Lanark all set to host Lindsays Short Course XC

Wednesday 7th November 2018

The Old Race Course at Lanark is the new venue on the Lindsays Cross Country Season rota – with the Short Course XC coming up this Saturday.

It promises to be another exciting occasion for all who love cross country and once again the response from clubs confirms a commitment to competition.

This particular event is effectively the fastest-growing in scottishathletics terms, with the U17 and U15 races only in recent years having held National Championship status.

Numbers continue to rise for the two Senior/U20/Masters races with the 4K distance apparently holding widespread appeal – with the men’s entry this year at a staggering 642 athletes!

Timetable:

12 noon: U15 Girls 2K

12.15pm: U15 Boys 2K

12.30pm: U17 Women 3K

12.50pm: U17 Men 3K

13.10pm: Sen/Jun Women 4K

13.35pm: Sen/Jun Men 4K

Declarations will close 30 minutes before each race.

Competition should be intense once again and while it is always difficult to try and identify potential medallists in advance, we understand Laura Muir won’t defend the title she has won for the past three years.

That opens the door for what could be a close contest. The top four, on lap times, from the Lindsays National XC Relays at Cumbernauld were Morag Millar (Central), Elspeth Curran (Kilbarchan), Josephine Moultrie (VP-Glasgow) and Steph Pennycook (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds).

If Jemma Reekie (Kilbarchan AAC), who won the U20 title at Renfrew two years ago, and Mhairi Maclennan (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds) are added then the top six or so starts to look really competitive.

In the men’s race, the top five fastest at Cumbernauld featured Sol Sweeney (Glasgow Uni), Alastair Hay and Scott Green (Central AC), Lachlan Oates (Shettleston) and Connor Maclean (Kilbarchan AAC).

As well as individual medals and team medals at stake, there are team points on offer in the last race of the Cross Country Team Challenge (Short Course).

After the opening two rounds of the three-event series, two clubs have maximum points – our National XC Relays champions.

Here’s the women’s top five:

1 Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds 30; 2 Kilbarchan AAC 28; 2 VP-Glasgow 28; 4 Central AC 24; 5 Fife AC 22

And the men’s top five:

1 Central AC 30; 2 Kilbarchan AAC 27; 3 Shettleston Harriers 26; 4 Cambuslang Harriers 24; Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds 22

CCTC 2018 R2.