Feedback - Salomon Skyline Scotland

Feedback

 

I'd just like to say a massive thank you to the marshals, supporters and those that marked out the skyline course for yesterday. Everyone was super supportive and helpful and encouraging and it really lifted my spirits when I was going through bad patch. Great course and great organisation. 

Jonathan B

 

Just wanted to say thank you for putting out such an incredible event this weekend.

I absolutely loved the Ring of Steall (those views we spectacular)! Also, the marshals we brilliant (so friendly, despite standing on freezing winding mountain for the whole).

Looking forward to going back to beautiful Scotland next year!

Andrew L

 

The race weekend was spectacular and really rivals any race on the planet! Thanks for your help, support, organization and smile!

Andy W

 

My partner & I thoroughly enjoyed the VK & the atmosphere surrounding the whole weekend in Kinlochleven. Well done to all the organisers for putting on such a great series of events. We're proud to have taken part in the UK's first ever VK. Just for a change, I think we're likely to take part in the Ring of Steall race next year.

Mike D

 

Just a wee bit of feedback to say that I'm pretty new to trail and mountain races but felt that the experience of the Mamores VK was excellent. Halfway up I was telling myself I wouldn't do it again (as my chest and legs burned) but it was an incredible experience and I was so pleased to complete it (especially as I'd been ill for the month leading up to the race). The day after the pain had faded and I've been thinking what kind of training do I need to start doing for the Ring of Steall 2017.

P.S. - it was great to have the photo by Jordi Saragossa as a memento, rather than a mountain-top selfie!

Steven T

 

Thanks for very efficient organisation.  Thoroughly enjoyed about 75% of the route.  Which on reflection is a pretty good ratio.  I'll be back next year if you can guarantee dry conditions!

Peter T

 

Thanks so much for a great race over the weekend.  Everything was really well organised and it was such a great event to be a part of.  Even the contingency route wasn't so bad!!

I am already looking forward to getting the entry in for next year and I know some mates are too, but have just one bit of feedback which I hope is useful.  If the halfway checkpoint could be organised a little differently, it would have been much smoother.  

Many thanks again for a great event.

Sam G

 

Thanks for such a great race yesterday - proud to say I'm one of the 160 who did the first ever UK VK race :) Great staying power from the photographers and officials nearer the top, it got a bit windy up there.

Ewan K

 

Huge thanks to the organisers and marshalls. This race was superbly organised, from communication pre-race, through to registration, actually running, and then getting results. My first race since having my first baby last October and I loved every minute of it. Massive congrats to all involved on a brilliant event!!

Elizabeth T

 

In total I spent three days in Kinlochleven spectating and competing in the races, and from beginning to end I was impressed with the set up. The routes themselves were fun and interesting, and clearly designed by those who knew the area very well. It was also fun to be part of races and routes that were happening for the first time, and to see everything come together so well. It was a testament to how organised everyone was, and also friendly! From giving directions to a local campsite, to prompt prize-givings, and even remaining calm when my puppy peed in the event centre the atmosphere around the whole weekend was very welcoming."

Georgia T

 

The Glen Coe Skyline is unique amongst UK fell and mountain races. Not only is it the most technically challenging and exciting, but it also takes place in a spectacular setting, and has a fantastic atmosphere, thanks to the awesome volunteer team behind the event.  

Jasmin P

 

That was one incredibly tough and beautiful race. Wow, so technical and relentless. The ridges were long and challenging and the climbing kept coming. It really is an incredible race and one that I loved. I’d love to do more races like this!

Stian AV

 

When asked what I thought of the race I could only be honest and say it was the best course I had ever experienced, it truly was a fantastic combination of everything a mountain race should be and trumped every race I have done to date."

Jonathan A

 

 

I’d like to congratulate you and thank you for organising an outstanding event at Glencoe this weekend.

The attention to every detail, from extraordinary course marking through inspirational and friendly marshalling, backup at key points on Curved Ridge and the Aonach Eagach and above all the spirit in which it was conducted (from organisers, spectators, participants and cow bells), combined to make a wonderful and truly memorable day in the mountains. At times it actually felt like running in the Alps. It was a massive and bold challenge to put the event together, and the way in which you executed it demonstrated exactly how such a race can and should be run.

Donald K

 

Congratulations on a superb event!

As the founder of the West Highland Way Race in 1985,  I was disappointed that a permit was not possible then, due to the "danger" involved, but organised it anyway. Likewise the cancellation by the police of the Lochaber Triathlon in 1986 which did not go ahead.    
How things have moved on ...... and it's thanks to professionalism and diligence of folk like yourselves.
Bobby Shields and I both completed a much  shorter circuit of Glen Coe in the early eighties, but never imagined it would be possible to organise a race in such arduous terrain.      
Amazed, and delighted for your success, but personally, perhaps a little worn to compete.

Duncan W

 

This is just a quick email to thank you, and your team for what was a truly great event ...

My personal praise for the support teams reached its peak on Bidean. The weather had turned a little more Scottish by this point and the dedicated souls stood atop this monster of a mountain providing encouragement and praise deserve special thanks - particularly from me and others at the back of the field ...

In all, this was a really great event. The naysayers were proved wrong, thanks to what from my perspective looked like an astonishing attention to detail and the great and dedicated team you had working for you. I have taken part in big mass-participation events, small local hill races, the Highland Fling, the Double Cataran Trail Race and a couple of events abroad. I have also attended events as support and your event is streaks ahead in terms of organisation (particularly when it was the maiden event).

I hope you can now enjoy some well earned rest. When it comes, good luck with the planning for Glen Coe 2016. The year planner has already been out in my house with Glen Coe Skyline 2016 taking centre stage - believe it or not it will be my pleasure to take part!

Thank you for the opportunity to be at the start line this year.

Craig D

 

Chaps,
Not much I can say that hasn't already been said, but here it is anyway.

First off, congratulations on pulling this off in proper style. I am really blown away by what you managed to achieve on Saturday. Its hard enough to organise a straight-forward fell race for god's sake, but this was on another planet!

I had my doubts about the whole event when it was first announced, for all the reasons you must have heard many times already - safety, impact on other hill goers etc etc. But in the end decided that there was only one way to find out. You've proved all my doubts wrong in a big way. Very, very well done. One of the most impressive things I found was the level of care - not just for other hill goers but for all the runners. You could really feel it all the way around and it was a very positive, humbling and moving experience. I spoke to a number of people at the finish and many of them said the same thing - they found the run in to the finish "emotional". These words coming from some fairly tough mountain men and women. I'm stoked!

As for the route, well I can't see how it can get any better than that. Stupendous. Totally brilliant route with views to die for.

Brilliant. Have yourself a gold star, an A++ and a few glasses of prosecco. And a rest! When can I sign up for next year?

Congratulations again to everyone involved.

Graham B

 

Waow! Seriously the best race in this distance. Super technical ridges and gullies (think Trofeo Kima but no via ferrata!) some parts very runnable on nice but still tricky trails. Glen Coe I’m thrilled to have run this race. Thanks to your amazing organization. Even though it was hard all of the nature and the course made me go fast. Thanks all of you standing along the course, you made me feel so welcomed here!

Emelie Forsberg

 

Just wanted to thank you again for an amazing race – an absolutely superb course and very well organised. Thanks for having the guts to push for such a course. The marshals/support and spectators were just brilliant and lifted the spirits as much as the awe-inspiring views when going through the emotional roller coaster that is these events.

Sarah & Gareth

 

Thank you Salomon Glen Coe Skyline for your great tracking system. I got addicted to it, plus I am here in Vermont, USA. I nearly followed the whole thing.

Jean H

 

Oh my gosh I can’t believe it!! What an amazing race, I am too far gone to put into words just how totally nails that route was, technical descents that went on forever, long steeeeeep climbs that went on for even longer. Great climbing around the ridges and rock faces, I am so so chuffed I really feel like I got the best out of myself today – even if my legs were shot after the first 10 miles – it did hurt a lot! Such a great experience.

Jayson Cavill

 

I hope you are receiving heaps of praise for putting on the Glen Coe skyline. It really was the most impressive display of organisational talent and courage. The route was excellent: natural and unparalleled for excitement and challenge. All elements of the event was perfect from my point of view, including the weather. 

So much gratitude to you all for making it possible for so many people to complete and compete. I am looking forward to next year.

Mark H

 

I just wanted to pass on my thanks and congratulations for a fantastic event on Saturday. It was a real pleasure to be a part of, and felt much more like a European race than anything else I’ve done in Britain. All things considered, I think you and your team nailed it.

Thanks for having the courage to send a race over that terrain, and for not being put off by the uninformed and inflammatory comments doing the rounds during the build-up. The ridgelines were the thing that convinced me to enter, because I’m really not into ultra-trail races as such, and they really added a huge amount to the course and brought everything else together nicely. The combination of everything on the route made for a perfect test I thought, even though I stopped and had a loud sweary argument with the tarmac towards the end because it wasn’t ending quickly enough for my liking :o)

The marshalls out on the course were superb. I’m always grateful for people taking time out to help put on a race, but this was another level and every single CP was manned by infectiously enthusiastic people, so great to be greeted by cowbells every time, especially towards the end. A huge, huge thank you to all those people.

And the supporters were fantastic too, it’s good to see large groups of people out supporting an event. Some groups could be heard from half way up the hill, and the lift they provided was almost immeasurable. You don’t get that at many races, so it must be something to do with the way the event was publicised.

As for the public, I didn’t see loads of people out on the hill, but everyone I did see was supportive of the event and gave the runners a cheer. I said hello to everyone I met, and as can be expected, it was just a case of people out running/walking/climbing/biking in the hills, doing their own thing but appreciating everyone else at the same time. The fact we were out there racing didn’t impact on anyone else’s day out. As we knew it wouldn’t!

Well done again, I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure I’m on the start line again next year.

Dave W

 

Just a note to say thanks very much for such a superb event, and to the whole team. I would echo what everyone else is saying; it was so very very well organised. What a huge amount of detailed thought went into it!

Jon G

 

Just wanted to send a quick email to say thanks for hosting the best race ever! The four of us from 45 Commando had the best introduction to Sky/ultra running we could have wished for. It was definitely well into the top ten hardest things I’ve ever done and after ten years in the marines I thought i’d been through the mill!

Coming from an endurance ‘activities’ background I feel like I’ve found something new to 'scratch the itch'. I am now an adventure running convert.

Cheers for the opportunity and see you guys on another Skyline someday soon.

Rudi T

 

My overall reflections on this race are that the route was absolutely phenomenal. I can’t think of anywhere else on mainland UK that could offer such quality of extreme mountain running. It is no overstatement to say that this really was a first for us in Britain. Elsewhere Emilie has already given her thoughts on how it compares to other races of this distance across the globe. To organise this event was of course brave, given the objective danger involved. But bravery often pays off, and you can mitigate against the dangers, as the organisers did, by taking appropriate safety precautions and vetting participants carefully.

Joe Symonds

 

I took part on Saturday and wanted to write to express my thanks to you for putting on such an exciting, gruelling, challenging, friendly and well planned event. From the second I first contacted you about entering to crossing the finish line the whole process was superb. I am sure hours of difficult planning went into it all for which everyone can be proud of the effort. The course was wonderful and the marshals and safety crew were fantastic.

Will A

 

While more and more runners are lured into trail racing and ultra-trail, the spectra of races evolves – exploring trail running and what it possibly can be... This race looks amazing!!

Fredrik O

 

Thanks again for a fantastic race. Really really psyched to have completed the first one. Currently writing a strategy for winning it next year… ;-) 

Organisation was amazing for a first running of an event.. 

Still buzzing. Well done again. A really great thing to have put on.

Es T

 

What a great closer of a long, successful and satisfying season: #glencoeskyline had everything (and more) of a skyrace I expected! It was by far the most technical, most demanding, most dramatic and most scenic race I ever did! It’s amazing what the organizers around Shane Ohly put together here in Scotland. I feel deeply priviledged that I could’ve been part of the inaugural race of what will become an epic on the skyrunning calendar! Thanks for having me here and thanks for your support! I went into the race with a minor injury, but up to the highest point I felt really good. Then I took a tumble on a technical downhill and lost a bit of confidence going down, finishing in 17th place in 8:45 h. After all I’m just so happy and satisfied with a great day out in the mountains and an amazing visit to Scotland!

Florian R

 

This is just a quick email to thank you and the whole team for what was a really great event.

From the moment I arrived on Friday night I had a level of confidence instilled in me by the organisation and commitment shown by the registration team working tirelessly in the face crappy weather, and in a tent full of midges. This positive feeling carried through to the start line and beyond. This was clearly an event planned to within an inch of its life and the safety plans in place, particularly on Curved Ridge really helped take the worst of the sting out of that tricky ascent.

My planning from now till Glen Coe 2016 has already begun and hopefully I will be able to earn another place at the start in order to give this beast second go!

Craig D

 

You firstly deserve all the praise you get for pulling off a safe and such spectacular race on saturday.. I died a thousand deaths and wasn’t my best but to be there and take part was a priviledge.

Barry M

 

Firstly – just a big thanks for taking on and pulling off such a great race. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to have a go, and I’m utterly delighted to have been given a place and to have made it round the course. It was fantastic.

Race route was brilliant – as I said at the end, the routing onto and off Curved Ridge proper massively reduced risk and I was very impressed. I’ve seen it on a busy day up there with loose stuff being kicked off all over the place but I saw nothing like that on the day, largely due to good route choices.

Pete B

 

For 2015 social media coverage highlights, please see separate page.