Ochills 2000s & Merrick close the SHR hill champs

Race reports from the last two races in the 2023 Scottish Hill Runners Championships. With plenty up for grabs it was some great end of season racing from our hill runners. Ochills report by Kenny Richmond, Merrick by Dan Dry and SHR stats by Malcolm Paterson.

The Ochills 2000s race was the fifth counter (and the second long) in this year’s Scottish Hill Runners Championship. The route is a point to point (Glen Devon to Stirling University) and 33km with 1770m climb, taking in 11 summits of over 2000 feet (hence the race name).

It’s a very runnable route (mostly), with a massive sting in the tail at the end – a quad busting descent off Colsnaur Hill to Menstrie, a steep hands on knees climb up Dumyat, and a long descent to the end on cramping legs.

On the day, the weather was kind so no navigational worries, and 15 Shetts toed the start-line. Dan Dry was the first home for the club, taking second place overall. Steve Halsall was 6^th overall and Fred Davis 11^th, ensuring Shettleston won the male team prize.

CJ McPhail was the first women home, with Matilda Cornall fourth.

Other strong performances by Kenny Richmond (13^th place overall and 2^nd male vet), Iain Pender (14^th place), Jethro Lennox (22^nd), John Connaghan (27^th), Luis Eisen (29^th), Stephen Winter (30^th), Ryad Chebbout (33^rd), Ross Cruickshanks (34^th), Andrew Shields(57^th), and Rodrigo Reis (74^th)

Thanks to the Ochill Hill Runners for organising an excellent race, and ensuring runner welfare with an essential recovery drink on crossing the finishing line – a bottle of locally brewed beer!

Full results here

The sixth and final round of the 2023 Scottish Championships required a trip to the Galloway hills for the Merrick hill race, organised by Girvan Harriers. Nine Shetts took to the start, harboring high hopes to round off an excellent season of championship racing. With the men’s team looking to secure the overall team prize, CJ Macphail aiming to secure her spot on the women’s championship podium and Dan Dry locked in a showdown with Cambuslang’s Ali Campbell for the individual men’s championship, it was set to be an exciting day.

A wet and grizzly Merrick greeted the runners with poor visibility from half height, luckily a well flagged, out and back course shouldn’t cause any serious navigational problems…

In the women’s race, CJ led to the top of the climb, followed by Sarah Hodgson (Carnethy) and Ellen Downs (Westies). CJ unfortunately took a wrong turn on the descent, having to contour back to re-enter the race in 3rd but recovered well to finish 2nd. Descent of the day goes, as usual, to Ella Foreman (Westies) who charged from 4th at the summit to take the win in the last champs race of the year. 

In the men’s race, a leading pack of 4 escaped up the climb which included Shetts Dan Dry & Joe Symonds, with Kieran Cooper (Carnethy) and Ali Campbell (Cambuslang). From halfway Kieran hit the front and was first man to the summit, with old boy Joe showing his pedigree in second. Shetts men showed excellent packing in the chasing group which included Harry Pulham, Steve Halsall and Iain Pender.

Kieran continued to lead on the descent to take the win, with Dan in 2nd and Ali in 3rd, closely followed by a fast descending Harry in 4th and Joe rounding out the top 5 whilst also taking first MV40 (ed: this was his first race as MV40) Completing an astounding team performance were Steve (7th), Iain (12th), Ryad Chebbout (14th), Andrew Shields (20th) and Ross Cruickshanks (22nd), backing up what’s been incredible showing of strength and depth throughout the whole season.

Although official scores are still awaited, these results all but confirm Dan as the men’s individual champion for 2023, Harry as 3rd overall and CJ taking 2nd in the women’s individual championship. The men are the Scottish championship team winners for 2023 and the women’s team finish 3rd overall. Kenny Richmond is the MV50 champion.

Overall, an excellent set of results which are thoroughly deserved. The atmosphere around the hill racing team through the whole season has been great, with fantastic numbers turning up to every race. Outstanding commitment from everyone to club training sessions has paid dividends, with the whole team getting stronger as the season progressed. Thanks to Malcolm Patterson (with sidekicks Ross Cruickshanks and John Connaghan) for leading the sessions every week without fail.

Congratulations to everyone and thanks to all who’ve pulled on the blue and gold for a hill race this year, you’ve all played a role in the team’s success this year. Time for a well earned rest before the real work starts this winter!!!       #offseason

and here’s the final statistics summary from coach Malcy…

Senior men stats

Men that have been in the counting 1st team:

Dan, Harry, Robert, Tom, Kenny, Steve H, Fred, Joe

Honorable mention to Iain who was 5th counter several times

and those who have earned the much coveted 2023 SHR mug for finishing at least 4 out of 6 races were

Dan, Harry, Steve, Iain, Kenny, Ryad, Ross, Alex, Andrew and Rod. Dan was the only Shett to complete all 6 races and the only male in the whole series to score points in all 6 races.

Senior women stats

All the women in the scoring team:

Zoe, CJ, Myrtle, Matilda, Jessica

With these in support: Mary, Susan, Becky, Ceana, Tara, and Bryony

CJ and Myrtle added to their crockery collection. CJ was the only women to complete all six races.

SHR report and tables here

SHR long classics

New member Steve Halsall won the long classics series with some impressive runs in the long hill races. Full details here

Well done to the hill runners on a successful 2023 SHR campaign.