Juniors Race Well at Scottish Trials

The final race of the Scottish Junior Hill Running League took place at Aberfoyle on Sunday 30th August and there were excellent runs by the four Moorfoots taking part. The U17 and U20 races doubled as the Scottish trial races for the Junior Home International due to be held in Betws-y-Coed on the same day and course as the World Mountain Running Championships on 19th September,

After her excellent PB on the track over 1500m at the Scottish Championships last weekend Mairi Wallace put in another really strong performance to come 3rd in the U17 girls race behind two of Scotland's top cross-country runners Laura Stark and Emily Nicholson. Emily had finished 4th in the GB U20 trials for the World  Championships the previous weekend, just missing out on a place in the GB U20 team. Mairi finished in 20mins 46secs for the 3.8km up and down course which had 225m of climb. On top of her bronze medal in the Scottish Championships back in May, Mairi has put herself right in contention for a spot in the Scotland U17 team for the Home International. Fingers crossed she gets the nod from the selectors for one of the four slots in the team which would be a fantastic achievement in her first year in the age group and with a 4th quarter birthday too.

Lucas Cheskin also had a great run for 4th to give the selectors something to think about for the U20 men's team. Lucas finished in 33.48 for his two lap course over 7km/375m. Gala's Thomas Otton was second in 31.56 and looks assured of his place in the team, with former Gala team-mate Gavin Bryson, now running for Edinburgh, just ahead of Lucas in third. Jacob Adkin's selection for the GB U20 team for the Worlds just might open the door for Lucas to gain selection for the Scotland team. Again, fingers crossed for Lucas along with toes, knees, eyes and anything else you can think of!

In the U15 league races which were also run over the same 3.8km course as the U17 girls, Beth Hobbs showed a return to form with her fourth place in 21.41 and Ethan Elder was 6th in a hot and closely contested boys' race in 19.43. Beth and Ethan are both still in that age-group next year.

Unofficially it looks like the two boys Lucas and Ethan both finished second in their respective leagues (best three races over the series) and the girls Mairi and Beth both finished third. Well done all.