Podium placings for cross country runners
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GOLD, silver and bronze medals were won by runners of the East Sutherland Athletics Club when it hosted the recent North District Cross Country Relay Championships at Edderton.
Thanks to the generosity of landowner Donald Clarke, the club was able to design a course that was both scenic and challenging to athletes of all ages.
This event attracted strong teams from Stornoway, Inverness, Moray, Forres and Ross County and, with each team of three comprising of one under-13, one under-15 and one under-17 runner, podium places are notoriously difficult to achieve.
In the race for junior girls, Alyth Gollan (under-13) ran a superb first leg for ESAC before handing over to Catriona Scott (under-15) who produced an excellent second lap to put her team in the lead with one lap to go. Constance Nankivell (under-17) completed the final lap in style to extend the lead to over a minute and claim a brilliant team gold.
Constance has a remarkable record in this event having been a member of a medal-winning team in six consecutive North District Cross Country Relay Championships.
Kenneth Patience (under-13) got ESAC off to a great start in the junior boys’ race.
Struan Oliver-Jones (under-15) showed tremendous determination on lap two in order to maintain contact with the leaders. Fraser Roach (under-17) ran an outstanding final leg, the second fastest of the day, to take team silver.
Sophie Bath, Rachel Ross and Sam Bryan took part as individuals in the junior relay championships and all produced first class times.
Ross Bannerman took the first leg in the Senior Men’s race and judged the pace perfectly.
Blair Mackay continued the good work on the second lap before handing over to Ruairidh Gollan who recorded an excellent time for lap three.
Ross Gollan showed real class on the final lap as he guided his team to a well deserved team bronze.
Audrey Scott, Simon Bath and David Bryan raced as individuals and all performed well in a very competitive senior championship.
