WEST HIGHLAND WAY PREVIEW 2025
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In this short preview of the 2025 West Highland Way Race, you can see who some of this years contenders are, access a short history of the race, and find a few stats too. The 39th running of the West Highland Way Race, one of Britain’s longest-running ultras, takes place on Saturday, 21st June. From humble beginnings when, on a midsummer weekend in 1985, Duncan Watson and Bobby Shields became the first two runners to run the trail continuously, the race has grown to become an iconic fixture in not only the Scottish but the wider UK ultra-running calendar.
Two hundred and Fifty runners will set off at 1 am on Saturday from Milngavie railway station, just north of Glasgow, the southern end of the trail, with the goal of reaching Fort William 95 miles later, within the 35-hour time limit.
You can read a short article on the Race History HERE.
Women’s race
Sixty-two women will be on the start line. For 40 of them, it will be their first West Highland Way experience, and for many, their first race of close to 100 miles.
Bridget Halewood will be starting her 8th West Highland Way, while the amazing Fiona Rennie from Fife will be starting her 19th race, having finished them all.
Returning champion Alison McGill (Fife AC) will be going for a hattrick of wins.
Women’s champion for the last two years, the Scottish 100km International claimed victory at the Devil O’ the Highlands race in April. Run over the last 43 miles of the trail, it was the second fastest time, female time on the course, showing she is in good shape,
2018 winner Nicola Adams-Hendry (Garscube) returns to the race after a 7-year absence. In a recent race webinar, she says she just wants to enjoy being out on the trail again. Her recent 7th place finish at the challenging Ultra Trail of Snowdonia 100km suggests she will do just that.
Note. You can watch the chat with Nicola webinar on the WHWay website HERE
Also in contention for the podium could be Roberta Fletcher and Marlene Baillie, 3rd and 4th, respectively, in 2024 and Carol Newman (Carnethy Hill Running Club). Newman was third at “The Devil” behind McGill and had a successful 2024, winning the Pennine Barrier 50 miler and claiming 2nd place at the 100-mile Ultra Trail Scotland.
Others to watch could be Esmee Price-Coates, winner of the Hardmoors 60 in 2024 and Rebecca Hormann, who recently won the Witkier Backyard Ultra with over 230km. This followed her victory at this April’s Pennine Barrier 50. She also placed 2nd at the Winter Spine Challenger North race in January.
Breakdown of Entries by age categories
Women. Men
20-40 years. 16. 58
40-50 28. 74
50-60. 16 42
60-70. 2 18
70 -80. Nil 2
Mens Race Preview
Like Alison McGill in the women’s race, Rowan Boswood (Carnethy) is seeking his third victory, but his two previous ones were not consecutive.
He won in 2019 by recording 15:14:42, then the 4th best overall time, and lowered that by almost 5 minutes in 2022 when he ran 15:09:49. It remains to be seen if he can improve again.
Rowan Boswood , Conic Hill 2024 Fling race Pic Graham Hewitson
Rowan is also a former winner of the Fling Race, the Cateran Trail and the Ochil Ultra. He races sparingly but prepares well for each one,\
Gus Irvine (Motherwell AC) won the Devil race in April, recording the second-fastest time ever behind Rob Sinclair’s record.
In January, he also set a new winter FKT, solo and unsupported, for the West Highland Way, running south from Fort Willam, in 18:09:05. He feels he can lower that in summer with support, more daylight and better underfoot conditions.!
You can read about his Winter West Highland Way HERE
Paul Peciura (Westerlands ) was third last year at both the West Highland Way and the Highland Fling and recently placed 2nd at the Devil o’ the Highlands behind Irvine and will also be one challenging for the podium, as will Kyle Wilson. Kyle took 3rd at this year’s Devil behind Paul and Gus and was 6th in his first WHway outing last year.
Others to watch could be the Edinburgh-based Hunters Bog Trotters Dave Ward, Charles Houston and Florent Weillaert. Ward was 2nd in 2023 with Florent as part of his support crew. Ward returned the favour last year as Weillaert finished 9th.
John Nicol and Scottish 100km international Adam Gray (Penicuik) could also be ones to watch.
Over the years, the race has developed a strong sense of community.
Along with the 250 runners, all with a support crew following them, the race has over 125 volunteers involved in many roles under the coordination of John and Helen Munro.
Most of these people then congregate in the Nevis Centre Hall in Fort William for the prizegiving at noon on Sunday. Each finisher is presented with their treasured race goblet, and proceedings always come to an emotional conclusion when race director Ian Beattie invites the race winner to present the goblet to the final finisher. A wonderful gesture, illustrating the bond between all the runners and acknowledging the time and effort every competitor has put in to undertake this unique wee challenge.
In truth, it is a weekend where everyone involved, runners, support crew, whether they be family or friends, and the army of volunteers, are all taken a little bit out of their normal comfort zones to help one another and have some serious fun in the process as well.
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Adrian Tarit Stott.
The author is a former GB 24-hour ultra international with over 100 ultra race completions. He has also been involved in organising ultra-distance races for over 30 years. Still an active recreational runner, he is currently a member of UKA’s Ultra Running Advisory Group (URAG) and the Mountain and Trail Advisory Group. He also contributes as part of the selection and team management for both Scottish and GB ultra teams. A freelance writer in his spare time, he contributes articles and reports to several websites and magazines including Athletics Weekly and Irunfar.
