Cape Wrath Ultra challenge winner celebrates 50th birthday by claiming second title which finished in Sutherland
MARCUS Scotney gave himself the perfect 50th birthday present as he claimed victory at the Cape Wrath Ultra.
He was the first ultra runner to conquer the 400km course which was split over eight days from Fort William to Cape Wrath and went through Knoydart, Kintail, Torridon, Assynt and Sutherland.
He completed the course in a time of 42 hours 55 minutes and five seconds.
He was three hours ahead of Jon Shield who finished in second place in a time of 45:05:27 and Lewis Taylor who finished in third place in a time of 45:21:03.
Scotney followed up his victory from 2016 when he set the course record and was delighted he could put in a performance capable of clinching the title nine years later.
He said: “After winning the inaugural edition of the Cape Wrath Ultra in 2016, I had always wanted to return and experience the incredible route once more.
“The Cape Wrath Ultra is a truly spectacular trail; you quickly run out of superlatives trying to describe how breathtaking the course is each and every day.
“This year, however, I wasn’t sure how my now 50-year-old body would cope with eight consecutive days of demanding running. “Each stage of the race is unique and unforgettable.”
In the women’s race, Sarah Ingram was crowned champion as she finished the course in a time of 59 hours 28 minutes and 34 seconds.
She was almost two hours ahead of Margarida Bagão from Portugal who was in second place in a time of 61:23:11.
Emma McCahill was in third place in a time of 62:57:15.
Race Director and founder of Ourea Events, Shane Ohly commented: “Every year, we are humbled and inspired by the athletes who take on this challenge. With runner’s hailing from 19 different countries, the 2025 Cape Wrath Ultra was no exception, witnessing Marcus return to win for his 50th birthday, Sarah's incredible run, and the Ourea Triple achievements of Bruno and Sean remind us why we do what we do, we can’t wait to welcome next year's cohort.”
Entries for the 2026 edition of the Cape Wrath Ultra open from Friday, May 30.
