The Inverness based athlete completed 21 laps of the 12.5km course in a time of 24 hours 28 minutes and two seconds.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In the women\u2019s race, South Uist cyclist Kerry MacPhee successfully defended her title to be crowned champion<\/a> for the second time.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cMy dad passed away a couple of years ago and I wanted to make him proud,\u201d said Beattie.<\/p>\n \u201cHe brought me into biking and ski-ing and it is just a great feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cMy Dad was just the biggest influence, he was always at the races and always ski-ing and I hope this has made him proud.<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking of him out there and that is what pushed me on.\u201d<\/p>\n Beattie successfully defended the title he won last year<\/a> to add them to the first Strathpuffer men\u2019s title he won back in 2020.<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Beattie said: \u201cEvery single one is really special, but this is the hardest one that I have done yet.<\/p>\n \u201cThe conditions really changed throughout the race. We had ice lower down the course and slush higher up, it definitely made for an eventful race.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the hardest one that I have done yet, but I love it.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2020 when I did the first one solo, there was a bit of that too.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it was quite a good combination to start in the snow and then get the mud later on.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the track held up well, it was super challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n Beattie says it was a special moment to celebrate his third title with all his loved ones waiting at the finishing line.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cTo be here with my wife, my mum and my sister and her husband along with old friends, it just means the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Beattie plans to soak in his 2026 victory before contemplating whether he will defend his title next year.<\/p>\n But he said that the Strathpuffer is an event which he loves competing in.<\/p>\n He said: \u201d I will see if I will be back next year, but I am just ecstatic to be here again.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a day, what a race.\u201d<\/p>\nKyle Beattie. Pictures: Callum Mackay.<\/p>\n
Kyle Beattie.<\/p>\n
Kyle Beattie. Pictures: Callum Mackay.<\/p>\n