Ultra-runners from 21 nations will soon begin a 400km journey to the north west tip of Scotland. Competitors in the iconic Cape Wrath Ultra® will set out from Fort William on Sunday 21 May on an eight-day race to Cape Wrath, the most north-westerly point on mainland Britain. This year’s event has attracted a particularly strong field of female runners, and organisers are anticipating an exciting race.

The Cape Wrath Ultra® is organised by expedition race specialist Ourea Events, which has a long track record of successfully delivering ultra races, with a commitment to responsible, sustainable practices. The 185 ultra-runners who have signed up for the 2023 event will travel through some of Scotland’s most spectacular landscapes, including Knoydart, Kintail, Torridon, Assynt and Sutherland. The race does not use any signs or waymarking to indicate the route. Participants are required to use a combination of traditional navigational skills with a map and compass, and modern GPS technology, if they wish, to follow the route. Ourea Events and its team of volunteers will set up a campsite and catering each night, removing everything the following morning as they move north.

The women’s race at the 2023 Cape Wrath Ultra® is set to be very keenly contested. Over 30% of the competitors in the 2023 event are women, which is significantly higher than the average for a multi-stage ultra. Among the leading competitors who will be lining up are:

• Elaine Bisson, who finished second in the 2021 Montane Dragon’s Back Race and 2022 SILVA Northern Traverse
• Sarah Perry, who recently set a new female record on the Lakes, Meres and Waters challenge and in 2021 set a new fastest known time on the Coast to Coast route (Sarah was recently interviewed by the event team – Inspiring women of the Cape Wrath Ultra — Cape Wrath Ultra®)
• Debbie Martin-Consani, who was first female in the 2022 Montane Spine Race and has represented Scotland and Great Britain in 100km and 24 hour races
• Jo Meek, who has a long track record of success in ultras, including the Marathon des Sables, The Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica, Golden Ring Ultra Trail and more
• Andrea Löw, who has completed several multi-stage-races, including Sahara Race Namibia and Gobi March, THE TRACK in Australia (a nine-stage 520km event), the Ultra Africa Race in Mozambique, and Ultra Asia Race in Vietnam.

Race director Shane Ohly comments: “It’s always a huge privilege to accompany ultra runners from around the world on this journey through some of Scotland’s most stunning and spectacular scenery. We’ll all move north together, leaving nothing behind, and the camaraderie that develops during a multi-day event like the Cape Wrath Ultra is very special. At the same time, there will be some fierce competition at the front of the field, so we’re looking forward to another exciting race.”

For the first time this year, the Cape Wrath Ultra® will take place alongside a shortened option, for those who want to experience the journey through the Highlands, but don’t feel able to complete the full distance, or want to build up to that in a future year. The Cape Wrath Explorer has been pitched as a ‘choose-your-own adventure’ in which participants can decide to tackle part of the route each day, typically either the first half or the second half. Race organisers have built in flexibility so that runners can mix and match which half they attempt on any given day.

The 2023 Cape Wrath Ultra® will begin in Fort William at 11:00am on Sunday 21 May and the public will be able to follow the event’s live tracking at https://live.opentracking.co.uk/capewrathultra23.

To find out more about the Cape Wrath Ultra® visit www.capewrathultra.com.

Photo: ©Cape Wrath Ultra® | No Limits Photography

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