Day six of Cape Wrath Ultra passes through Assynt as race hots up for exciting conclusion
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Day six of the 2022 Cape Wrath Ultra was the longest of the race at 72km, taking competitors from Inverbroom to Inchnadamph, through the amazing landscape of Assynt.
Runners who completed the day still in the race started to believe that they would complete the whole event.
At the front, a timing issue on the previous day meant that it turned out that the leader was actually Norwegian Thomas Øderud, rather than Graham Walton, whose time had been recorded as half an hour less than it actually was.
Rather than demoralise Graham, this news spurred him on and he was comfortably the fastest runner on the day. Thomas held onto his overall lead, but only by five minutes.
The race is set up for an exciting conclusion.
Although moving slower than previously due to her injured ankle, Laura O’Driscoll is still out in front in the women’s race.
Claire Gordon, third overall, was fastest on the day.
She said: “I dried off on the downhill. Long day, but it wasn’t as long mentally or time wise, so all good. I’m looking forward to the chips part of the day.”
The day six route took runners past Schoolhouse Bothy, where a trio of hikers were sheltering and came out to cheer them on, providing a welcome boost.
After the day’s cut-off time, under 100 runners were still in the full race, though others have continued to take part on a reduced course.
Male
1st Thomas Øderud (39:10:43)
2nd Graham Walton (39:15:44)
3rd David Barry (41:14:08)
Female
1st Laura O Driscoll (45:31:17)
2nd Vicky Savage (48:11:40)
3rd Claire Gordon (50:14:41)
Day seven has begun, with 61km of distance and 1,575m of ascent, from Inchnadamph to Kinlochbervie. You can read more about today’s route at The Route — Cape Wrath Ultra®.
Track the runners’ progress live at live.opentracking.co.uk/capewrathultra22.
