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Scottish racer Adkin clinches Mountain Running World Cup

WMRA/Marco Gulberti A runner in a coloured top and short races through the backdrop of snow-capped mountainsWMRA/Marco Gulberti
Scout Adkin clinched the Mountain Running World Cup by a single point

Scottish racer Scout Adkin has been crowned the Mountain Running World Cup champion by a single point.

Adkin, from Peebles, secured the title after four months and 12 races in seven different countries.

The 31-year-old won her race in Italy on Saturday and finished third on Sunday to secure her crown by the narrowest of margins.

She said she was "so pleased" to have won the gruelling series for 2024.

WMRA/Marco Gulberti A runner hugs another competitor in relief having crossed the finish lineWMRA/Marco Gulberti
Scout Adkin said the series had been a test of speed, endurance and power

"It has been a tough year with a lot or racing and it certainly went down to the wire, to the last race," she told Scottish Athletics.

"It is quite a long season with a variety of races from very short 3km and 1,000 metres of climb to 32km and just over 2,000 metres of climb.

"It has certainly been testing of speed and endurance and power as well - never mind facing quite a lot of heat over the summer.

"I am really, really happy. I had to do a lot of travel this year between flying to Europe and working in between, I am just so glad it has paid off."

WMRA/Marco Gulberti A runner strides out in racing vest and shorts with a crowd of spectators lined up in the backgroundWMRA/Marco Gulberti
Scout won one race and finished third in another at the weekend

The Mountain Running World Cup is an annual series of off-road races for male and female individual athletes.

There were 12 races across three different categories – short uphill, classic mountain and long mountain.

Each race in each category counts equally towards the overall result of the World Cup, where the outright winners have their top eight race results counted towards the final World Cup ranking.

Adkin finished on 339 points, just ahead of Joyce Muthoni Njeru on 338.

WMRA/Marco Gulberti A close-up of a runner in a multi-coloured top looking determined to keep up a good tempo with a tree and house in the backgroundWMRA/Marco Gulberti
Scout finished runner-up in the series last year

The World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), which organises the series, said Scout - who came through the ranks at Moorfoot Runners in the Borders - deserved her honour after an "incredibly consistent season".

"After finishing second in the World Cup competition last year, it was great to see her win it this year and it went right down to the final race, with Scout beating Joyce Muthoni Njeru by just one point," said a spokeswoman.

"It was fantastic to see the joy on her face when she realised she'd done it."