WEST HIGHLAND WAY RACE PREVIEW
by Adrian Stott
Scotland’s iconic point to point ultra distance race, the 95 mile West Highland Way takes place this weekend. The event starts from Milngavie just north of Glasgow at 1am Saturday morning June 22nd.
238 runners will toe the start line, all with the aim of trying to cover Scotland’s most popular long distance trail in the 35hour time limit
Neither of last years winners David McLure, or Nicola Adams-Hendry are returning to defend their titles.
Rachael Campbell, Great Britain ultra trail international, will start as one of the ladies favourites, Now living in Inverness, she is attempting her 1st WHW and to our knowledge her longest race to date. A 5th place in the 85km Madeira ultra in April showed she is in good form. She could be challenged by Yorkshire based, Charmaine Horsfall. Like Campbell, she is very experienced over the 50 mile /100km distance , with 3 top 30 CCC finishes and a 3rd place in Aprils South Downs Way 50 distance. To our knowledge she is also attempting her first “long ultra”.
Rosie Bell, a two time winner of the event, with the experience of 11 previous finishes of the race behind her, could certainly use her years of experience of the course to also challenge the podium too.
Other contenders in the ladies race are Alice Mezincescu, Roumanian but living In Banchory on Deeside and Scots Charlotte Black and Iona MacKay.
In the men’s race 2016 winner James Stewart will start as favourite. His time of 15hrs 15 minutes 59 seconds in that race ranks him the 4th fastest athlete over the course. The GB 24 hour ultra international knows the course well and has prepared in his usual meticulous way.
Three time finisher David Gow, 5th in last years Lakeland 100 and 2nd in the recent Glen Lyon ultra looks set to improve on his Pb of 17.41 set in 2014.
On paper and experience they look the pick of the bunch,
Other contenders could be former Glasgow-Edinburgh ultra winner Rowan Boswood, Carnethy’s Will Stewart and Former Scottish 100km international David Gardiner, who has a sub 17 hour time from his last outing on the course in 2014
The men’s course records is held by Rob Sinclair with 13:41:08 set in 2017. Lucy Colquhoun holds the women’s record with 17:16:20 set in 2007.