BEN RINNES FIVE TOPS HILL RACE 29 JULY 2006

    Looking for a different way to finish 'Bagging' your Corbetts?  Then why not try winning a race over it!  For that is exactly what Lochaber AC's latest recruit Colin Donnelly achieved over Ben Rinnes at the Dufftown Highland Games.

    His win did not come easy though, with Trotter Alec Keith stretching out an almost minute lead by the water station.  Dave Cummins hauled the leader back in on the big ascent up the Ben with Ronnie Gallagher and Colin in close pursuit.  Once these four runner reached the Summit, it was Carnethy runner Gallagher who was setting the tempo on the descent of Ben Rinnes.  However Cummins was not yet beaten and managed to gain a very slender lead on to the lower slopes of Meikle Conval.

    Climbing up towards the Summit of Meikle Conval, Donnelly was proving to be the stronger at this stage of the race hitting the front of the race for the first time.  On reaching the summit of the final climb of the day, the leading four runners were not much more than half a minute apart.  Into the finishing straight in the Games arena, it was Colin who claimed victory by just 19 seconds ahead of Ronnie Gallagher, this was the narrowest winning margin in the history of the event.

    Although there was a superb turnout of 65, only five of the competitors were ladies and they were soon strung out through the field with Deeside's Sarah Dunn assuming a commanding lead from the gun and never relinquished her lead.

    Despite the recent heat wave, the hill conditions were pleasantly cool, with a gathering side wind and none of the forecasted showers materialised.  Recent path work on the upper slopes of Ben Rinnes, in an attempt to alleviate the effects of erosion, seemed to receive a mixed reaction.      

    I have now compiled the results of previous Ben Rinnes Races from 1994-2000 see links below.

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

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