Stornoway Running and Athletics Club

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SRAC Gazette

Western Isles Cross Country Championships March 1 2003

Competitors from throughout Harris and Lewis were joined by a very good group of athletes from the Uist’s to contest this year’s N.D. MacLeod’s Western Isles Cross Country Championships in the Lews Castle Grounds on Saturday.

Weather conditions were once again very favourable making it an enjoyable day for both runners and spectators and the course was in good shape for fast running. The first race of the day saw the under 13’s and under 15’s set off together with the under 13’s running a distance of 3000metres and the under 15’s completing 4500metres. In both races there were outstanding individual performances and in particular from Laura Johnson of North Uist in the girl’s under 13 race and Jim Keenan in the boy’s under 15 race.

Eilidh MacKenzie continued in her recent fine form by winning the girl’s under 15 race while first, second and third in the boys under 13 race were separated by only 29 seconds. Iain F MacDonald of Uist ran out eventual winner ahead of teammate Steven Morrison with Calum Smith of Harris preventing a Uist clean sweep in third place.

Race two was all about the raw enthusiasm of the under 9’s category and honours were again split even between the Isles. Both boys and girls races were close encounters as Peter Johnson of Uist edged out Stornoway’s Calum Robertson and Ailis Murray held off Sandwickhill’s Holly MacIver to winthe girls race.

Race three was the biggest entry of the day and there were wins for Olan Spiers of Uist ahead of Kieran Mulhearn of Harris and Ruairidh Stewart of Stornoway. In the girl’s race there was a clean sweep for Lewis as Sandwickhill’s Jane MacIver led the Laxdale pair of Kirsty Munro and Ruth Walker home.

Race four included all other age groups and for the few who stayed to watch saw an excellent piece of front running by Alasdair Dunlop of SRAC as well as brave running efforts by some not so blessed in the leg speed department.

Stornoway Running & Athletics Club would like to thank the event sponsors N.D MacLeod Electrical, Stornoway for supporting the event, the Stornoway Trust for permission to use the grounds of Lews Castle and all the club members and helpers on the day as well as the parents that came long to support the kids racing. Also the Bridge Centre where the prize giving took place.

Next Club Race: 5K Thursday 6 March at 6pm meet at Springfield road changing area. £2 to run, your final chance to sharpen up for the Inverness and Lisbon Half Marathons!

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