As rules dictate, a hill race report isn’t a hill race report unless it references the weather within the first two paragraphs. (And chances are Digby will decree ‘Journal’ if he hasn’t read words to the effect of ‘clag’, ‘wind’ or ‘rain’ by the end of the second paragraph.
With a paragraph gone, I will cut to the chase: Meall a’Ghiuthais was a classic scorcher, seven unforgiving miles of up and down in what was the fifth Scottish Championship race of the 2022 season.
Beyond the heat, Meall a’Ghiuthais will be remembered for three reasons.
One – Zoe Harding takes the win; Ali Masson second
For a few moments, in the mad charge off Meall a’Ghiuthais, Edinburgh University’s Fiona Bunn was almost within touching distance of Zoe Harding. That was seemingly the motivation the Carnethy woman needed, for at the end Zoe had taken two minutes and 33 seconds out of her rival. A similar time gap split first and second in the men’s race, with Ali Masson finishing two minutes and 24 seconds shy of Lochaber’s Finlay Wild.
Two – You’ve got to be in it to win it
Michelle Hetherington was probably more concerned with her position in her age category – or, let’s be honest, just getting off the hill in one piece – than her role in any team competition shake up. But you’ve got to be in it to win it – and so Michelle was. She closed a Carnethy women’s team including Zoe Harding and Lizzie Knox that was cumulatively strong enough to beat any others.
Three – Strength in depth
Three men in the top-10; eight men in the top-20; fourteen men in the top-40; six men in the top-10 of the V40 category; like the women, first in the team race; ‘B’, C’ and ‘D’ teams also finishing among the top-10 teams. (Add the caveats: this was a Scottish Championship race with the cream of Scotland’s hill runners showing up; several other Carnethys were at home or on holiday). What a privilege it is to be part of this golden age of hill racing for Carnethy.
Carnethy prizes:
Position | Name | Cat. & Rank | Chip Time |
2 | Alistair Masson | MSEN (2nd) & 1st M Team | 01:07:42 |
6 | Jamie Paterson | 1st Team | 01:13:43 |
9 | Andrew Fallas | M40 (1st) & 1st M Team | 01:14:53 |
11 | Samuel Tosh | 1st M Team | 01:16:48 |
13 | Andrew Lamont | M40 (2nd) | 01:18:21 |
33 | Zoe Harding | WSEN (1st) & 1st Team | 01:27:03 |
36 | Stewart Whitlie | M60 (1st) | 01:28:52 |
58 | Lizzie Knox | WSEN (4th) & 1st Team | 01:35:43 |
78 | Michelle Hetherington | W50 (2nd) & 1st Team | 01:47:29 |
Full Results: https://protay.co.uk/meallaghiuthais22/ and https://www.scottishhillrunners.uk/RaceResults.aspx
Jonny Muir