Scotland’s most gruelling obstacle course race took place at Loch Ness at the weekend.
Organisers of the Prime Four Beast Race declared it the biggest ever event, a “brutal, beastly, blockbuster of a race.”
Nearly 1,800 participants – up by 40% on 2016 – tackled the course at Aldourie Castle and were confronted by an epic challenge, with obstacles taking advantage of the site’s natural features.
Now in its fifth year, the race was bigger and bolder than ever before and featured a strength-sapping new 10km route across the castle estate.
The new-look course also included more merciless obstacles for participants to overcome such as the icy cold Looney Dook and the perilous Black Hole.
The official charity partner for the event is Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS), for which more than £128,000 has been raised so far by Beast Race participants.
That sum will significantly increase after this year’s fuibnds are factored into the equation.
Jono Buckland, director of organiser FireTrail Events, said: “Good grief, that was brutal. Our participants told us they wanted it to be tougher than ever before, so we ramped it up, and challenged them to try and break the beast.
“Of course, in the face of a course of this magnitude, our Prime Four Beast Race participants rose to the challenge, with endurance, a sense of community and no shortage of humour.
“It was a spectacular, muddy, fun-filled party. There’s a few thousand people that might need a rest today.
Fife Hyland, communications director at Drum Property Group, developers of Prime Four, sponsors, added: “What a Prime Four Beast Race that was at Loch Ness.
“With a significant rise in numbers, it was brilliant to see so many new participants, facing up to what was – by some distance – the most brutal beast yet.”
The second (and final) Prime Four Beast Race of the series takes place in Banchory outside Aberdeen on September 23.
Winners
Men: 1 Ayraan Khalid 00.50.29.781; 2 Steven Curnyn 00.53.56.320; 3 Scott Brown 00.56.48.469
Women: 1 Coralie Arthur 01.02.59; 2 Antje Horn 01.08.10; 3 Bryony Keys 01.11.09.
Headquartered in the North East, Firetrail events has captured enthusiasm for adventure racing and outdoor events in Scotland by creating exceptional challenges in Scotland’s finest outdoor spaces – set amongst stunning seascapes, lochs, mountains, Scots pine forests and rugged moorlands.
As well as the Prime Four Beast Race, Firetrail also run the Illuminator Night Trail Half Marathon and The Original King of the Mountains Sportive.
