Central dominate as Hamish & Grace win Mid Trail Championships
The National Senior & Junior Mid Trail Championships took place at Crieff, with Seniors, Vets and U20s competing over 10k while the U18, U16 and U14 Championships took place over 5k round Lady Mary’s Walk.
Runners will have been grateful for a bit of a break from the heat we’ve been having, but it was still a warm, dry day making ideal running conditions.
There was a change to the 10k route for this year to incorporate a new section of trail, going out over Laggan Hill past the Baird Monument before coming back along the banks of the River Earn.
There was a close fought battle between Hamish Hickey (Central AC) and Cameron Smith (Cambuslang Harriers) for the win. In a sprint for the line, defending Champion Hamish would come out on top, setting the standard for the new course at 32:56. Jack Eykelbosch of Corstorphine AAC took third.
Speaking on his win, Hamish said:
“It was a lot closer this year than last year so it was a bit stressful,
“I had it on the hills and then as soon as we got to the flat he [Cameron] came past me and I was just hanging on for dear life.
“Luckily there was a wee incline right at the end so I passed him there then threw myself across the line basically.”
In the Women’s race, it was a dominant win (38:41) for Grace Whelan (Central), leading from the start after having to settle for second last year. Amy Frankland (Lasswade) was just over 30s behind, ahead of Claire Bruce (Metro Aberdeen) in third.
Grace said:
“I got a bit of a gap at the start so I thought ‘I’ll just commit to it’,
“I was regretting that a bit half way round so I was thankful when we got back to the river bit which was flat and my road legs came back to me and I was able to hold a gap to the end.”
With a strong contingent racing, including our two Champions, Central AC made it a clean sweep by also taking the title in both Male and Female team events.
In the Junior event, Billy Sutherland (Ross County) took the win by a good margin in the U18 event in 17:06.
Nina Clark (East Kilbride) was the first Female over the line as she took the win in the Girls U16 race (19:46).
The closest finish of the day came in the U16 Boys, with Alfie Whyte of Dunfermline taking the win just one second ahead of Garscube’s Maxwell Connolly.
Thanks to organisers, Strathearn Harriers, for hosting and to Phil Mestecky for organising the junior event.
Category winners (via preliminary results):
Male Open: 1 Hamish Hickey (Central); 2 Cameron Smith (Cambuslang); 3 Jack Eykelbosch (Corstorphine)
Female Open: 1 Grace Whelan (Central); 2 Amy Frankland (Lasswade); 3 Claire Bruce (Metro Aberdeen)
M40: 1 Adam Gray (Penicuik); 2 Gregor Yates (Inverclyde); 3 Kenny Garden (Metro Aberdeen)
F40: 1 Helen Leigh (Inverness); 2 Becky Penty (Westerlands Cross Country); 3 Alison McNeilly (Dundee Road Runners)
M50: 1 Eoin Coull (Highland Hill Runners); 2 Andrew Wright (PH Racing Club); 3 David Aitken (Dundee Road Runners)
F50: 1 Judith Turner (PH Racing Club); 2 Hilary Carswell (Giffnock North); 3 Lynne Wardrop (Wee County Harriers)
M60: 1 Chris Upson (Cambuslang); 2 Alan Derrick (Calderglen); 3 Graeme Parker (Perth Road Runners)
F60: 1 Frances Ferguson (Calderglen); 2 Erica Christie (Cambuslang); 3 Imogen Rickell (Unattached)
M70: 1 David Torgerson (Strathearn); 2 Alex MacEwan (Edinburgh AC); 3 John Elrick (JSK Running Club)
F70: 1 Margaret Martin (Fife AC); 2 Ann Read (Perth Road Runners); 3 Pamela Pattison (Pitreavie)
MU20: 1 Iain Jordan (Central); 2 Andrew Grant (Strathearn)
FU20: 1 Ariane Baillie (Pitreavie)
MU18: 1 Billy Sutherland (Ross County); 2 Connor Campbell (Garscube); 3 Gregor Adamson (Gala)
FU18: 1 Millie Gairn (Airdrie); 2 Naomi Ferris (Stornoway); 3 Isabella Moran (Moorfoot)
MU16: 1 Alfie Whyte (Dunfermline); 2 Maxwell Connolly (Garscube); 3 Ewan Kennedy (Giffnock)
FU16: 1 Nina Clark (East Kilbride); 2 Ella Hunter (Central); 3 Hannah Bogle (Linlithgow)
MU14: 1 Harris Turnbull (Strathearn); 2 Jaxon Boyle (Strathearn); 3 Max Cryle (Strathearn)
FU14: 1 Jess Davidson (Aberdeen); 2 Kezi Swift (Perth Strathspey); 3 Rose Martin (Linlithgow)
Team Men: 1 Central AC; 2 Cambuslang Harriers; 3 Strathearn Harriers
Team Women: 1 Central AC; 2 Dundee Road Runners; 3 Cambuslang Harriers
Tags: Central AC, Crieff 10k, Grace Whelan, Hamish Hickey, Strathearn Harriers
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