Kyle Beattie dedicated his third Strathpuffer title to his father as he once again claimed victory in the 24-hour cycling challenge.
The 30-year-old secured his hat-trick of men’s championships as he was crowned winner once again as he powered around the clock through ice, mud and snow at Contin Forest.
The Inverness based athlete completed 21 laps of the 12.5km course in a time of 24 hours 28 minutes and two seconds.
He was pushed all the way by Donald Campbell who finished in second place with 20 laps in 23:37:26 with Bryn Appleton taking third place, who completed 19 laps in a time of 23:41:08.
In the women’s race, South Uist cyclist Kerry MacPhee successfully defended her title to be crowned champion for the second time.
Kyle Beattie. Pictures: Callum Mackay.
Speaking minutes after he completed his winning lap, emotional Beattie dedicated his victory to his father Piers who passed away a few years ago. He said he was the reason that he got into mountain biking and winter sports.
“My dad passed away a couple of years ago and I wanted to make him proud,” said Beattie.
“He brought me into biking and ski-ing and it is just a great feeling.
“My Dad was just the biggest influence, he was always at the races and always ski-ing and I hope this has made him proud.
“I was thinking of him out there and that is what pushed me on.”
Kyle Beattie.
Beattie successfully defended the title he won last year to add them to the first Strathpuffer men’s title he won back in 2020.
He says the race this year was a contrasting 24 hours where cyclists started pedalling through snow. But with rain overnight, the track turned into mud and ice, presenting a different sort of challenge to the 579 athletes which started the race.
Beattie said: “Every single one is really special, but this is the hardest one that I have done yet.
“The conditions really changed throughout the race. We had ice lower down the course and slush higher up, it definitely made for an eventful race.
“This is the hardest one that I have done yet, but I love it.
“In 2020 when I did the first one solo, there was a bit of that too.
“But it was quite a good combination to start in the snow and then get the mud later on.
“But the track held up well, it was super challenging.”
Kyle Beattie. Pictures: Callum Mackay.
Beattie says it was a special moment to celebrate his third title with all his loved ones waiting at the finishing line.
He said: “To be here with my wife, my mum and my sister and her husband along with old friends, it just means the world.”
Beattie plans to soak in his 2026 victory before contemplating whether he will defend his title next year.
But he said that the Strathpuffer is an event which he loves competing in.
He said: ” I will see if I will be back next year, but I am just ecstatic to be here again.
“What a day, what a race.”
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