Scotland hill runners ready for GB Trials and Senior Home International

Thursday 14th August 2025

Catriona MacDonald, Angus Wright and Harris Pagett are among those due to race this weekend (photo by Craig Pagett at Snowdon International)

This weekend the UKA mountain running trials for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Canfranc in September are being held in the Lake District.

The first two eligible finishers gain automatic selection in each of the trials over the weekend. The action kicks off on Friday night with the Senior uphill only mountain trial.

The race starts from Dodd Wood and finishes on the summit of Skiddaw, 6.4km with 905m of climbing.

It’s a typical continental type climb with a sting in the tail, the last 500m are the steepest over the course, so pacing the climb is important.

There will be strong Scottish representation with current World Cup leader Scout Adkin and Jacob (both Moorfoot) hoping to gain automatic selection again. Other Scots in contention include Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy), Rory Abernethy (Ochils) and Robbie Simpson (Deeside).

+++

Scotland Men

Jacob Adkin (Moorfoot Runners); Robbie Simpson (Deeside Runners); Ross Gollan (East Sutherland); Moray Pryde (Lothian RC)

Scotland U23

Harris Pagett (Strathearn Harriers); Angus Wright (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds)

Scotland Women

Helen Leigh (Inverness Harriers); Catriona MacDonald (Bellahouston Road Runners); Emily McNicol (Law and District AAC); Holly Page (Carnethy HRC)

Scotland U23

Louisa Brown (Garscube Harriers/Stirling Uni); Georgia Ledingham (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds)

The classic up-and-down mountain race trial on Sunday also incorporates the Senior Home International. The venue is Whinlatter forest and the course is very fast on a mix of forest fire roads and single-track trails.

Seniors race two laps covering 14km and 750m and the Juniors race one lap 7.7km and 400m.

In addition to those representing Scotland in the SHI, Andy Douglas (Westerlands), Nancy Scott (Edinburgh), Matt Knowles (Carnethy), Ewan Brown (Corstorphine), Hamish Wolfe and Jonathan Downey (Kilmarnock) have all represented their country previously and will be hoping for a good performance to make the team.

The Junior trial is a counter in the scottishathletics U20 league and a good contingent are travelling down hoping to make the cut. Over 30 percent of the field are Scots!

Thomas Hilton (Moorfoot) and Isla Paterson (Gala) both represented GB and NI in mountain running at the Europeans in 2024 and Rowan Taylor (Lasswade) was reserve in 2024 so will all be hoping to make the team.

Good luck to all the athletes travelling down to the mountain trials.

With thanks to Angela Mudge

+++

Tags: hill running