West Highland Way Race Report, 2025
Full Results HERE
The West Highland Way is Scotland’s original long-distance trail, inaugurated in 1980.
Most sensible people walk it in sections taking between 5 and 7 days to complete the trail.
Since 1985, on the weekend closest to Midsummer, there is the annual race, where runners have 35 hours to complete the 96 mile trail.
The 2025 running of the West Highland Way race was the 39th edition. 243 runners set off from Milngavie at 1 am on Saturday. 21st June, with the goal of earning an engraved crystal goblet when they reached Fort William.
Men’s race
Two-time previous winner Rowan Boswood, Carnethy Hill Runners, was again the early leader, with Gus Irvine, (Motherwell AC /Pyllon) winner of the Devil o’ the Highlands race, run over the first 43 miles of the trail in April and Paul Pecuira ( Westerlands) reaching Balmaha 19 miles) together. Kyle Wilson, Bryan Mulgrew, Craig Coull and John Nicol were among others in a chasing group.
Along Loch Lomond, Boswood pushed on and at the Beinglass checkpoint at the top of the Loch (42 Miles) held a 5-minute lead over Irvine. He maintained this to beyond the halfway point at Auchtertyre (53 miles) and on to Bridge of Orchy (60 Miles), with Pecuira and Wilson now holding 3rd and 4th.
As with the women’s race, things were to change going over Rannoch Moor, with Irvine arriving at Glencoe (71 Miles) 3 minutes to the good. Boswood was to drop out here, seemingly affected by issues exacerbated by the heat. This left Pecuira now in second and Wilson Third. The positions remained the same at Kinlochleven (81 Miles), although more drama ensued as Pecuira dropped here.
Irvine remained strong and powered on to the finish in 15:09:09, the 6th fastest runner of all time.
Wilson took second in 17:07:54, a great effort in the conditions, improving his 2024 time by over 15 minutes, with John O’Donnell ( GiffnockNorth/Run Llama) third 18:04:31
Women’s race
Two-time winner Alison (Ally) McGill set a fast early pace, leading Rebbecca Hormann by 15 minutes on the first stretch to Balmaha( 19 Miles)
Another previous winner, Nicola Adams-Hendry, was in third.
On the long and challenging stretch along Loch Lomond side, McGill maintained her lead and was 25 minutes up at Inversnaid. (33 Miles)
By Auchtertyre (52 Miles), McGill still had more than a 20-minute lead over Hormann but the lead was not increasing. Roberta Fletcher had quietly worked her way up to third by this stage.
On the stretch from Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy (60 Miles), McGill was noticeably slowing and was now only 8 minutes ahead.
The heat and humidity, stomach issues, her early pace, or a combination of all three had reduced McGill’s pace drastically.
Her crew set her up and on her way for the long stretch over “Jelly Baby Hill and Rannoch Moor.
Hormann, by contrast, did not seem to be being affected by the Muggy conditions as much and came past McGill on this stretch, arriving at Glencoe Mountain Centre some 30 minutes in the lead. Fletcher was now comfortably in third.
Despite the fact Horman had run over 230km in a backyard Ultra on the last weekend of May, just 3 weeks before, she powered on over the Devil’s Staircase, the highest point of the course, and by the time she had made the long descent to sea level at Kinlochleven, she was well over an hour in the lead and looking strong.
Maintaining her pace, she reached the finish at the Nevis Centre in 19 hours, 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Fletcher was to pass McGill over the Lharig Mor and finish in 21:21:54.almost an hour quicker than her 3rd place the previous year.
McGill, the 2023 and 2024 champion, despite not having a good day, hung in bravely from Kinlochleven to finish in 21:59:04, almost three hours slower than her best time. Despite her thoughts of dropping, her support crew kept her going to enable her to claim her 4th goblet.
Honourable mentions
Fiona Rennie (Carnegie Harriers) was the oldest female finisher in 33:10:55.
For Fiona, it was her 19th West Highland Way race.
Since 2003, COVID years excepted, she has only missed two races, both times when serious illness prevented her from competing.
Neil MacRitchie from Edinburgh also kept his streak going, claiming his 19th goblet in 32:54:20.Covid years excepted, he has only missed one year since 2004.
Paddy MacDonald from Haddington was the oldest finisher at 73 years in 32:10:34
The last finisher was Jordan Hunter in 34:31:06, just 29 minutes inside the cut-off. in the tradition of the race , winner Gus Irvine was asked to present Jordam with his Goblet,
Although the race does not give masters category awards, a special mention must go to Graeme Hall of West Linton in the Borders,( Carnethy Hill Runners). He regained the Master’s, Vet 60 record with an amazing time of 20:29:38, in 10th place overall.
He had set the record in the 2023 race, running 22:03:29, only for Strathavens Richard Stark to lower it in 2024 to 21:25:19.
Three runners completed their 10th races this year. Mark Caldwell, Stephen Brown and Malcolm Green
Race stats
Conditions were indeed difficult, with 182 overall finishers (134 men and 48 women) and 61 dropouts (50 men 11 women) from the 243 starters., a slightly higher rate than usual. The hot, muggy conditions affected some more than others.
As with any endurance chalenge, there is that blurred but fine line between “toughing things out” against the odds and “Sensible decision Making” allowing lessons to be learnt, essential rest and recovery to take place, before finding life’s next little challenge.
Overall times were indeed slower, with only seven runners under 20 hours compared with 18 in 2024
Overall finish breakdowns
51 runners under 24 hours, compared with 59 in 2024.
124 runners Under 30 hours. compared with129 in 2024.
182 overall finishers within 35 hours compared with 179 in 2024.
Although this report only mentions a handful of the runners, in any race of this distance, every single runner (and their support) will have a story to tell.
Together with the runners , the support crews, and not least the small army of over 100 volunteers, help to make the West Highland Way race one of the highlights of the UK ultra running year.
The race, as always, is indebted to the following businesses and organisations for support.
RON HILL, Real Food Cafe, Tyndrum, St Mocha Coffee shop, Balmaha, Beechtree Inn, Glencoe Mountain Resort, Glencairn Crystal , Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
Further reading
Read our chat with Gus Irvine on his solo Winter West Highland Way FKT HERE
Read our 2025 West Highland Way Race preview HERE
Thanks for reading. If you have enjoyed this post, do see our other ones HERE
If you have a comment, please feel free to add it below.
If you are inspired by this, or think someone else you know will be, please do what you have to do by sharing. You all know how these things work by now:-) You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram @tarittweets
Sign up to receive our newsletter alerting you to new posts
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.
