Northern Times Friday 24th May 2002

Cape Challenge off to flying start
The first day of the inaugural Cape Wrath Challenge this week, hopefully the first of many, was a spectacular event with 80 runners setting off on a glorious morning for Port na Con.
Competitors accustomed to running in marathons and cross-country events all over the world were bowled over by the scenic grandeur of the place, as North-West Sutherland put on a superb display of glorious weather.
When plans to stage the event last year had to be cancelled because of the foot and mouth outbreak, there were fears it might never happen.
But the determination and commitment of the team that organised the round-Britain Island Race for the millennium, working closely with local people, has got the Cape Wrath Challenge and its associated programme of events off to a flying start.
Interspersed with outdoor activities laid on by Cape International and the Highland Council’s ranger service, together with local barbecues and a ceilidh, about 150 runners from all over the world are being treated to the best the Highlands have to offer.
The road race on the first day (Tuesday) started either from Ard Neackie on the east side of Loch Eriboll, or from Whale’s Corner around the tip of the loch, and finished at the pier at Port na Con.
Lucy Mackay of Durness is the local standard-bearer and notched up a personal best in the first day’s event, running seven miles non-stop.
The previous evening was a sociable “meet and greet” occasion when the runners who are staying for the week were invited to the new village hall for cheese and wine.
Graham Bruce gave an introductory talk on the area and stimulated their appetite to explore it further, ranger Donald Mitchell talked about the wildlife and natural attractions, and Rebecca Ridgway introduced some of the adventure activities available this week. Tuesday night offered a pub quiz at the Sango Sands Oasis or a Texas scramble on the golf course.
Day Two was just as spectacular, with a short four-mile run on the lower slopes of Beinn Ceannabeinne and beside Loch Meadaidh.
The main event, the Cape Wrath Challenge itself, takes place tomorrow (Saturday) with about 130 runners entered.

Cape Challenge puts Durness on the map
This must be the first time Durness has experienced anything of this kind, writes Ronnie Lansley. The Cape Wrath Challenges of road races, hill race and beach race, culminating in the 27-mile “ultra” to Cape Wrath over the Parph and back, have been hailed as a great success.
The week has been more than just a sporting event, breaking the mould and trying something different from the normal “run” of such events. The visitors became involved in a choice of diverse activities and found there were not enough hours in the day to take part in them all. The response from the runners has been unanimous – they have all enjoyed themselves.
The people of Durness have welcomed the visitors warmly and organised a range of social activities, and got involved themselves to the delight of the visiting runners. Many have made a firm commitment to return with members of their running clubs and families for the next Cape Wrath Challenge week – provisionally agreed for May 19-24 next year. This will be dependent on sponsorship as such an event could never be self-financing.
The forward planning for this year’s event certainly paid off. The weather was almost perfect for running and everything went according to plan. One or two minor changes to the beach race route were introduced at the last minute when the full technical team from Weston Promotions arrived in advance of the week to set the courses. The logistics of ferrying competitors over the Kyle of Durness and ensuring Ekiden team members were in the right place at the right time tested the experience of the technical team, backed by 58 Highland Brigade.
The races started with a morning briefing in the village hall and the competitors were then taken to the start points. On Tuesday it was the UKAEA’s Loch Eriboll to Port na Con run; Wednesday was Dick Haldane’s Sangomore hill run finishing at the hall; on Thursday the River Dionard Middle Beat’s Kyle of Durness run from Gualin to the village square; Friday hosted the Campbell Lutyens Faraid Head beach run, starting and finishing at Balnakeil; and on Saturday the UKAEA Cape Wrath Challenge Ultra started and finished in the village square. This is the only marathon-plus event that involves a ferry crossing!
The Challenge week brought competitors of all levels, abilities, ages and nationalities. Among them, renowned in the running world, was German extreme athlete Stefan Schlett. Stefan has run in numerous events around the world in remote and unusual situations, holding German and world records for events including a climbing race on escalators, marathons on board a ship at sea, and underground ultra marathons – but he said he’s never been to such an enjoyable week of challenges.
On the beach run on Thursday, from Balnakeil to Faraid Head and back by the track through the dunes, the children and staff of Durness Primary School joined in. This added a great deal of excitement and fun to the day and was much appreciated by the runners. Some of the children returned in very good times, although they were not recorded.
The week was completed on Saturday night with a wonderful buffet meal for 200 guests catered for by the Sango Sands Oasis. The staff excelled themselves with the spread. The meal was followed by speeches from the chairman of the local organising committee Graham Bruce, race director John Joiner, Cape Wrath Challenge president Dick Haldane, Sports Company representative Jamie Smith made presentations from New Balance, John Campbell from Campbell Lutyens Bank London, and by representatives from the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Dounreay, the main sponsors of the challenges. The hospitality that they have received was rewarded with the Durness village hall receiving all the proceeds from the massage service that had been operating for the athletes all week and a stereo unit for the lounge. The primary school was given a generous cheque for sports equipment. Thanks were expressed by all the speakers to everyone that made the event such a spectacular success. The evening continued with a Scottish theme when the Jean McConchie Sound played traditional music and led the dancing. Many more guests arrived for the second part of the night.
To crown the occasion Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise funded the Nova Film Company to record a promotional video of the event. A director and cameraman spent three days in Durness and surrounding area and were confident that Channel 4 and Sky TV were interested in screening the results. There will always be a professional record of this inaugural event.
Many ideas are being discussed to make this Challenge Week as memorable in future years as it has been on this first occasion. The local committee were working in the dark and gratefully accepted the expertise of the promoters. The local contingent of runners was rather limited in this first year, but Lucy Mackay ran all the runs during the week and Sandy Robbins from Rhigoltar ran the 27-mile Ultra. Many friendships have been made during the week and many local people are determined to get fit enough to participate next year!
This event has put Durness firmly on the map as a venue and a date on the calendar not to be missed.
The Ultra event on Saturday was the only competitive event. The runs throughout the week were for fun. Times were recorded on the Cape Wrath Ultra and this has set the standard. Records have now been set for future competitors to try and break – but perhaps the real challenge will be maintaining the high standard set this year.

Results
Men: 1 Jonathan Whitehead from Dundee, 3 hours 14 minutes (Caithness Glass trophy and £75 in shoe vouchers), 2 Bruce Hall Standard Life AC, 3 hours 19 minutes (Caithness Glass Trophy and £60 shoe vouchers), 3 Bob Martin, Wells City Harriers, 3 hours 21 minutes (Caithness Glass trophy and £50 shoe vouchers).
Weighted for age and time – Male Vet 40: Murdo McEwan, Carnethy Running Club, 3 hours 28 minutes. Male Vet 50: Bob Scott, Scottish Vets, 3 hours 22 minutes. Male Vet 60: Neville Dewson RRC 4 hours 36 minutes
Parish of Durness Ultra winner – Sandy Robbins, 4hrs 44mins.
Ladies: 1 Susan Cord, Essex Ladies Running Club, 3 hours 57 minutes, 2 Angela Ngankran, Germany, 4 hours 14 minutes, 3 Susan Cameron, UNA Edinburgh, 4 hours 29 minutes.
Weighted for age and time – Female Vet 40: Judy Mills, Avon and Somerset Police Athletic Support, 4 hours 53 minutes.
Parish of Durness Challenge Participation Medal: Lucy Mackay for running in all four challenges leading to the Ultra.
Ekiden – 1 Team 4 (Warwick and Jenny Fortescue, Keri Martin and Mike Jackson) in 3 hours 26 minutes, 2 Team 16 (Terje Tondel and James Shanahan) in 3 hours 31 minutes, 3 Team 3 (51st Highlanders led by Major Cox) in 3 hours 36 minutes.

Just a few of the unsolicited comments made about our first event.

Runner’s World Magazine.
A four page review written and photographed by Sean Fishpool, Deputy Editor in the Sept issue – pages 74-77

And from the post race post-bag;

• “What a BRILLIANT week! All three of us had a ball. We thank you for the inspiration & hard work that made it possible.
  It was a perfect mix of “athletic”, social and tourist. We met some lovely people- participants and locals and hope everybody feels the same as us- that it will become an “annual”. BM.

• “Well done John – to you and your team for a job thoroughly well done. Thanks for turning a dream into a reality”. RH.

• “ I love the remoteness, the cleanliness, lack of crowds and generosity of the people of Durness. Added to that the common purpose (and pain!) of the other runners and the well-organised programme so that I rarely had a moment to rest- never mind getting bored. It was certainly one of the best weeks of my life.” JM

•  “We would like to thank you and your colleagues for organising the superb week we had in Durness. We had visited the region but it was the first time that we had got to know the people of Durness

• The running was a wonderful bonus and without your enormous efforts we might never have got to know and appreciate the area as much as we do now.” JW.

•  “What a triumph! Thank you for organising such a terrific week- a complete success right down to the weather. Looking forward to next years event. SC

• “ You excelled yourselves organising such a wonderful week of activities. It all went so well and was such fun. Everyone I spoke to wants to do it again- what a success! Thank you.”. JH

• “ Just a quick note to thank you and your team for your efforts. We had a super time in Durness. Enjoyment is often down to just how well the event is organised. Thank you again.” AW

• Thanks to your team and the other local organisers for putting on the Cape Wrath Challenges. We had a wonderful time and were really sad when it ended. I’m looking forward to next year already!” SC 

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