The Original Mountain Marathon 2006

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Mix It Up

26.10.2006

Over recent years the names on the Elite trophy have been familiar and predictable. You have to go back to 1992 to find an engraving on the shield that does not include the name Seddon or Birkinshaw ... (The title that year was won Oli Buholzer and Matthias Ramsauer – but Mark Seddon was second with Andy Trigg.)

So don’t bet against Mark Seddon claiming his 11th title with partner John Hunt, or defending champions Steve Birkinshaw and Morgan Donnelly winning again. They’ve won 3 out of the past 4 years and must be favourites this coming weekend. Experience counts in the OMM and Birkinshaw was second in the B class when the event was held in Galloway 20 years ago! He’s also out to overhaul Seddon’s record of 10 Elite titles, and has 6 to his name already.

However, one potential threat to the established order this year might come from mixed pair Angela Mudge and Brendan Bolland. Back in 2002 the same pair finished second, only 19 minutes behind Birkinshaw and Donnelly, and this year Mudge is in exceptional form.

As part of the Saab Salomon Adventure Running team she has been racing in the Buff Skyrunner series, which attracts the best international mountain runners to races around the world. Mudge took the series by storm with 4 straight wins and 3 outstanding new course records, clinching the Skyrunner World Title on Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia earlier this month.

Since that second place in 2002 no female competitor has finished higher than 17th in the Elite class, and for the past two years no female pairing has completed the elite course. This year however, there is a stronger entry of mixed and female pairs.See All Event Posts