Noticeboard: Road GP; Davidson; Loch Ness Marathon; Euro Masters

Friday 27th May 2016

Morag MacLarty, Maddie Murray and Jenn Wetton – all landed GP shares at 5K Champs

Seven more athletes have been added to the list of those who will share £4000 via the scottishathletics Road Race Grand Prix.

The 2016 GP event takes place across five races over five distances with two of those still to come in the autumn – the Scottish 10K Champs at Stirling and the half marathon at the Great Scottish Run.

Silverknowes in Edinburgh staged the most recent event, the 5K Champs, and it was pleased to see no fewer than seven names added to the list of those with ‘shares’ credited under the allocation system for the cash pot.

Three men all landed B standards following the performances by medallists Mark Mitchell, Dermot Cummins and Cameron Milne.

Edinburgh AC athlete, Maddie Murray, set a course record that night on May 5 at Silverknowes and there were three Women to land B standards – Morag MacLarty, Jenn Wetton and Steph Pennycook.

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Inverness Harriers and Highland Disability Sport athlete, Paul Davidson, has been selected for the Great Britain Team to compete at the INAS European Athletic Championships in Ankara, Turkey between June 28 and July 3

Davidson, a 400m specialist, was originally booked to go to the Gothenburg Games with his club and has now had to withdraw from the trip to Sweden following his selection.

The INAS Championships are specifically for athletes with Intellectual Impairments and will provide excellent opportunities for Paul to gain more experience against some of the best athletes in Europe in his class.

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Loch Ness Marathon

Tarus Elly was an impressive winner of the top men’s prize in last year’s Baxters Loch Ness marathon and the Lancashire-based athlete has vowed to return to defend his title.

But anyone who wants to be sure of joining him in the starting line-up needs to get off their marks quickly as the countdown is on towards the midnight July 1 deadline for guaranteed places in Scotland’s most cosmopolitan running event.

After that date, entries will only be available for overseas runners, scottishathletics members, members of affiliated UK running clubs, overseas runners, and through official charity Macmillan Cancer Care and other affiliate charities for the race which takes place on Sunday 25 September.

Elly, who was born in Kenya but now lives in Hyde, has an impressive record in the Baxters Loch Ness marathon, winning in 2013 and 2015 as well as finishing third in 2014.

‘I would love to come and successfully defend my title,’ said Tarus. ‘To be honest I love this race. It is my favourite marathon of all time. It means so much to me as it was my first ever marathon in 2013 and I won it.’

Elly is so far the only Kenyan signed up, but runners of 40 other nationalities, in addition to Brits, have already entered. Race Director Malcolm Sutherland is delighted that runners from all around the world, and of all levels of experience and ability, choose to come to the Baxters Loch Ness marathon.

‘It’s fantastic that athletes of the calibre of Tarus enjoy our race so much that he wants to return year after year. We try to offer something for all sectors of the running community. We also have the Baxters River Ness 10Km, including a Corporate Challenge for teams, Baxters River Ness 5Km fun run, and the Wee Nessie children’s run.

‘In addition to the thousands of runners who take part, there’s also a huge number of people who turn out to watch the races, particularly at the finish in Bught Park where the Event Village is located.’

With thanks to Fraser Clyne

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Sharyn Ramage

6th European Masters Non-Stadia Championships – Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal

Scots collected another four medals on the final day of the European Championships courtesy of Kerry Liam Wilson (RonHill Cambuslang) and Andrew McLinden (Hamilton Harriers) taking silver medals in the M45 and M65s respectively.

The 8.30 start coupled with a covering of cloud made it almost perfect conditions for the Half Marathon. Both ran excellent races, Kerry losing out to a top Portuguese athlete by almost a minute finishing in 70.41, with Andrew missing gold by 27 seconds to a German athlete, finishing in 86.44.

Norman Bailie (Garscube), also running in the M65s finished a creditable 20th in 1hr 42. 27. In the team events, Kerry-Liam Wilson, dropping down to the M40s, added a Bronze medal, whilst Andrew McLinden’s team packed well together to win the silver medals.

Medal summary from Scottish Veteran Harriers Club:

Gold – Sharyn Ramage – W50 3x2km Cross Country Relay; Gold – Janette Stevenson – W65 3x2km Cross Country Relay; Silver – Kerry-Liam Wilson – M45 Half Marathon; Silver – Andrew McLinden – M65 Half Marathon; Silver –Andrew McLinden – M65 Half Marathon Team; Silver – Andrew Kirkhope – M55 10km Team; Bronze – Kerry-Liam Wilson – M40 Marathon Team

More details on the SVHC Facebook page

With thanks to Alan Ramage

Tags: European Masters, INAS European Games, Loch Ness Marathon, Paul Davidson, Road Race Grand Prix, Silverknowes