Yells wins final winter league race of the season
LOCHABER Athletic Club hosted their final Winter League race of the year on Sunday as 50 runners gathered at Nevis Range to take part in the Leanachan 10k race.
Owing to the nature of the Winter League, runners had to contend with wintry conditions at Leanachan with freezing temperatures and snow covering most of the course.
John Yells was the fastest over the finish line, beating Deni Prikulis by a mere seven seconds. These two have been battling it out on the podium for much of the winter season so it was a fitting end to their respective Winter League campaigns.
Yells finished in an impressive time of 42:24, with Prikulis making it home in 42:37. Stuart Crutchfield, another consistent runner this season, finished third fastest in a time of 45:19.
The fastest female of the day was Lisette Walter, who recorded a time of 51:04, which also gave her an eighth place finish overall. Isla MacKay was the next quickest female, crossing the line in 53:02.
Female veteran 40 runners Amanda Blackhall and Vicki MacKinnon were the fastest veteran females, with little between them, putting in times of 55:57 and 56:35, respectively.
The quickest male veteran of the day was Andy Craig, male vet 50, who put in a good time of 53:03.
The fastest runner in the veteran 60 category was Michael Connolly recording a time of 54:58.
A representative of Lochaber Athletic Club said: ‘Well done to all who took part today and a big thank you to our time keepers and marshalls Ellen, Ian, Raymond, Elma, Elizabeth, Cammy, Willie and any others. A big thank you to Niall MacBeath for organising.’
The Winter League prizegiving will be held on Sunday March 18, at Nevis Range, where there will also be a fivemile run with ‘a difference’ on trails around Leanachan. Registration, using runners’ current league numbers, will be in the Pinemarten Café from 10am, with the race starting at 11am. This will be followed by the prize-giving presentation which will be around 12.30 to 1pm, or as soon as the last runner is in.