Sunday

Sunday Photos | Map & RouteGadget

The LAMM is over for another year.

As our timing supremo Andrew Leaney has been updating the results live on the LAMM website each hour throughout the afternoon, those of you who are watching avidly for news will already know the winners, as well as those who might have unfortunately lost places since yesterday. So firstly we will start with a bit of important news, the response to our caption competition / quiz. It is fair to say that we had an unbelievable response to this initiative, so I will print it here in full. It comes from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales, who writes:

“Dear Jen,

Thank you for adding this new and exciting dimension to the event. It needed livening up. I imagine that the runners are assembled to give a slow hand-clap to the winner of the balloon bed, balloon modelling competition as he or she is ceremonially paraded in Andrew’s car.”

In fact the real reason for the interest in Andrew’s car was that the windows were down and the radio on full volume to relay the commentary on the England/USA match at the World Cup. Much like football the LAMM is very much a game of two halves, and the second half was very different in character to the first. After a beautiful sunny Saturday, Sunday was sadly a little greyer and wetter, with low cloud down on the hills. For some this would change the balance of the game between sheer running speed and navigation. And as can be seen in the results there were some significant changes.

So, onto the prize giving.
 
Firstly, on a serious note, competitors did rally around and managed to drink a further two barrels of beer on Sunday afternoon in the run up to the prizegiving. This raised the total money towards the new Arrochar Mountain Rescue Land Rover to over £2,000. The beer certainly added to the atmosphere around the finish and although the weather had been a little grey and drizzly, as is traditional at the LAMM there was an excellent turn out of competitors to offer applause both to their victorious comrades and to the team responsible for putting together the event. And amazingly, just as things got underway, the weather improved and there was even a little sunshine (I distinctly remember).

Firstly, Martin Stone made a point of thanking all of the local estates that had given their permission to cross the land and he also thanked all of the usual team of helpers without which the event couldn’t be run.

Next he called on Stephen Pyke to come forwards, and after describing his superb, record breaking non-stop Munro round Martin made a presentation of £500 to Spyke to be passed onto the John Muir Trust, the important conservation and access charity that Spyke is supporting (and of which, membership costs a mere £30 annually).

Tuggy Delap, of Fyne Ales fame (had we mentioned that?), then presented the money raised as donations from happy beer drinkers to the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team.

As has been mentioned before, the Arrochar Mountain Rescue team does have a special connection to the LAMM, not only supporting the event in its public role, but also with many members taking part in the event. This year there were six team members (from 24) in the event, plus at least two former members. Stuart Dick and Seb Lay carryied off the honours though with fourth place in the B category after being in the lead overnight.

Of the other results, one that stands out for special mention is that of Andrew Llewellyn and Sarah O’Neal who won the C category outright as a mixed pair with neither of them having done a mountain marathon before. Of course we look forward to seeing them again in the B category (at least) next year.

In the Elite category, Andy and Joe Symonds maintained their hour’s lead although they were not the fastest team of the day. That honour went to Dan Gay and Alasdair Anthony, who put in a superb performance to take them from fourth to second place, and which also won them the trip to the BAMM in August given that the Symonds brothers are not available to take part.

Finally, flushed with the success of our quiz, here’s another one – identify the mystery marshall at the overnight camp this morning. Again, answers on a postcard. Unfortunately spouses are ineligible from the competition, so John Denmark may not take part.

Jon Brooke