Aberdeen ready to host our Lindsays Masters XC Champs

Thursday 3rd February 2022

Action from the Lindsays Masters XC at Johnstone two years ago (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Event section page – key info for Aberdeen

All routes head for Aberdeen for hundreds of Masters athletes on Saturday.

We’re delighted to have 348 names on start-lists for the Lindsays Masters XC Champs which are now part of the Lindsays Cross Country Season.

Balgownie playing fields in Aberdeen are the venue for an event which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

The age categories are split into two races and the key information for those competing is on our Event section page (see link above).

M40, M45, M50, M55, M60 will run together – over 8k

All women + M65, M70+ will run together – over 6k

The declaration and race times are as follows:

Women and M65 and above: Declarations close 12.30pm; Race starts 1pm

M40 Men and above to M60: Declarations close 1.15pm; Race starts 1.45pm

Houston right at home in Johnstone

Thanks to Metro Aberdeen RC and Aberdeen Sports Village for all their help in making the event happen.

Our Women’s medallists two years ago at the Masters XC Champs (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The last time the Scottish Athletics Masters Cross Country Championship were held in Aberdeen was 3 March 2001 (writes Alex Jackson)

At that time they were still ‘Veterans’ Championships’

This was the year of Foot and Mouth disease with many Cross Country races and Road races on or near farmland cancelled. The championships at Balgownie Playing fields were able to go ahead, although it was a bitterly cold day with snow on the ground.

First in the Men’s race was Colin Donnelly of Cambuslang , second Fraser Clyne of Metro Aberdeen, first M45 with Frank Barton of Ron Hill Cambuslang third also a M45.

Cambuslang were Men’s champions with 34 points, Metro Aberdeen second with 38 points. 123 men finished, at that time all men’s age categories ran together.

Women’s champion was Sue Ridley of Edinburgh Woollen Mill with Sonia Armitage of Aberdeen AAC second and Elaine McBrinn of Shettleston Ladies in third.

Shettleston Ladies were team champions on 21 points with Aberdeen AAC runners up with 24 points. 39 women finished.