Welcome to Highland 2007

The first major competition to be staged on the Highland Wildcat Trail mountain bike tracks, which opened last November offered a range of events for all standards of bike riders. There were challenging cross-country routes, world-class MTB routes on the slopes of Ben Bhraggie, relays and time trials with outstanding demonstrations of skill and ability.

The Raid also included the Highlands Schools championships with fantastic enthusiasm from all the youngsters from local schools who took part. In addition to the thrills of the biking action, there was non-stop showing of the best mountain biking footage from Chilli Videos, including the premier showing of ŒIllusionary Lines¹.

The 'Event Base¹ rocked to the sound of class acts, including 'Make Model¹ and 'Edgar Prais¹ up and coming young bands that have played at Isle of Skye Music Festival and T in the Park respectively. Trials riders enthralled the spectators with outstanding demonstrations of skill and ability, while negotiating 10 feet high hay bale platforms, balancing on scaffold bars and tree trunks, showing amazing control and technique. Feedback from entrants indicates the Sutherland Raid proved popular with everyone and looks set to become a regular event on the Mountain Biking Calendar.

Comments from families participating over the weekend included:

"Very friendly, good organisation, very good circuit, a mix of everything; big thanks to the smiling marshals stuck out on some pretty remote locations."

"The best part for me was the course of the Sunday's race. It's so refreshing to have 'real' mountain biking in a races."

"It was really enjoyable for my whole family and we took part in senior and primary school events..."

"The music, trials display and children's/youth events were really good and made it an event for the whole family. I really hope the event will go from strength to strength as it is a real test of all round riding ability that is rare in other events and was a great social event too. Well done and thanks to all those involved in organising and putting on the event!..."

Andrew Macleod,Trail Manager of the Highland Wildcat Golspie Trail
commented:
"Our inaugural Sutherland Raid has been a massive success mainly because it catered for a range of ages and abilities. We also had a great mix of social events and entertainment going on throughout the weekend. We¹ve had a great team who have helped make the whole thing happen. We¹re really pleased with all the positive feedback and are looking ahead to 2008 when hopefully the Sutherland Raid will attract even more people to the area."

RESULTS

OVERALL WEEKEND (Combined Results over Saturday and Sunday)

OVER 16 MALE
1ST:      SEAN CLARK
2ND:      OLIVER YOUNG
3RD:      ALAN CLARK

OVER 16 FEMALE
1ST:      TRACEY ROBSON
2ND:      CATHERINE SUTHERLAND

OVER 16 PAIR
1ST:      DUKES OF HAZARD (Graham Calder and David Eadie)
2ND:      EUCC WHEELIE GOOD (Alan Love and Matthew Howard)
3RD:      SUTHERLAND (Michael Leathley and Catherine Sutherland)

UNDER 16 INDIVIDUAL
1ST:      ROSS BADDON
2ND:      LEWIS MACDONALD
3RD:      MALCOLM PATON

UNDER 16 PAIR
1ST:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 1 (Ross Baddon and Lewis MacDonald)
2ND:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 3 (Malcolm Paton and Ian Paton)

SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP
(Incorporated in over and under 16 relay events on Sunday)

UNDER 16 PAIR
1ST:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 1 (Ross Baddon and Lewis MacDonald)
2ND:      FORTROSE 4 WHEEL FLYERS (Collwyn Young and Orrin Bryers)
3RD:      FORTROSE FLYERS (Ryan Gault and Stewart Thompson)

OVER 16 PAIR
1ST:      FORTROSE ACADEMY FIVE (Magnus Davidson and Morven Brown)
2ND:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 4 (Danny Sutherland and Alan Mackay)

SATURDAY 26 MAY

50K Cross Country

OVER 16 MALE
1ST:      DAVID MACDONALD
2ND:      SEAN CLARK
3RD:      OLIVER YOUNG

OVER 16 FEMALE
1ST:      ELIZABETH BARR
2ND:      ELLEN VAN DE POL
3RD:      TRACEY ROBSON

OVER 16 PAIR
1ST:      DUKES OF HAZARD (Graham Calder and David Eadie)
2ND:      EUCC WHEELIE GOOD (Alan Love and Matthew Howard)
3RD:      SUTHERLAND (Michael Leathley and Catherine Sutherland)

14K Cross Country

UNDER 16 INDIVIDUAL
1ST:      SAMUEL SHAW
2ND:      JOHN ALLISON
3RD:      ROSS BADDON

UNDER 16 PAIR
1ST:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 1 (Ross Baddon and Lewis MacDonald)
2ND:      ALNESS ACADEMY TEAM B (John Allison and Connor Ross)
3RD:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 3 (Malcolm Paton and Ian Paton)

SUNDAY 27TH MAY

10K Relay/Time Trial

OVER 16 MALE
1ST:      SEAN CLARK
2ND:      OLIVER YOUNG
3RD:      ALAN CLARK

OVER 16 FEMALE
1ST:      JO CARDWELL

OVER 16 PAIR
1ST:      RASTAFYRISHIAN (Mike Gordon and Gordon Mackenzie)
2ND:      DUKES OF HAZARD (David Eadie and Graham Calder)
3RD:      EUCC WHEELIE GOOD (Alan Love and Matthew Howard)

FASTEST DESCENT (From Ben Bhraggie Summit to event base)
1ST:      DANNY SUTHERLAND
2ND:      ALAN CLARK
3RD:      OLIVER YOUNG

6K Relay/Time Trial

UNDER 16 INDIVIDUAL
1ST:      ROBIN TAYLOR
2ND:      GRANT SUTHERLAND
3RD:      STUART FRASER

UNDER 16 PAIR
1ST:      KENTA GALLAGHER AND MARK SINCLAIR
2ND:      GOLSPIE HIGH SCHOOL 3 (Malcolm Paton and Ian Paton)
3RD:      FORTROSE 4 WHEEL FLYERS (Collwyn Young and Orrin Bryers)

ENDS

Notes to Editors:-
The Sutherland Raid is part of the programme for Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture. Highland 2007 aims to promote the Highlands as a great place to live and to visit through showcasing the unique and special nature of Highland culture past, present and future. The project is a partnership between three principal funding agencies: The Highland Council, the Scottish Executive, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. See http://www.highland2007.com for full details.

All media enquiries to:-

Sue McKichan, marketing matters
t: 07802 685454
e: s.mckichan@btinternet.com