Borderers fly flag for Britain at 2025 World Mountain and Trail-Running Championships in Spain
Three Borderers were among just short of a dozen Scots representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland at this year’s World Mountain and Trail-Running Championships in Spain from last Thursday until Sunday.
Canfranc hosted 2025’s championships, the third, with almost 1,700 athletes from 80 countries competing.
They began last Thursday with a 6.5km uphill-only race featuring 986m of ascent and Moorfoot Runners’ Jacob and Scout Adkin, silver medallists in that event a year prior, both managed top-20 finishes.
The former was fifth man home in 39:34, less than quarter of a minute off a podium placing, with victory going to Switzerland’s Remi Bonnet in 37:50, setting a new course record.
“In a stacked field, I’m very happy to have finished in fifth place” said Adkin, 29, afterwards.
“It was a great course with an incredible backdrop that showcased what makes this sport special.”
His elder sister, 32, was 15th female finisher, and 102nd all told, in 48:43, with first place in the women’s race going to Germany’s Nina Engelhard in 45:33.
The Adkin siblings were back in action in Sunday’s 14.2km senior race, featuring 731m of climb, and the younger of the pair was first Briton to finish in 1:06:35 for 19th place, with top spot going to Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago in 1:02:30.
His sister was 16th woman and first in her team, and 103rd overall, in 1:16:30, with Engelhard as first female finisher again, and 50th all told, in 1:11:00.
That senior race was preceded by an under-20 race over 7.8km, with 379m of climb, and Gala Harriers’ Isla Paterson took 15th place among the event’s female field, and 86th all together, in 42:06.
She was also first of Britain’s under-20 women’s team to finish, helping them secure seventh place overall.
Her teammates included Edinburgh’s Jessica Taylor, 20th female runner in 42:56, along with West Yorkshire’s Amelie Lane and Aberdeen’s Hania Czebreszuk.
Uganda’s Titus Masau was overall winner of the junior race in 33:09 and Germany’s Julia Ehrle was first female finisher, placing 48th in the full field, in 38:47.
North Yorkshire’s Jack Sanderson was first under-20 male Briton home, and sixth all together, in 34:36.