Busy 2020 ahead for Scottish hill runners

Saturday 7th March 2020

Robbie Simpson, Andy Douglas and Charlotte Morgan headed to World Championship events in 2019 in Argentina

To say Scottish hill runners ‘smashed it’ in 2019 might be something of an understatement. Jacob Adkin won European glory, Andy Douglas won the WMRA World Cup and that duo plus Robbie Simpson guided GB and NI to European team gold for the first time.

Now our hill runners are preparing for the start of the new season with a whole series of events coming up at junior and senior level.

Here, Angela Mudge, our scottishathletics Lead on hill running, outlines a number of the key events and opportunities coming up over the next few months . . .

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This year, Ambleside, England hosts the U18 International Youth Cup on a beautiful course.

Scotland will take four junior (born in 2003 & 2004) girls and boys to the event. Unusually, the trial will be held on the actual championship course on Friday 8 May.

If you’re interested in racing please contact Angela Mudge (angela.mudge@scottishathletics.org.uk) who will be co-ordinating travel to Ambleside.

More details on the event

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The British Athletics Hill and Fell Running Championships starts exceptionally early this year on Saturday 14 March, in Wales, with the Aran Race.

Top Scots are making the long journey to Wales, with a good number of runners entered from Carnethy HRC, Lochaber AC and Shettleston Harriers.

Further details are online

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Junior medal winners in 2019

The scottishathletics hill running season kicks off with the Senior Champs at Stuc a’Chroin on Saturday 2 May.

The scottishathletics Junior Champs also act as the selection race for the JHI and they take place at Cademuir Rollercoaster, Peebles on 15 August.

The junior league (U20, U17, U15 categories and races for younger athletes) has three new races this year.

These races are designed as a gentle introduction to hill running.

More details here

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The Senior UK Inter Counties Champs return to Llanberis, Wales on Saturday 23 May.

This year, the Junior UK Inter-Counties Champs will have an U15 category for the first time. This is at West Nab, on Saturday 30 May.

Selection of the Scottish District teams will be based on current form in hill races and over the British Championship race in Wales.

Please contact your District Rep (listed below) if you are interested in competing in either the senior or junior Inter Counties:

Central: John Stevenson (jgsruns@hotmail.com)

East: Helen Bonsor (hbonsor@hotmail.com)

North: James Espie (theelusivejakalope@gmail.com)

West: Kenny Richmond (Kenny.richmond@ntlworld.com)

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Jacob Adkin

The first GB International opportunity is the European Mountain Running Champs, held in Cinfaes, Portugal on an up and down course.

In 2019, of course, Jacob Adkin won the championship and the senior men took team gold with Scotland’s Andy Douglas and Robbie Simpson completing the team.

The Snowdon International is on Saturday 18 July, where Andy Douglas and the Scotland men’s team stormed to victory in 2019.

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Scotland plays host to the uphill only trial, on Sunday 27 September, for the World Mountain Running Champs in Lanzarote.

This will be on a very fast course where Senior athletes will run approximately 13km with only 750m climb.

Like last year, the World Long Distance Mountain Running Course is on the same weekend, over 44km and 1900m of climb. Scotland’s Charlotte Morgan, champion a couple of years ago, will be hoping for another top ten finish.

The trial is on Sunday 12 July on the Snowdon trail marathon.