Montane Spine Race
Williams Takes Second Place
Press Release / 21.01.2018
After a 24-hour crossing of the snow-covered Cheviot Hills, which she described as “genuinely horrific”, Kirsty Williams (GBR) has placed second in the MONTANE® Spine® Race, in a time of 151 hours.
“The night was harder than I could have possibly imagined,” she said. “There were no tracks, so I've been wading through thigh-deep snow for 10-12 hours. That was the most amazing thing I've ever done. That isn't an endurance race, it's a survival event. Did I ever think I might not make it? No way! It was epic. It was beyond epic.
“Everybody's been really lovely. The support makes such a difference, when you're cold, wet and miserable at four o'clock in the morning and you know someone's actually up watching your tracker.”
Italy's Ita Emanuela Marzotto was the third woman to arrive in Kirk Yetholm, one hour and two minutes behind Williams. “I did it!” she said before kissing the wall of the Border Hotel. “The race was amazing. We had everything. All kinds of weather. Up and downs – lots of downs! Now I have to absorb it slowly. For now I'm just so happy.”
Other Spine® Race finishes of note include Oliviero Bosatelli (ITA) and Pablo Criado Toca (ESP), who between them have five podium placements at the gruelling Tor Des Géants, placing joint 10th.
In a magical moment, at around 4.30am, Spine finisher Matt Harmon chose the finish line to propose to his girlfriend Sarah Roscoe… who said, yes. Though not long after she added, "I do love you, Matt, but your feet stink."
There have been 65 retirements so far in the 2018 MONTANE® Spine® Race, with 43 finishers, and 10 runners still out on the course.
The race concludes tomorrow morning.
LIVE TRACKING & LIVE LEADERBOARD:
Available to view at http://live.thespinerace.com/
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