As usual the prize in the Elite race is an entry to the BAMM (the Bjorkliden Arctic MM) taking place in Arctic Sweden on the weekend of August 17-18 this year. This is a free entry from the BAMM organisers, with flights provided by the LAMM. However this year’s Elite winners, Duncan Archer and Jim Mann are unable to take up the prize this time (they were second in the event last year after winning the LAMM). The prize passed to the second place team of Chris Burn and Francis Blunt who took 3rd position on the BAMM. Chris writes here about their amazing weekend in the Arctic.

Once again LAMMers did a fyne (sic) job of downing pints and handing over donations to the benefit of Arrochar Mountain Rescue – Tuggy Delap handed over £860 of donations given by the recipients of her most excellent Fyne Ales. Incidentally, if you want to sample some more of Tuggy’s beer in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere, Fyne Ales also holds a beer, food and music festival (this year the weekend before the LAMM) and if you sign up to their facebook page you’ll be kept abreast of developments for next year.

Finally the LAMM would like to give a special word of thanks to Alasdair Ross, the gamekeeper from Glenkinglass Lodge who went far beyond the call of duty to deliver Charmian Turner and Steve Wathall on the score class back to the event centre for us on Sunday afternoon. Although the overnight camp was a mere 8 km as the crow flies from the finish, the round trip by car down a 20 km unmade track and around the south end of Loch Etive is around three and a half hours. Not only that, but Alasdair had already been out to the road that morning, so it was his second trip of the day. Steve explained what happened: ' I am ashamed to say that we had a really bad nav error yesterday. We were doing fine and picked up a couple of control points when my knee started to bother me. I put my map away and got my poles out after taking a bearing. Unfortunately I then went onto automatic pilot and just concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. We ended up back on the track near mid-camp where the gamekeeper picked us up and gave us a cup of tea. I just couldn't face the long climb back up and over and he gave us a lift all the way back to Dalmally and wouldn't accept a penny in return. That must me the worst nav error I have ever made.' So thanks are due not only from Charmain and Steve, but also from the whole LAMM organization, because without Alasdair’s help we would all have certainly been waiting much longer for our last competitors to arrive back at base.

Finally, finally, don’t forget that next year is the 20th anniversary of the LAMM and there are sure to be some special surprises in store from the connoisseur’s mountain marathon – see you there.