Scottish Trail Champs review

Monday 3rd September 2018

Kris Jones and Andy Douglas had a terrific battle for Scottish Trail Champs gold (photo by Pete Bracegirdle)

Report by Ron Morrison

A healthy turn out of over 200 athletes completed the three races in the sixth Scottish mid-Trail Championships held on the Falkland Estate in Fife on a beautiful autumnal day.

Held in conjunction with the Fife AC Festival of Trail Running, it was pleasing to welcome athletes from all over Scotland. They travelled from Inverness, Moray, Ross County, East Lothian, the Borders, Ayr and the cities.

The age groups ran in combined races but were separated for medal purposes under the careful guidance of the Championships Referee, Alex Jackson.

Two non-championship taster races for U11s and U13s started off the day’s events before the serious business of contesting team and individual medals.

Women

Anya MacLean (Garscube), who in her last visit to Fife placed second in the Short Course Cross Country in Kirkcaldy, won the U15 race by a big margin over Bridget Harley and Flora Henry both of Team East Lothian RC. The team race was a battle by the big attendance clubs with Garscube retaining their title from Cambuslang.

Team East Lothian RC continued their success with a win by Cera Gemmell in the U17 Championship with Emily Andrew (Inverness H) and Lottie Jeffrey (Falkirk Victoria H) taking the silver and bronze respectively. Garscube again took the team title.

European Hill Running team silver medalist Lauren Dickson took both the U20 and Senior Championships winning by almost two minutes from Kristin Lownie (PH Racing Club) and Catriona Graves (Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds).

Host club Fife AC won the team Championships for the fourth successive year followed by Cambuslang and Edinburgh AC

The Masters’ championships saw Megan Wright (Hunter Bog T) regain the F40 title she won in 2016. Trish Milne took the F50 gold, Nanette Heaney (Falkland Trail R) captured the F60 and Elizabeth Gilchrist (Ferranti AAC) landed the F70 title.

PHOTOS by Pete Bracegirdle

Lauren Dickson of Lasswade on her way to U20/Senior gold (photo by Pete Bracegirdle)

Men

Harry Henrikson (Lasswade AC) won a very close battle with Lucas Cairns (Inverness H) to take the title by one second with U13 Scottish Cross Country Champion Angus Wright (Team East Lothian RC) collecting the bronze. Cambuslang captured the team title.

Jack Trainer (Garscube) led the way in the U17 race winning by over 30 secs from Ruairidh MacGregor (Cambuslang) and Hugh Morrow (Edinburgh AC). Cambuslang edged out Fife AC for the team title.

The Senior Championship saw Kristian Jones (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) and Andy Douglas (Inverclyde AC) renew their battle of the National Cross Country Championships where they finished first and third respectively.

Never more than a few metres apart during the race Kristian, a British Orienteering International, edged out the British Hill International in the final run in – winning by three seconds.

John Newsom (Inverness H) took the bronze medal and led his club to victory in the team race over the champions for the last five years, Cambuslang Harriers. New club PH Racing Club edged out Fife AC for the bronze medal.

The Masters’ championships were keenly fought with Ben Hukins (Cambuslang) taking the M40 title, Scott McDonald (Moorfoot Runners) the M50, Alex Chisholm (Garscube H) the M60 and Steve Cromer (Dundee Hawkhill H) the M70.