Great Stirling XC champ wins despite wrong turn

American Hillary Bor took the win at the Great Stirling XC race in Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday. Bor had established a strong lead in the second half of the race before taking a wrong turn with less than 1K to go. 

Hillary Bor takes the Great Stirling XC Mens title #GSXC2019 @DyeStat @RunnerSpace_com @usatf pic.twitter.com/9PYteikiPR

— John Nepolitan (@OPENphotos) January 12, 2019

RELATED: Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech takes wrong turn during world 3,000m steeplechase

American Garrett Heath made a push for the win after Bor took the wrong turn, but Bor made up ground with 200m to go and took the race in 23:48. Bor is an Olympic finalist in the steeplechase. The race takes place at Stirling Castle and draws teams from America, Europe and Great Britain. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqxgSkrARnk/

In the women’s 4x1K relay event, Laura Muir anchored the race, bringing her Great Britain team home for the win. Muir opened her 2019 indoor season last weekend with a shocking 14:52.02, which is just off her indoor personal best of 14:49.12 from 2017. Canadian indoor 5,000m record Gabriela Stafford has also started training with Muir. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsi-i1fnKYH/

RELATED: Gabriela Stafford smashes Canadian indoor 5,000m record

The 2018 Birmingham Diamond League is where Stafford met Muir’s coach, Andy Young. They spoke quickly after she ran the 1,500m and had a second call a few weeks later when Young suggested she come out and try their program. She accepted, and the big gamble has clearly paid off. Stafford will move to Scotland after she finishes her degree at the University of Toronto this spring.