Stornoway Running and Athletics Club

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SRAC Gazette

Western Isles XC Championships 2004
Sponsored by Macgregor's Industrial Supplies

Photographs by Rod Huckbody and Gavin Earons

This year’s Macgregor’s Industrial Supplies Western Isles Cross Country Championships were held on Seilebost machair in Harris, It was a great success with over 170 competitors taking part in superb conditions with representation from most parts of the Western Isles.

The well-established North Uist AAC (who also had a team competing in the National sportshall athletics competition) made up the majority of the entry and there was also good numbers from Daliburgh and Stoneybridge making the short crossing to Harris.

Numbers from Harris were also encouraging on home turf, showing potential for development in athletics and the best representation out with Stornoway Running & Athletics Club from Lewis was “wee” Tolsta School who were aiming to build on the success they enjoyed during the Lewis and Harris inter series.

Tolsta’s impact was immediate in the first race of the day - they had two runners in the top four in both the girls and boys under 9 races. The course for the under 9s was a fairly simply one, flat and fast, which offered excellent spectating for the good crowd who had gathered to see their youngsters give their best.

First across the line in the mixed race was Campbell MacDonald of Tolsta to take the boys title six seconds ahead of North Uist Amateur Athletic Club's Fraser MacDonald in second with his team mate Graham Black just ahead of Dale Smith of Tolsta a further two seconds behind. The North Uist, Tolsta tussle continued in the girls race with both having two runners in the first five. Tolsta's Catriona MacKay came from behind to win the race, closely followed by Laxdale's Rebecca Munro. NUAAC's Helen Crawford ran Catriona’s twin Sarah into fourth place.

Perhaps SRAC and NUAAC should look to the training grounds and drills of “wee” Tolsta! Tolsta method seems to involve no training just lots of encouragement and TLC!

The biggest race of the day was the under 11 category which had twenty-six girls and twenty-seven boys taking part! Peter Johnson had good win ten and eleven seconds respectively ahead of Steven McPherson of Iochdar and Calum Robertson of Stornoway Primary. The girls top three were top quality runners with a good future in athletics should they choose to pursue the sport. All three girls times placed them in the top ten runners in the mixed race! In a tight contest Mairi Morrison NUAAC was first with a eight second lead from, Ailis Murray, Stornoway Pr second and Holy MacIver Sandwickhill third.

The under 13 and 15 age groups started together, the under 13’s running approximately 3k while the under 15’s ran 4500metres. Laura Johnson of NUAAC had a very impressive race to win the under 13 girls title a little over a minute ahead of Sandwickhill’s Jane MacIver who should have actually run in the under 11’s race! However Laura’s win stamped her continued dominance in cross country running in the Western Isles, who knows she may well have been inspired by her brother Peter’s win in the under 11 category!

If ever there was a face that showed determination to win it was Daliburgh’s Seamus Campbell who was determined that the rallying efforts of local boy Calum Smith being cheered on by the local crowd coming into the finish were not going to succeed! Seamus was Daliburgh’s most success runner of the day but look out for more South Uist success as work in athletics continues!

The under 15 race was competed by NUAAC and SRAC club runners who all know each other very well through years of competition in the islands’ and the mainland. SRAC’s Jim Keenan after a hard first lap pursuit by club mate Andrew “kegs” MacKenzie and Iain “Paco” MacDonald NUAAC pulled away to win the race, while MacDonald was out paced at the finish by MacKenzie. NUAAC athlete Seonnaid Caruthers won the girls title and her time was good enough to place eight overall in the mixed race.

The final race of the day was the under 17 and seniors. The U17’s ran a 4k (girls), 6k (boys and senior ladies), the men doing 8k. Ross Munro and Murdo Alex MacKenzie took up the early pace but they paid the price for too quick of a start and were not able to sustain the pace. Into the second lap Alasdair Dunlop took control of the race and increased his lead throughout. The situation was similar in the Ladies race as early race leader Uist’s Fiona Campbell was tracked by SRAC’s Adrienne Stewart who overtook half way into the second lap and went on to win with a good margin. In the under 17 girls race Morina MacDougal took first ahead of NUAAC club runner Sarah Johnson.

In what was a great day’s racing the thirty-three first, second, third placings were shared throughout the Western Isles. The more established clubs of SRAC and NUAAC won 16 and 13 medals respectively while the developing South Uist and Harris took two a piece. Next years race venue is North Uist, which will hopefully tempt runners from Barra and Vatersay to take part in the event.

SRAC would like to thank Macgregor’s Industrial Supplies for their support, all those representing Harris as hosts for all their efforts, the folk who contributed to such an excellent spread of food (especially the bakers), Rhoda at Seilebost School (hope you’ve warmed up) and the club members who played a part in putting on the event that was enjoyed by all attending.