Kingussie shinty star is a wanted man in Edinburgh
Kingussie shinty star Eoin Baikie is a wanted man in Edinburgh - he will have two gangs chasing him around the city’s streets this weekend.
Members of ‘Chasing Baikie for Cal’ and ‘Chasing Baikie for CRY’ will be running the capital’s famous marathon on Sunday as relay teams.
And amongst their ranks taking on the challenge in memory of sorely missed Calum Mackintosh will be his parents Ann and Iain, of Carrbridge.
The funds raised will go towards heart-screening of young people across Badenoch and Strathspey in a bid to prevent similar tragedies.
Calum died from a sudden cardiac arrest aged just 19 in November 2023 whilst a second year student taking a law course at the capital’s Napier University.
He was Dux of Grantown Grammar School in 2021 and had been named Kingussie's young player of the season after a break-out season at the Dell which included an instrumental role in lifting the 2023 Camanachd Cup.
Calum and Eoin had been great friends since the age of three and later team-mates for the Red and Blues.
Ann said: “The competition is between the two teams and Eoin.
“Last year, after Eoin ran the marathon on his own, he challenged me to race him this year.
“I am a highly competitive person so I obviously said ‘yes’ and then thought that’s 26.2 miles - I’m not doing that!
“So that is when I asked the rest of the boys if they could help me with a relay team to race him.
“We are definitely out to try and beat Eoin who completed the course in around three hours 25 minutes last year.”
‘Chasing Baikie for Cal’ are Cluanie Fraser, Iain Fraser, Calum Grant - who have all played for Kingussie Camanachd with Calum - and Ann.
‘Chasing Baikie for CRY’ are Jack Nelson, Josh Talbot-Heigh and Hayden (Timmy) Taylor-Ramsay along with Iain.
Jack and Hayden also play for the Kingussie club whilst Josh was in Calum and Eoin's class at school.
Ann said: “It is going to be a hard day for all of us. Iain and I should be watching Calum doing this rather than running this for him.
“But in order to raise awareness and money for cardiac-screening, this is what we have to do.
“The idea is that the money we raise at the weekend will go to two local cardiac screening days early in 2026.”
Calum had been due to run the Edinburgh Marathon with Eoin last year.
His friend Iain Fraser said: “This going to be a really special and emotional day for all of us.
“Being able to take part a marathon with team-mates and friends for a cause so close to our hearts just makes it so much more meaningful.”
Hayden Taylor-Ramsay - the youngest relay team member at 16 - said: “The main aim of the event is to raise money for the charity that is so close to us all.
“We’re running this as a club to show support for each other and hopefully to beat Baikie.”
The relays are split into four stages - 8.3 miles, 8 miles, 5.5 miles and 4.4 miles for the last leg.
There have been a number of revisions to the two line-ups along the way because of injuries on and off the shinty field.
The first heart-screening sessions paid for by the Calum Mackintosh Memorial Fund and delivered by the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) will take place at Carrbridge Village Hall on May 31 and June 1.
A fantastic total of 208 young people (aged 14-35) will be screened to detect potential heart issues.
There is currently a waiting list of 70 people showing the demand for more clinics.
The costs per day for screening is rising to £7,000 from January.
It is going to be a hard day for all of us. Iain and I should be watching Calum doing this rather than running this for him
An average of 12 young people die every week in the UK due to heart conditions and there are no prior symptoms in 80 per cent of these cardiac deaths.
Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/page/ann-mackintosh-1
