Another big Ben race awaits
For the second weekend in a row the international race scene is crammed (World Champs, Trans Alpine, Ben Nevis race, Shelf Moor…). One thing that clashes do mean is depleted fields, somewhere. With the likes of Andy Symonds, Tom Owens and Angela Mudge in Germany for the TransAlp...
…and Scottish youngster Cat Buchanan at the world championships some of Scotland’s elite will not be present at their big home event the Ben Nevis race, which takes place this Saturday (4 Sept).
As usual the race doubles as a round of the World Skyrunning Series and the UK contingient of fell and mountain runners is very strong, as they take on some Europes finest mountain and ultra-trail runners.
2009 winner Rob Jebb is once again in the line-up and will be tough to beat on this mountain which he knows so well. Other Brits looking to run Jebby close will be 2009 English fell champ Simon Bailey and surprise Snowdon winner Robbie Simpson. Indeed the world championships loss is Ben Nevis’ gain, as Robbie will look for a high place finish in this big home event, after being left out of the British junior team traveling to Slovenia.
Equally with 2009 runner-up Nat White injured, Vicky Wilkinson, Olivia Walwyn, Anna Lupton over in Slovenia and Pippa Maddams not registered the women’s race is wide open.
There is little international entry news on the Ben Nevis site, so previewing the race from a Skyrunner© perspective is a little difficult, however one thing is sure that the torrential rain of 2009 should stay away and the course looks set fair for some fast and furious racing…
