Stornoway Running and Athletics Club
Mixed Fortunes for SRAC
SRAC travelled to the mainland in good numbers to contest the District cross-country relays and the representation running for SARC from throughout the “Long Island” was all-inclusive. Young athletes from Ness and Harris as well as the town and its surrounding areas were represented. In total five full youth teams, (plus one incomplete) and a senior team ran against the likes of Caithness, Forres, Inverness and Moray over a flat course on a changing grass and gravel surface at the back of Bught Park.
The first race of the day was the girls youth race and SRAC’s three teams were lead off by Kristina MacKenzie, Rebecca Munro and Allison MacInnes. On the first (Rebecca Munro) leg, the mainland clubs, who’ve all ready competed in the first League match, caught the SRAC trio out with a very fast start led by the outstanding Emma Dunnet of Caithness. However at about 500m Rebecca Munro pulled herself up with the chasing pack and began to work on putting SRAC’s strongest girls team into the race for the medals. At the change over Holly MacIver took up the running in fifth place behind three Caithness teams and Inverness but took the team into third place when handing over in the final leg to sister Jane! A solid run from Ceit Stewart in the same leg moved the second SRAC team form 12th place into 8th.
Caithness looked firm favourites to defend the title they’d won in Ullapool the previous year, as they were 1minute 13 and 1 minute 14 clear of Inverness and Stornoway respectively. But the crowd were amazed that not only had Inverness and Stornoway run into contention in the final stages of the third leg, But Moray who were 2minutes 18 adrift in sixth place at the hand over were first to show in the home straight! Junior Scottish champion Gemma Cormack posted the fastest leg of the day clocking 8minutes 12 to seal an amazing victory for Moray. The race places from first to fourth was very tight with only four seconds separating the teams, Caithness held on for second but a brave and determined sprint to overtake Inverness by Jane MacIver failed to see SRAC win bronze! SRAC and Inverness were given the same time as Inverness but unfortunately Inverness were adjudged third in the closest of decisions.
The girls performance could hardly be faulted in a very close race and SARC other teams can be content with consistent performances from Ceit, Kirsty and Kristina and good debut’s for Allison, Ceitlin and Eilidh.
The boy’s teams although slightly weakened due to illness and unavailability were still well prepared and ready to race, as demonstrated by Campbell MacDonald when recording the fastest under 13 run of the day! Campbell led the team into first place at the change over. Calum Lawson then took control and ran the 2.5k lap in a time of 8 minutes 46 and took SRAC into the final leg three seconds behind the leaders. On the final leg Robbie Gregg came under heavy pressure form Moray in third and was unable to follow the pace of Caithness. At the line Robbie was out sprinted by Moray’s Robbie Cammack by two seconds but was still delighted to pick up a bronze for Stornoway! Gregg and the under 17 team will look forward to the longer distance run in the individual Championships November 24th in Elgin.
The final race of the day turned out to be “what could have been” for SRAC. Recent student exports Murdo Alex MacKenzie and Keggs MacKenzie were really up for a race and ran the first two legs for the club. Murdo Alex took off from the gun and eased his way into the lead in the first 400m. (Could he have been inspired by fellow sporting travellers Stornoway Rugby Club as he ran round the pitch they played Craig Dunain on which was within the route of the days racing? What ever, it was great to see Stornoway been represented at two sports in the same park, both are also heavily interested and involved in the late Saturday sailing debate, are you?) At the hand over Murdo led by five second and Keggs ever eager to put in a gritty performance for SRAC set off to try and hold the led. Keggs on his second outing of the season on the country ran well and came through in second, but could the old rearguard hold onto the medals. In short , no! But Gordon MacDonald and Bom MacKay beasted themselves and did well enough to take SRAC into fifth place. Hopefully there will be a bigger senior representation at the District Championships in November.
A Tupper
RESULTS;
Girls Youths
1st Moray – 29mins 29, 2nd Caithness – 29.12, 3rd Inverness – 29.13, 4th SRAC – 29.13.
SRAC “B” Rebecca Munro 10.23, Holly MacIver 9.31, Jane MacIver 9.19, 29.13
SRAC “C” Allison MacInnes 11.16, Ceit Stewart 10.01, Kirsty Munro 10.09, 31.26
SRAC “A” Kristina Mackenzie 11.53, Eilidh MacIver 10.31, Ceitlin Smith 12.02, 34.26
Boys Youths
1st Caithness – 25.33, 2nd Moray – 26.26, 3rd SRAC “A” 26.28
SRAC “A” Campbell MacDonald 9.04, Calum Lawson 8.46, Robbie Gregg 8.39, 26.28
SRAC “B” Mikey Paton 9.22, Sean Macleod9.04, Robert Smith 9.15, 27.41 (4th)
SRAC “C” Micheil Smith 10.27, Josh Sinclair 8.49, CMcD 11.15, 30.31