Huge Scottish cohort to race World Mountain and Trail Champs in Spain

Tuesday 23rd September 2025

Scout Adkin – photo by Marco Gulberti

Kirsty Skye Dickson feature

A dozen Scottish athletes and two Scotland-based athletes are representing the GB and NI team in the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Canfranc, Spain, from September 24-28.

This is the third edition of the championships which is growing in numbers in each edition, with around 1700 athletes from 80 countries are expected to compete.

The uphill only event kicks off the championships on Thursday 25 September as the current European uphill only silver medallists Jacob and Scout Adkin (Moorfoot) compete with the trial winner Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy).

The 6.4km with 980m of climb is challenging, a fast start then a steep sting in the tail over the final kilometre will mean pace judgement will play an important role.

The Canfranc area is rugged and much of the trail courses are on technical pathless terrain, akin to our Scottish mountains.

Naomi Lang and Joe Wright (both Carnethy) are racing the short trail, 45km 3500m on Friday. After an impressive summer racing in the Golden Trails Series, Naomi will be more at home on the technical terrain. The final descent involves 122 switchbacks which nobody will forget.

Alastair Graves (Ochils) races the long trail, on Saturday. This race will see many of the runners finishing in the dark, it covers 81km and 5400m. Following technical ridges, dropping into valleys to climb back up onto more ridges. The course is truly epic and is predicted to take the winner nearly nine hours.

Sunday sees Scotland’s largest representation on a single day at these World Championships with ten individuals plus Edinburgh AC’s Nancy Scott competing in the classic mountain races.

The Scottish U20 cohort makes up over 60 percent of the team. Isla Paterson (Gala) and Thomas Hilton (Moorfoots) will both be hoping to lead their teams home after winning their respective trials. The junor race is over 8km and 390m.

In the Senior event the 2025 (and 2024) World Cup Champion Scout Adkin will benefit from her experience of racing several consecutive uphill and up and down races over the world cup series.

Andy Douglas has several world championships under his belt and will once again be hoping for a good performance over the classic two lapped event – 14.3km 770m. The terrain is fast and firm underfoot and the runners negotiate several switchbacks on the descent which makes overtaking more challenging than usual.

The trail and mountain events are very different. With many of the world’s elite trail runners forfeiting the UTMB in August the races promise to be exciting and extremely competitive. The event webpage will cover the events and provide live updates for the races.

Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Kris Jones is in the team, too, and will race the short trail event. Kris was in the top ten in previous edition of these Champs. Highland Hill Runner, Lizzie Richardson, will race the long trail.

WMTRC2025

Adrian Stott and Angela Mudge are both traveling out to support the teams.

Event poster in Canfranc this week features our own Andy Douglas

All at scottishathletics wish the athletes, their families and coaches good luck for the championship and to the clubs involved in their development over many years.

Uphill

Women

Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Moorfoot)

Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy)

Men

Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Moorfoot)

Matthew Knowles (Sophie Dunnett, Carnethy)

Classic

Women

Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Moorfoot)

Nancy Scott (Phillip O’Dell, Aldershot)

Men

Jacob Adkin (Moorfoot)

Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Westerlands)

U20

Women

Hania Czebreszuk (James Joy, Aberdeen)

Isla Paterson (Laura Weightman, Gala Harriers)

Jessica Taylor (Enid Johnstone, Edinburgh AC)

Men

Thomas Hilton (Ross Grieve, Moorfoot)

Rowan Taylor (Kirk & Linda Smith, Lasswade AC)

Short Trail

Naomie Lang (Lewis Walker, Carnethy)

Joe Wright (Sam Tosh, Carnethy)

Long Trail

Alastair Graces (Lewis Walker, Ochils)

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Tags: Andy Douglas, Jacob Adkin, Scout Adkin, Spain, World Mountain and Trail Champs

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