South Uist cyclist Kerry Macphee wins British endurance championship title

Uist cyclist tackles frozen trails and sub-zero temperatures to win British championship title

13 January 2025

Elite cyclist, Kerry MacPhee from South Uist has become the British women’s 24-hour endurance cycling champion after winning a gruelling race on icy woodland trials in the Highlands.

After an all-day and all-night race, the 38-year-old pedalled past the finish line in a clear first place at the annual Strathpuffer mountain bike race.

She clocked up a time of 23 hours, 31 minutes, and 55 seconds over 17 laps, two laps ahead of female runner-up, Gail Brown.

Over 700 competitors took part under tough, freezing conditions repeating eight-mile long laps through Contin Forest just off Inverness to Ullapool road.

Over 17 hours of the race was held after sunset

This was the first time Kerry, a former Commonwealth Games cyclist, participated in the race.

She holds the fastest time recorded for a female for the West Highland Way with a time of 11 hours and 46 minutes in April 2021.

In 2023, she set a new women's record time for a Highlands - Glasgow Scottish challenge called the Badger Divide. She accomplished the route from Inverness Castle to Kelvingrove Art Gallery Kelvingrove in 19 hours and 32 minutes.

She and her sister Kirsty have represented the Western Isles at the International Island Games.