‘I still have unfinished business on the hills’ – Naomi Lang (April 2023)
Scottish hill runners Naomi Lang and Ross Gollan both broke the existing course record at Stuc a’ Chroin to win the British Fell and Hill Long Course Championship.
The race is 22km with 1500m of ascent/descent and races to the Munro summit – and the opposition had no answer to Carnethy HRC athlete Naomi and East Sutherland’s Ross.
Conditions were warm in Strathyre but once on the summit ridge there was a strong easterly wind which kept temperatures cool. With the extended dry period, the conditions were dry underfoot compared with the normal bog and made for fast running.
Naomi dominated the women’s race from the gun, with a clear lead at the summit she went on to further extend this on the descent. She finished in an amazing 2.22.11 in 39th place overall.
The competition for second and third was much closer with a group of three women racing together to the summit, Catriona Graves (Highland Hill Runners) finished second in 2.37.57 and Grace Pow (Carnethy) was third in 2.41.45.
This ensured Carnethy won the women’s team prize with their third finisher home in sixth place.
The men’s race was fought hard to the finish. A group of five or so runners reached the summit together.
Ross and Finlay Grant (Dark Peak) continually changing the lead, Ross was triumphant in the end taking 17 seconds out of Finlay on the final section of forest trails to the finish. Ewan Brown (Corstorphine) wasn’t far behind in third in 2.05.46
Other Scots had notable performances with a large percentage of the British Championship medals being awarded to the host nation.
Category winners are listed below.
M45 Andy Fallas (Carnethy), M65 Colin Donnelly (Cambuslang), F40 Caroline Marwick (Highland Hill Runners), F50 Angela Mudge (Ochil)
The team results are combined with the results from the Short Championships on 24 May. On the day there was a technical hiccup, so the men’s team results are still tbc.
Special thanks to the organisers and the village of Strathyre for hosting the event. The hill marshals provided excellent support, water and jelly babies. A great day out on the hills.
With thanks to Angela Mudge
*Great to hear Scout Adkin opened up her WMRA World Cup campaign with a victory.
Scout was in top form in Romania to take the win and full points as top female and and excellent eighth in the race itself.
Read more via Athletics Weekly
Photos by Mark Johnston
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Tags:
hill running, Naomi Lang, Ross Gollan, Strathyre
