National Cross Country Championship’s 2008
March 3rd, 2008On a fresh and dry February day, Gala Harriers athletes travelled to Falkirk last Saturday for the Scottish Power National Cross Country championships, marking the culmination of the domestic XC season, which has been a very successful one for female Harriers, junior and senior alike.
In conditions that were perfect overhead but progressively muddier as the day wore on, the huge event kicked off with the Under 13 boys race in which young Rowan Marr and Cameron Gowans were the sole club representatives, equipping themselves well over the 2 mile lap of grassy parkland. Rowan, in his first competitive season and despite an early fall in the mud, ran superbly to finish 25th out of 139 runners in 12 minutes 36 seconds, with Cameron digging in manfully for 102nd place in 14.13.
The squad of 6 x U13 girls, who have trained together so well this season under Neil Renton, Henry Gray and Graham Capper were in good shape and hopeful of a good placing as they lined up in at the very impressive frontage of Callendar House. Less than a quarter of an hour later they had achieved a fantastic bronze medal, an outstanding result amongst 14 teams and over 120 runners from all over the country. This time it was Lucy Morris who led the girls home (18th position in 13.38), followed closely by Hannah Jones, (24th in 13.45), Charlotte Brown (27th in 13.53), Martha Douglas (28th in 13.54), Emily Jones (35th in 14.05) and Laura Anderson (73rd in 14.59). This result represents a real achievement for all the girls, reflecting their determination and consistent hard work throughout the season.
Another Gala junior however who has, through illness, not been able to train consistently over the winter, nevertheless wanted to test her fitness and bravely took on the U15 girls over the slightly longer course. Alice Haining, who currently holds 2 national titles on the roads and hills, came in a remarkable 4th place in 15.11 from a field of100 athletes, which bodes well for her defence of those titles later this year.
The distance doubled for the senior women and the mud was developing nicely for Katy Anderson to beat off club rival Kate Jenkins, scampering to a superb 22nd place in 31.38, with Kate finishing 37th in 32.46. Not far behind Kate was Rachel Fagan, (62nd in 34.15), and giving her a real run for her money was Andrea Pogson, returning to her old form (70th in 34.59).
The other two women running, Leanne Haining (95th in 36.18) and Eileen Nicol (111th in 37.14) did well to finish in the top 2/3rds of the large 157-strong field and the first 4 finishers ensured that the Gala women were the 9th placed team from 25, an excellent result considering the absence of Dianne Lauder from the line up.
Ten men sported the green and white Gala vests that were hard to spot amongst the 400 runners in the final race of the day, over 7.5 slippery and mud spattered miles. First home for the club was club captain Graeme Murdoch leading by example in 82nd place in 43.54, followed by Fergus Johnston (45.35), Martin Clarke (49.08), Alan Goodson (49.13), Gregor McAnemy (50.55), Malky Gowans (51.52), Graham Pogson (52,37), Robin Murray (52.44) and Derrick Brydon (53.00).
Front row, l to r: Hannah Jones, Martha Douglas, Lucy MorrisBack row, l to r: Charlotte Brown, Laura Anderson, Emily Jones
Karen Morris Says:
Hi,
I’d just like to point out that Lucy Morris is coached by Bruce Scott, it is rather sad that after all the work he has done with Lucy , he isn’t mentioned!! Lucy achieved silver and Martha Douglas 6th place in the Under 14 section of I.A.P.S cross country championships on Sunday 2nd March at John Muir Country Park.
rosi capper Says:
OK all - thanks for this and I can only report on what people tell me by the deadline for press releases - and I have to write them on Sunday night. On the new Harriers Information Sheet, posted on the website and now coming out with new membership cards and being distributed on club training nights, it asks you to let me know as soon as possible after a race as I can’t be telepathic. I’ll email both the Southern and Borders Telegraph to add the names and the excellent result for the girls at Lasswade and hope that it catches the deadline. I had a call last night from one of the participants giving me details who couldn’t have seen anyone else other than Kate Jenkins!
Karen - my apologies re Lucy and Martha but again, the same applies - if I don’t know I can’t include it. Does Bruce do race reports for his young athletes? - maybe we need to get an agreement here as I am simply a Gala Harrier, not a newspaper reporter. Perhaps using the comment box on the website on the same day as the race, rather than after the race report is posted would help to ensure I had as much detail as possible before I wrote it and would avoid this kind of omission.