Lindsays District XC review

Monday 5th December 2016

GB hill running international Andy Douglas took the gold in Ayr – photo by Bobby Gavin

Andy Douglas proved the class act at the Lindsays West District XC Champs across the mud and hills of Mosshill, near Ayr, on Sunday.

Douglas won it well with Lachlan Oates his strongest challenge, the Shettleston runner well clear of his team-mate, third-placed Tewolde Mengisteab.

Shettleston reigned supreme in the Men’s team race with Oates and Mengisteab followed home by string of blue and yellow vests in the top 20 for a runaway success from Inverclyde and Cambuslang.

Nicola Hood of Dumfries Running Club has made a return to the cross country scene this season and is competing well. She took the gold with Katie White of Garscube coming through strongly for second from Michelle Sandison of Springburn Harriers – as Shettleston also took the team title here, too.

GB international Jonny Glen took the U20 title with Laura Stark of Kilbarchan AAC claiming the women’s gold. Giffnock North’s Erin Wallace was the clear winner in the U17 Women’s as Andrew MacAngus of Kilbarchan AAC picked up that gold.

At U15 level, there were wins for Giffnock North AAC via the strong runs of Heather Barnes and Hamish Armitt. And at U13 level it was a double for Kilmarnock Harriers thanks to the efforts of Jennifer Murray and Fraser Sproul.

Cambuslang Harriers won the men’s and women’s team golds at Masters level with individual V40 golds for Robert Gilroy and Lesley Chisholm.

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EAST provisional results

East photo albums by Alan White

Balgownie Park, Aberdeen, played host to the East District XC Champs for the second time in five years on a dry and mostly sunny afternoon when the underfoot conditions – firm to soft – led to an anticipation of exciting competition. And so it turned out.

The U13 Girls started the programme off with Fife AC’s Anna Hedley building on her success in the UK Challenge series by retaining her crown by about 30 secs from Katie and Emma Johnson from EAC.

The team race was very tight with Fife AC bringing in the next two finishers to edge EAC 10 points to 15 with Corstorphine AAC taking the bronze medals with 36 points.

The U13 boys race was clearly won by Harry Henriksen, Lasswade AAC, from Conor Gourley, Pitreavie AAC, who was narrowly ahead of Angus Wright, Team East Lothian. Appropriately Aberdeen AAC won the team race from Corstorphine AAC with Dundee Hawkhill H a close third.

EAC captured the team title in the U15 Girls race but only by 1 point scoring 28 against Pitreavie AAC’s 30 and Central AC’s 31. Team East Lothian’s Cera Gemmell won the gold medal in a time that would have given her equal second in the boy’s race.

An equally exciting team race took place with Falkirk Victoria H beating Fife AC on the count back and EAC a distant third. EAC’s Joe Ewing took the gold from Kane Elliott, Falkirk Victoria H, with Harry Hall, Aberdeen AAC taking the bronze.

The U17 Women saw a close race between to locals with Naomi Lang, Aberdeen (last year’s silver medallist) getting the better of Clare Stewart, Banchory Stonehaven AAC (last year’s bronze medalist) with Lauren Dickson, Lasswade AAC in third.

An exciting team competition for the minor medals saw Central AC win the team race with Banchory Stonehaven AAC the silver with 52 points followed by Gala H on 53 points and unlucky Falkirk Victoria H on 54 points.

EAC’s Freddie Carcas continued his domination this season with a gold medal in the Men’s U17 race from Faisal Khursheed, Gala H, and a resurgent George Rees, Fife AC, who led his team to the team title from EAC and Gala H.

The U20 Men’s race saw Logan Rees ease away from a strong field to take the gold medal in 26.16 with Broc Drury coming through the field for silver in 26.23 and Sol Sweeney.

Like his brother George, Logan led the Fife AC team (that also included Tristan Rees in fifth position) to the team Championship with 19 points from Edinburgh University 27 points and EAC with 43 points.

EAC retained their U20 Women’s team Championship from Edinburgh University with the individual medals going to EAC’s Sarah Laverty, who was well clear of Jennifer Ricketts, Edinburgh University, and Zoe Bates, EAC.

Central AC’s Morag MacLarty won her fifth East District championship by 14 seconds gradually pulling away from a dogged Steph Pennycook, Edinburgh University, with Fanni Gyurko moving up one place from last year to claim the bronze medal.

Central AC triumphed in the team championship for the first time since 2010-1 with locals and championships hosts Metro Aberdeen RC taking the silver and Fife AC the bronze.

Charlotte Morgan, Carnethy HRC won the Masters title convincingly from defending champion Megan Wright, Hunters Bog T and Veronique ?Oldham, Aberdeen AAC. Gala H won the team for the 5th consecutive time.

St Andrews University student Welshman Kristian Jones, Dundee Hawkhill H ran very clever race by gently applying the pressure to win from EAC new recruit Michael Christoforou with Central AC’s Jamie Crowe taking a well-earned bronze.

Having taken the team title 11 out of the last 12 years, it will not be a surprise to see that Central AC won again. However the margin was a mere two points from a well packed Hunter Bog T with Corstorphine AAC taking the bronze.

With thanks to Ron Morrison and to Alan White for photos

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Photo by Phil Downie

NORTH provisional results

John Newsom drew away from Moray Roadrunner Kenny Wilson in the second half of the race to regain the North District title he last won in 2014 at the same venue at Dores near Inverness.

Newsom also led home the winning Inverness Harriers men’s team whose next counter was individual bronze medallist Gordon Lennox.

Forres Harrier Paul Rogan took the M40 title and Alec Keith the M50 award, while Ross Gollan (East Sutherland) won the U20 event.

Despite outstanding U20 women’s champion Anna MacFadyen being unable to compete as a senior, Forres Harriers still took the women’s team title.

They were helped on their way by Moira Davie who also repeated her 2014 individual victory, ahead of Helen Gertig (Inverness) and Louise Cartmell (Moray Road Runners). Forres relieved Inverness of the team title while Marie Baxter (Garioch) was top W40 and Ann Smart (Inverness) first W50.

The U17 championships both went to junior internationalists, Inverness 800 specialist Joe Arnaud taking the men’s and hill representative Grace Whelan (Moray Road Runners) the women’s.

The most convincing win in the youngest age groups came in the U15 Girls race where Emily Andrew ran away with the individual title at the head of an Inverness Harriers 1-2-3-4.

The U15 Boys race was won by Sunny McGrath (Deveron Harriers) while the U13 champions were Katie Slimon (Highland Hill Runners) and Lucas Cairns (Inverness Harriers).

Many thanks from all at scottishathletics to all clubs who had athletes competing and to host club Inverness Harriers and organisers led by Ross Nixon and Sophie Dunnett.

With thanks to Charles Bannerman