A remarkable team of Lomond School lower sixth (S5) students, staff and alumni has completed the legendary Scottish Islands Peaks Race in an outstanding 50 hours — improving on the team’s previous years performance by almost 20 hours and delivering one of the school’s most memorable endurance achievements to date.
Widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges in the UK, the Scottish Islands Peaks Race combines 184 miles of offshore sailing with 60 miles of mountain running and more than 12,000 feet of climbing, all undertaken continuously over a period of 39 to 80 hours. Competitors must battle fatigue, changing tides, unpredictable winds and punishing terrain while relying entirely on teamwork and precision.
For the Lomond School team, the challenge began in Oban, where Matthew and Daniel immediately set the tone for the race. The pair stormed into an early lead during the opening 7km run through Oban, returning to the harbour as leaders of the junior competition before handing over to Ben for a rapid row out to the team yacht, Hyskeir.
Once aboard, the sailing crew — expertly led by skipper Michael Ferguson and first mates Ross, James and Logan — settled quickly into a smooth and disciplined rhythm as they beat north through the Sound of Mull. Despite competing against larger and faster boats, the Lomond crew remained composed and highly competitive thanks to excellent teamwork, navigation and tactical sailing.
The first major mountain stage came on Mull, where Ben, James and Ross Flatman tackled a punishing 30km route across rugged island terrain. Starting the leg more than an hour behind two key junior rivals, the trio produced a phenomenal performance to claw back almost the entire deficit, returning in second place just five minutes off the lead. Their effort dramatically shifted the momentum of the race and demonstrated the team’s endurance and determination.
As darkness fell, Hyskeir continued south through the night towards Jura, navigating one of the most technically demanding stretches of the course. The boat sailed close to the notorious Corryvrekan, where they benefitted from the mighty push from the area’s well known tides.
It was at this crucial moment that Lomond’s ingenuity came to the fore. A custom rowing machine conceived and built by Ross was hoisted onto the stern of Hyskeir, allowing the crew to continue moving while rival boats drifted motionless. The innovative system propelled the yacht forward at around 1.5 knots and enabled the team to row past stranded competitors in dramatic fashion.
The rowing system quickly attracted international attention from the sailing community after clips of it in action amassed more than 200,000 views across Facebook and Instagram, with many sailors praising the creativity behind the idea.
The next challenge was the infamous Jura leg — a brutal 25km trackless circuit over the steep and unforgiving Paps of Jura. Here, Yaroslav, Basil and Neil Mackay delivered one of the performances of the race, battling exhaustion and difficult terrain to return strongly to Hyskeir. By the end of the stage, the three remaining junior boats were effectively tied, with the only other junior entrants having already withdrawn from the competition.
As conditions changed once again, the fleet encountered a powerful westerly wind that drove the boats around the Mull of Kintyre and onwards towards Arran. Despite the physical toll of almost two days without proper sleep, spirits aboard Hyskeir remained remarkably high.
The final running stage on Arran saw Matthew and Daniel once again rise to the occasion during the demanding Goat Fell leg, this time strongly supported by Adie Murray. Their efforts ensured the tracker was safely returned to the yacht before the team embarked on the final crossing to Troon.
With strong winds finally filling the sails, Hyskeir surged towards the finish line to complete the race in just 2 days, 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Neil Mackay, Lomond School teacher and Lomond School Scottish Islands Peaks Race co-ordinator, said:
“The Scottish Islands Peaks Race is one of the most demanding endurance events imaginable because it tests every aspect of a team — physically, mentally and emotionally. What made this achievement so special was the way everyone supported each other throughout the race. There were moments of exhaustion, difficult conditions and huge pressure, but the spirit on board never dropped. To finish in 50 hours with such a young team is something every single person involved should be incredibly proud of.”
Lomond School Principal Claire Chisholm praised the team’s achievement and the wider support behind the challenge.
“We are immensely proud of every student, staff member and former pupil who took part in this extraordinary achievement. The resilience, teamwork and courage shown throughout the race embody the very best of Lomond School. This challenge demanded exceptional commitment and determination, and the way the team supported one another from start to finish has been inspirational for our entire school community. Everyone was hooked to the tracking app and social media throughout the weekend to see how the team were doing.”
Lomond School also paid tribute to the many individuals who supported the expedition, including skipper Michael Ferguson for the use of Hyskeir, Ross Flatman for his leadership and innovation, Adie Murray for her extensive training support, Paul Davies and Teresa for hosting the Arran support team, and Claire Lane and Karen Ferguson for catering and logistical support throughout the event.
The school’s student competitors — described by the team as the “Magnificent Seven” — were Ben, James, Yaroslav, Basil, Matthew, Daniel and Logan, all of whom played a vital role in one of Lomond School’s most successful Scottish Islands Peaks Race campaigns to date.
