Central AC ladies strengthen place at top of cross country league

Nov 25 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Wednesday

CENTRAL Senior Ladies further strengthened their League leading position last Sunday at the second match in the East District Cross Country League in Dunfermline.

They took top team points with Catriona Buchanan winning many plaudits for an outstanding run to win her first big Senior race.

Starting steadily, the young hill running specialist took the lead on the second lap to win in 22 minutes 51 seconds. Fiona Thompson found she could not sustain her early lead in the difficult conditions, but finished with a high quality fourth place in 23.33.

Hazel Dean was the next team counter in eighth place with 24.48, leading in Jennifer Emsley eleventh (25.04) and Ainsley Normand twelfth (25.11). Polly Harrison showed her return to form with 24th in 26.56, leading in Claire Houston (25th, 27.04), Fiona Kelsall (28th, 27.17), Jane Waterhouse (32nd, 27.32) and Katie Whitehouse (40th, 28.16).

The Under 17 Mens Race was held along with the Womens Race over the same 6 kilometres course and here we saw Tom Watson return to something close to his best in finishing fifth with 22.28 while Ross Milne, ninth (23.25) and Chris Clarke (14th, 24.25) both showed true grit to finish well.

The Senior Mens Team was led home by a top class performance from Ross Houston, who made light of the extreme muddy conditions to finish second, taking 29.15 to cover the 8.6 kilometre course.

Lewis Millar (fifth, 30.04), Alasdair Anthony (ninth, 30.45) and Murray MacLarty (tenth, 30.53) all produced excellent back up runs. Michael Wright(19th, 32.07) and David Lindsay (31st, 33.10) completed the scoring for Central’s ‘A’ Team as they finished second overall to a strong Hunters Bog Trotters challenge. Steve Laing looked rejuvenated as he came round in 54th, 35.12 while Alex Milne finished strongly in 82nd, 36.49.

Scott McDonald turned up late so his 83rd placing in 36.51 was no reflection of his true performance that saw him pass over 100 runners. Ian McDonald 85th, 36.51, Liam McCabe 91st, 37.26 and Phil Hendry 96th, 37.41 should all be pleased to finish in the top hundred. Further competitive runs were produced by Stuart Watson 108th, 38.34, Alan Gall 138th, 41.31, Cameron Campbell 147th, 42.20, Alex Murchie 172nd, 47.21, Jim Drummond 179th, 50.47 and John Dickson 182nd, 55.29.

In the Under 11 race Bevhan Trevis also found the muddy conditions difficult to take eleventh place with 8.27, with Helen Mitchell also working hard to battle the conditions for 18th in 9.16 over a 1.6 kilometre course.

The Central Under 13 Girls also extended their League lead after winning the match as a result of some strong running. Eilidh MacCorquodale showed further impressive form, winning for the first time at this level in 12.54.

Roisin Bonucchi stuck to her task well to make it home in seventh place in 13.49, with Shannon MacFarlane showing quality running for ninth place in 14.12. Tara Walls (16th, 15.09) and Isla Burns (18th, 15.16) finished a fine series of runs.

Central came through for second Team in the Under 13 Boys with Scott Balloch leading the challenge with a fine sixth place, taking 12.25 to cover the 3 kilometre course and Jack Kerr showing good form to finish eleventh with 12.50 while improved runs from Gary MacFarlane (14th, 13.11), Michael McCabe (16th, 13.36), Iain Davies (18th, 14.02), Tom Chandler (28th, 15.03) and Cameron Harris (29th, 15.18) all added to the Team effort.

In the combined Under 15 Girls and Under 17 Women’s race, Rosie Hastings was first home for Central in tenth place in the Under 17 stakes, with a time of 20.54. Amy Hendry stuck close to Rosie’s heels and provided a strong run in 21.03 for 28th girl home. Emily Greenan worked hard through the mud, to return in 35th place in 24.00.

Conor Kerr made light of the mud when coming home third in the Under 15 Boys Race taking 15min 58secs to cover the 4.2 kilometre course. Sam Fraser ran well in 15th place (17.50), just ahead of Josh Murchie (16th, 17.52) while Alex Coubrough (24th, 19.25) as the Boys came second in Team stakes.