The Stùc a’ Chroin Hill Race in Strathyre in Scotland on May 3 hosted the national champs
Ross Gollan of East Sutherland Athletics Club and Naomi Lang from Carnethy Hill Racing Club were victorious in the UKA British Fell and Hill Championship long-course race held over the Stùc a’ Chroin course on Saturday.
It was a sunny day and perfect conditions for the 349 runners who tackled the 22.5km route with 1500 metres of climb.
The race starts in the village of Strathyre in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and climbs to a col just below Meaell Mor before a steep descent into Glen Ample. The course then climbs steeply to Beinn Each (813m), then follows an undulating ridge to the to the top of the Stùc a’ Chroin (975m) before descending again to Glen Ample. There is a last steep climb back over the col then the final long downhill to Strathyre.
In the men’s race Gollan took the win with a course record of 2:04:21, but was pushed all the way by Finlay Grant of Dark Peak, who was just a few seconds behind in 2:04:38. Ewan Brown of Corstorphine AAC took bronze (2:05:46).
Lang was the leading female, also setting a women’s record (2:22:11). Catriona Graves from Highland Hill Runners took the silver medal (2:37:56), while Grace Pow of Carnethy was third (2:41:45).
Grant also took the under-23 men’s gold medal, with Rebecca Magee of Newcastle & District AC claiming the female under-23 gold.
The winners in the female veteran categories were Caroline Marwick of Highland Hill Runners, W40), Sue Richmond (Pennine Fell Runners, W45), Angela Mudge (Ochil Hill Runners, W50), Jean Powell (Wharfdale Harriers, W55), Rowena Browne (Bowland Fell Runners, W60) and Wendy Dodds (Dallam Running Club, W70).
The male veteran gold medal winners were Steve Halsall (Keswick AC, M40), Andy Fallas (Carnethy ,M45), Rob Jeb (Helm Hill, M50), Karl Gray (Calder Valley, M55), Paul Cornforth (Ambleside AC, M60), Colin Donnolly (Cambuslang Harriers, M65) and Brian Thompson (Helm Hill, M70).
