trail Race was part of the Spartan Trail World Championship and boasted a very competitive field.

The men’s race was won by Spain’s Antonio Martínez Pérez in two hours, three minutes  and Norway’s Andrine Benjaminsen won the women’s race in two hours, 20 minutes and five seconds. 

 Hundreds more runners tackled 18km and 10km runs.