Three and not so easy for Caithness trio at 'mini' Celtman event
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A trio of athletes from Caithness headed to Torridon at the weekend to take part in the Celtman Xtri Solo Point Five triathlon.
The event, now in it's second year, is approximately half the distance of the previous weekend's Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon.
One of the three was returning to Wester Ross having completed the full-length course the previous weekend.
Lorna Stanger finished her seventh Celtman last week alongside fellow Thurso athlete Debbie Larnach – whose partner Steven Munro proposed at the finish line.
Despite being half the distance, the Solo Point Five event was still daunting and challenging – after a 1.9km swim in Loch Shieldaig, the participants have to tackle an 85km bike ride which takes them over the Bealach na Ba, the highest road climb in the UK, and then face a 23.7km run, mainly on off-road tracks.
Male veteran Kenny MacGruer, of Thurso, was taking part in the Solo Point Five for the first time. He was also the first of the trio home in a time of 6 hours, 55 minutes and 21 seconds, placing him 18th overall.
Two years ago he received a blue t-shirt after completing the full length Celtman.
Castletown nurse, and female veteran, Amy Sutherland was taking part in her first such event. She completed the course in 8:10:48, placing her 90th overall.
Female super veteran Lorna Stanger completed the double for the second successive year, having also taken part in the full length event the previous weekend. Her time was 8:38:21, putting her in 113th overall.
Afterwards all three said they found the conditions challenging, on a hot, damp and, at times, foggy day.
A total of 144 athletes completed the course, with eight others unable to finish. The overall winner was Ewan Brown in a time of 5:25:04.
