Phil Rutter and Finlay Wild narrowly won the 55th edition of the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) this weekend, with the female winning team Catriona Graves and Naomi Lang also taking 10th place overall.
This year’s two-day event played out in the area around Ben Vorlich and Glen Artney in Perthshire with 1600 competitors racing in pairs.
Phil and Finlay triumphed in the men’s Elite course covering 48 miles and ascending some 15,000ft of difficult terrain in 11 hours and 29 minutes. For much of the race, they were within two minutes of the runners up, Felix Wilson and Dan Ashwood, before finally gaining enough time to take the title at the end of day two.
In the women’s elite race, Catriona and Naomi set an unrelenting pace to give them an hour’s lead over the pairing of Despina Berdeni and Lisa Watson.
In the Long Score course, the top two teams of Peter Fagerström and John Kumlin and wife-and-husband Jasmin Paris and Konrad Rawlik were level at the end of day one. The Swedish team took the title after visiting an extra checkpoint early on.
What is the OMM?
The OMM is a race that requires competitors to reach as many check points as possible in a given time and over the two days. They must be be self-sufficient for the entire race, including running with a tent and sleeping kit for an overnight camp in the mountains.
The 800 teams camped in the dramatic Glen Artney hills on a cold and soggy evening under a clear sky on Saturday.
The OMM event’s legendary status has attracted mountain enthusiasts from all abilities and backgrounds to test themselves on an October weekend for 55 years.
Alistair MacGregor, of OMM, said: “The OMM is a cracking couple of days in the mountains for people who love being in the hills. It’s a really tough event but as everyone who has had challenging days in the hills knows, the scenery and feeling of accomplishment is worth it.”
This year saw a record number of new teams entering the event with the eldest competitor aged 78 and the youngest aged 16. Remarkably, Wendy Dodds completed her 48th event, while father and son team Peter Weinig and Jack Hay from Munich, Germany, took the family team prize. Rob Ashton and Liam Wilson, representing the British Army, claimed the military trophy.
Entries open for next year’s OMM
Entries are open for next year’s 56th Original Mountain Marathon will be held in the Lake District on October 25 and 26.
Alistair said: “The OMM has visited the Lake District many times over its history with the relatively well-known fells being deceptively tricky to traverse. We look forward to seeing everyone next year.”
For those interested in venturing into the fells but who feel the OMM is a step too far, there is a Lake District Running Festival, held in Grasmere on May 31. Both events can be entered through the OMM website.
