Disappointed athletes donate to mountain rescue teams after coronavirus halts Highland Hill Runners event
GENEROUS runners forced to pull out of a postponed hill race near Dingwall have donated their entry fees to three Highland mountain rescue teams.
The Alex Brett Memorial Cioch Mhor Hill Race was set to be staged in the shadows of Ben Wyvis on Saturday, doubling as the opening stage of the Scottish Hill Racing Championships.
Some 55 members of Inverness-based Highland Hill Runners club were due to take part.
But the gruelling 14km "out and back" test, covering 660 metres of ascent, was called off amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Refunds were offered, but the majority of the 260 Scottish-wide entrants agreed to allow a total of £1552 to go towards supporting the Cairngorm, Dundonnell and Torridon mountain rescue teams.
One of the race organisers Douglas Macdonald said: “It was a great show of generosity from what was a big entry from across Scotland.
“We still hope to be able to stage the race later in the year, subject to government guidance.”
