
GALLERY: Highlights from Etape Caledonia 2025 in Highland Perthshire
Cancer Research UK's Etape Caledonia returned to the scenic village of Pitlochry on Sunday, bringing thousands of cyclists to the heart of the Scottish Highlands for the UK's original closed-roads sport.
With just 5,000 places available each year, Etape Caledonia remains one of the most sought-after cycling sportives in the UK.
Riders tackled a range of demanding climbs, including the tough ascent out of Blair Atholl and the iconic gradient at Grandtully. The traffic-free cycling route allowed participants to focus on their performance while enjoying panoramic views of the Highland landscape.
Olympic Gold medallist Hailey Duff MBE officially started the event at 6.30am, leading the pack out of Pitlochry. She crossed the finish line as the first female rider, clocking in at 2h 30m 54s, beating her personal goal of 3h 30m.
Alanna Cameron, a dentist from Inverness, set a new course record for the 40-mile route, finishing in just 2h 19m 16s and shaving 5 seconds off the previous record held by Louisa Brown.
Organised by Motiv Sports UK and supported by headline charity Cancer Research UK, the event drew cyclists of all backgrounds to Pitlochry for a weekend of challenge, camaraderie, and charity fundraising, against a breathtaking Highland backdrop.
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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A furious wife hurling his clothes into Indian Ocean, sex at county shows and all-nighters in immaculate riding gear: How Jilly Cooper's saucy showjumper Rupert Campbell-Black has got nothing on real life star Nick Skelton
Once the undisputed enfant terrible of show jumping, Nick Skelton has long put his wild days behind him. Boozy hi jinks, sexual shenanigans, punch ups with rivals, he was guilty of the lot in his time, his antics often eclipsing those of Jilly Cooper's fictional bounders. 'I'm too old for all that,' he sighs. 'They were fun times but I'm 67 now.' Age was never previously a barrier, though. Not for this old stager, the superstar horseman who broke his neck in a horrifying fall and was told he would never ride again - only to jump back in the saddle and win Olympic gold at the age of 58. We're discussing a documentary feature film about his colourful life and career - Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story - while sitting in a gazebo overlooking the arena at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the stage where he took his final bow in 2017, when, to cheers and tears, steed at his side, he raised his arm aloft as these words rang out over the public address system: 'The greatest show jumper the world has ever seen!' It is little surprise that a Hollywood producer came calling. One wonders why it took so long. 'It's been in the making for the past seven years, Covid got in the way,' Skelton explains. Like others of its ilk - an obvious comparison is Senna, a film about the life of Brazilian motor racing champion Ayrton Senna - the final result is a compelling story that demands of its audience no previous knowledge of, or interest in, the sport in question. A bit like a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster then. Well, not exactly. 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Reluctantly, he retired from the sport in 2001 but to the amazement of many, the following year he was told by a German specialist that the bones in his neck had healed beyond expectations so he returned to the saddle - and competing at the very top. It allowed him to continue a career that has spanned four decades and seen him win five World Championship medals and nine European medals as well as holding the British record for jumping the highest fence ever cleared over 7ft 7in in 1979. Does he miss competing? 'No, not really. I achieved everything I wanted to achieve.' These days he trains young riders and horses and keeps a keen eye on the careers of his partner Laura and sons Harry, a champion jockey and Dan, a top trainer. He says: 'Just the other day I was coming out of a reception at Windsor Castle and of the security guy's said, 'You're Dan Skelton's father, aren't you?'. I thought that was quite funny.' * Big Star: The Story of Nick Skelton will be in cinemas from June 6. For cinema locations, visit


BBC News
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- BBC News
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Daily Mail
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