Weekend events; GB call-ups; National XC; Grand Prix

Wednesday 1st March 2017

This weekend marks the culmination of the Indoor Season at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow and a truly hectic period for athletics, coaches and our hard-working scottishathletics Officials.

We’re expecting almost 1000 athletes to be involved with Club Relays on Saturday; Masters Champs on Sunday and the Combined Events Champs over both days.

With 150 club teams entered – 30 of those at Senior level – there should be some exciting Relays action featuring up to 600 athletes.

And both the CE and the Masters events have seen big rises in entries for 2017 with 189 entered for the CE and 192 for the Masters action on Sunday.

Once again, thanks to all clubs for your support of these National Championship occasions and good luck to all those involved.

Start-lists and timetables are on our Events section page and these will become Live Results come Saturday.

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The GB and NI selection representations just keep coming for Scottish athletes – as six prepare for the European Indoors in Belgrade this weekend.

Our throwers are not to be out-done and that’s why it is great to see hammer duo, Chris Bennett and Rachel Hunter, picked for the European Winter Throws event.

It is a first GB and NI vest at Senior level for Hunter while British Champion Bennett of course featured in the European Championships and Olympics last summer.

Rachel, who is coached by her dad Henry, threw a lifetime best of 66.46m at a winter throws competition held in Loughborough last weekend, and is one of four athletes making their senior debuts for the British team for the event in Gran Canaria on March 11-12.

British Athletics website announcement

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As the dust (mud) settles on the aftermath of the Lindsays National XC there are a couple of outstanding items.

Firstly, all at scottishathletics and the Road Running and Cross Country Commission want to say a huge thank-you to Falkirk Community Trust for the use of Callendar Park at the weekend. The support is appreciated.

Falkirk Victoria Harriers continued to provide huge assistance to the National XC in terms or course build and marshals, with a number of other clubs helping out. Again, we extend our thanks to each and every individual volunteer who was on duty on Saturday – your presence made it happen.

All the Results and details have now been up-dated to the Road Running and Cross Country Commission website Archive. Finisher numbers confirm that a total of 1717 athletes set a new Record in the 24th edition of the event, since joint champs for men and women began in 1994. Well done to all who raced!

Finally, just wrapping up a couple of trophy awards – with congratulations to Central AC and to Cambuslang Harriers for overall success (across all age groups).

Pat Spence Trophy for Females: Central AC

AT Mays for Males: Cambuslang Harriers

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Morag MacLarty – XC GP success

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The Scottish Cross Country Grand Priz has one remaining round at the Inter-Counties event in Loughborough on March 11.

But Central AC’s Morag MacLarty now has an unassailable lead at the top of the Women’s table, following her National XC title win at the weekend.

MacLarty has 222 points with Nicola Hood on 153 and Steph Pennycook in third on 130 points. There’s a tie thereafter with Sarah Inglis and Jenn Wetton both on 102 points.

In the Men’s, Dundee Hawkhill’s Kris Jones is the clear leader after his silver medal run at Falkirk. Kris is on 175 points and is followed by Lachlan Oates on 134 and Jamie Crowe on 132. Tewolde Mengisteab and Andy Douglas remain in the top five despite not racing last weekend.

*Tables after Round Five have picked up on an error from the Inter-Districts on the Women’s tallies.

 

Tags: Cambuslang Harriers, Central AC, Chris Bennett, Club Relays, Combined Evnets, Cross Country Grand Prix, Emirates Arena, Masters Cross Country, Rachel Hunter