2024 Cape Wrath Ultra – Days one and Two Round Up

The first two days of the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra have been completed. On Sunday, 19 May, 172 runners from 19 nations set off on the eight-day, 400km journey from Treslaig near Fort William to Cape Wrath Lighthouse at the north-westerly point of Great Britain.

The top runners in the full race have now covered an impressive 94km, including the challenging second day’s route through the breathtaking and remote areas of Knoydart. Leading the pack is the UK’s Lewis Taylor, who has maintained a strong lead, over 20 minutes ahead of Ludwig Antilli from Switzerland.

Not far behind is Germany’s Jan Fischer, trailing by another 18 minutes. In theK athletes are dominating the top three spots, with Bridget Glai women’s race, Uster leading the pack, followed by Elsa Morgan and Charlotte Hurst.

The runners have been met with warm and sunny weather, which has added to the physical demands of the race. Whileons underfoot have been beneficial at times, the rugged terrain and heat have also posed significant challenges. As a result, the field has reduced to 141 participants in the f the dry conditiull race. However, many others have chosen to continue their journey by taking on the shorter Cape Wrath Explorer option for the remainder of the event.

Bridget Glaister, one of the pre-race favorites, is thoroughly enjoying the experience of running through Scotland. Reflecting on her performance after day two, she shared, “It’s been a fantastic day. I’ve truly relished the terrain. Although, I must admit, I found the constant hills of Dragon’s Back Race more manageable than all this running! This is my first time in Scotland, and it’s been an absolute blast. I’m two years older than when I ran the Dragon’s Back Race, so my goal is simply to finish.”

“I’ve fallen into two bogs today – the first one just my thigh went down, but the second one was a full body immersion. It was funny!”

On her position at the front of the race, Bridget added: “Pressure or what?”