STRONG SHOW FROM JUNIORS AT LASSWADE OPEN XC

The annual Lasswade Open Cross-Country races were held in perfect autumnal conditions on Sunday at Gore Glen in Gorebridge and there was the now traditional strong showing from the junior section of Moorfoot Runners against some of the top clubs in the central belt.

Holly Hobbs was the sole representative in the Under-11 girls’ race over 1 mile but the club’s red and blue colours were prominent throughout as she turned in another excellent performance for 4^th place in a field of forty six, her time of 6.33 being just two seconds off the podium places.

Five Moorfoots took to the start line for the boys’ equivalent alongside more than fifty others, and good packing brought its reward with team bronze, two points ahead of the host club Lasswade, but only after a steward’s enquiry had shown the initial results to have missed Moorfoot’s third counter Ben Allan. Ben was having his first race for the club and showed great promise with 19^th place  in a time of 6.29 just behind the “old hands” Angus Carlyle (14^th in 6.21) and Jake Lockyer (18^th in 6.25). Another newcomer, Danny Lancaster wasn’t far behind them in 22^nd (6.36) with young Cameron Carlyle just outside the top half in 35^th (7.02). Danny and Cameron are both still in this age-group for next season which augurs well.

Further team medals came Moorfoot’s way in the Under-13 two-mile races. Five girls ran, with all three team counters being first-year in the age-group. Emily Carrick-Anderson was prominent throughout and came home in 13.43 for 10^th, Esme Minto paced herself well for 11^th in 14.03, and the improving Christina McGorum finished strongly for 13^th in 14.08. That gave the girls 34 points in the team race, equal with Giffnock North who initially were awarded team bronze, however the countback rules in the event of a tie had not been properly applied and after another appeal to the referee the placings were reversed. Megan Hobbs had a solid run for 19^th in 14.26 and Madeline Collins was a bit off her best in 27^th.

Esme, Megan, Madeline, Christina  and Emily debrief their race with a helping hand from Holly

The Under-13 boys went one better than the girls with team silver, only four points behind the hosts Lasswade, courtesy of a well paced run by James Clare in 11^th (13.23), Patrick Cannon in 13^th (13.34) and the strong-finishing Alex Sellar who was 15^th (13.52) in his first race for the club.

U15 Girls Charlotte M, Eilidh, Charlotte C, Beth

And things continued to improve, this time with team gold for the Moorfoot Under-15 girls who also raced over two miles. Up against a quality field led by impressive recent Scottish Schools Road Race champion Cera Gemmell, Charlotte Clare was only just run out of the individual medals finishing an excellent 4^th in 12.35, Beth Hobbs was 8^th in 13.07 and Eilidh Mooney continued her improved form for 15^th in 13.48. Combined, that gave the girls a six point winning margin over Airdrie Harriers. Charlotte Morrison in 20^th place in 14.10 would also have been a good enough third counter to secure the team victory.

Whilst that was the end of the team efforts for the day, there were still individual medals up for grabs. Craig Angus, with possibly his best effort yet in a Moorfoot vest, continued the run of "fourthitis" finishing just outside the medals in the Under-15 Boys 3-miler in 18.49. Ethan Elder was feeling his way back into racing after a spell on the sidelines with illness and trotted home in 11^th. But there was an individual silver for Mairi Wallace in the combined Under-20/Under-17 Women’s race, splitting the Lasswade duo of Lauren Dickson and Sarah Tait with a fine sustained run and finishing clear second in 19.35. Fiona Grant had a decent run for 13^th in 22.00.

And the final medal of the day was for Kobe Stevens in the gruelling men’s 6-mile race, a bit of a stretch for his 800m legs, but his 37 minutes 22 seconds of effort was rewarded with silver in the Under-20 category.