galaharriers.com

Stirling University campus was the venue for the East District League on Saturday when teams from the east of Scotland met under perfect running conditions with no wind and bright skies as the perfect backdrop for the autumn colours. And the performances were just as sparkling for all the Gala Harriers teams that were competing in the age categories: Under 11,13,15,17 girls and boys, junior women and senior men and women. All individuals pulled together superbly to produce some very special team placings.

For the U11 girls, K. Hogg finished strongly in 14th place in 6 minutes 49 seconds, with A. Hogg and M. Smith also doing well, placing them in 12th and 40th positions in 6.06 and 7.15 respectively. Jo Arres ran a grand race to finish 13th in the U13 girls’ in 12.26, while N. Cox and Alex Freer-Rye enjoyed their runs to came in 14th and 34th in 11.08 and 12.07.

In the U15 boys’, Rowan Marr ran a superb race to come a well-deserved 3rd in 10.11, while newcomer Fraser Wardhaugh did exceptionally well to complete his race in 11.25, giving him 18th position.

Kerry Sandilands ran extremely strongly to finish in 6th position in 11.59 in the U15s, while teammates Lucy Henderson-Morris and Isla King in the U17s stormed through in 5th and 10th places in 11.57 and 12.44 respectively.

But it was the junior and senior women (running together) who brought home a magnificent 1st team place for the Gala club from the field of 65. Dianne Lauder (21.54) ran a superbly judged race to come home in 3rd position, with Georgia Nesbitt (22.34) in 6th place only beaten by 2 other junior women, both of whom are GB athletes. Ladies’ captain Rachel Fagan made up the trio with a super 15th place in 24.2, which gave the ladies’ team top ranking in the championships so far. Along with the other day’s results from the various age categories, Gala Harriers’ female teams notched up a fantastic 7th place out of 30 teams on the day.

Not to be outdone, the senior men fielded a strong turnout which eventually gave the club 9th position overall across all the age categories, with the senior men contributing to that with 13th place out of 32. Making up that team were: Graeme Murdoch (a fine 17th out of 201 runners in 30.32), Gregor McAneny (35.07) Paul Daly (36.08) Magnus Inglis (36.08) Billy McCulloch (36.23) Men’s captain Derrick Brydon (37.59) and Dave Nightingale (38.44).

Overall, a great day’s competition at the start of the cross country season, which bodes well for the remaining league races in the series.

Next outing for the Harriers is the National Cross Country Relays on Saturday 23 October at Cumbernauld, starting at 12.30.

Posted on Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 2:09 pm and is filed under General Information, Race Reports, Race Results.
Comments are currently closed.