IT WAS a hugely impressive turnout at the first event of the Borders Cross Country series, which started in Lauder on November 7.
The cross country series, which had to pause last year due to Covid, is back with a vengeance, with the event full within days of going live on the registration portal.
With an ethos of inclusion and support, the event began 30 years ago, to give runners of all ages and abilities the opportunity to compete in cross country races in a friendly environment.
And cross country it is – with mud, steep hills, stiles and burns to cross, anyone looking for true cross country will not be disappointed.
Lauder is just the start, with a total of eight races in the series – one at each of the organising clubs.
The eight clubs are Chirnside, Dunbar, Gala Harriers, Lauder Limpers, Moorfoot, Norham RC, Teviotdale Harriers and Tweed Striders.
East Lothian had excellent representation across all of the juniors and seniors sections at Lauder, with more than 50 athletes from the county running from local clubs Dunbar, Haddington, Musselburgh, as well as Team East Lothian.
In the Juniors race, it was a fantastic first place overall for Team East Lothian (TEL), with Aidan Page leading from the start.
Cerys Wright, also from TEL, ran a strong race to finish as second overall girl, and first in the age 10-11 females category.
Other high individual places for female East Lothian runners were first place for Rachel Stevens (TEL), and second for Ella Nicholson (TEL), in the age 14-15 females race.
Tessa Russell, from Dunbar, had a great race to finish second in the age 8-9 females race.
In the age 12-13 males group, friendly rivals, Fraser Lupton and Charlie Copp, both from TEL, pushed each other on, running stride for stride to finish strongly in second and third place.
In the age 14–15 males category, the winner was Aidan Page (TEL), with Jim Henry, from Musselburgh, in third place.
In the age 8-9 category, Gregor Wright, from Haddington, ran his first cross country race and finished in superb second place. Adam Connolly from Dunbar was third.
In the seniors race, it was another win for East Lothian, with Rowena Halliday, from Dunbar, dominating the challenging 4k route, and crossing the line as first female, 15 seconds clear from the field.
Rhona Anderson, also from Dunbar, had a strong run to finish third in the female 50+ category, and it was great running from Flora Henry (TEL) to finish as first junior female.
In the junior male race, Angus Wright (TEL) tackled the course well to finish in second and Angus Chandler (TEL) was fourth.
As far as team positions go, in the Juniors, Team East Lothian are in first place for both the girls' and the boys' races.
In the seniors, after race one at Lauder, Dunbar RC are the top East Lothian club in the female and male category in fifth and seventh place respectively.
Race two in the Borders XC series is at Spittal Beach , just outside Berwick, on November 28, with host club Tweed Striders.
RESULTS:
M10-11 Male: 4 Alfie Pugh, Haddington Running Club, 14:25; 8 Matthew Connolly, Team East Lothian AC, 15:37; 20 Isaac Hobbins, Haddington East Lothian Pacemakers, 18:34; 21 Olly Hack, Dunbar Running Club, 18:36.
M12-13 Male: 2 Fraser Lupton, Team East Lothian AC, 12:36; 3 Charlie Copp, Team East Lothian AC, 12:37; 10 Ben Krievs, Team East Lothian AC, 14:31; 12 Thomas Gornall, Team East Lothian AC, 14:33; 14 Ted Boyack, Musselburgh, 15:21; 15 David Morton, Musselburgh, 15:48; 16 Finlay Bruce, Musselburgh, 15:50.
M14-15 Male: 1 Aidan Page, Team East Lothian AC, 11:34; 3 Jim Henry, Musselburgh, 12:02; 11 Isaac Stevenson, Team East Lothian AC, 14:15; 13 Todd Mcintosh, Musselburgh, 15:07; 14 Ross Mcintosh, Musselburgh, 15:38; 15 Oscar Hilliam-Cook, Musselburgh, 16:25; 17 Alexander Sheldrick, Dunbar Running Club, 18:32.
M8-9 Male: 2 Gregor Wright, Haddington Running Club, 16:55; 3 Adam Connolly, Dunbar Running Club, 17:11.
F10-11 Female: 1 Cerys Wright, Team East Lothian AC, 13:21; 3 Morven Kenny, Haddington Running Club, 15:53; 5 Sula Russell, Team East Lothian AC, 16:11; 6 Imogen Turner, Musselburgh, 16:48; 8 Florence Bailey, Haddington East Lothian Pacemakers, 17:14; 9 Rosalyn Weddell, Haddington Running Club, 17:45; 13 Robyn Lupton, Haddington Running Club, 18:46; 14 Robyn Carter, Haddington East Lothian Pacemakers, 18:48; 15 Aifric Fisher, Haddington Running Club, 19:06; 17 Isla Osborne, Haddington East Lothian Pacemakers, 19:30.
F12-13 Female: 8 Lois Thomson, Team East Lothian AC, 15:06.
F14-15 Female: 1 Rachel Stevens, Team East Lothian AC; 2 Ella Nicholson, Team East Lothian AC; 4 Jessica Bullen, Team East Lothian AC; 5 Cristina Elliot, Team East Lothian.
F8-9 Female: 2 Tessa Russell, Dunbar Running Club, 16:11; 5 Branna Kenny, Haddington Running Club, 16:53.
Senior males: 4 Angus Wright, Team East Lothian AC; 17 Brian Marshall, Haddington Running Club; 23 David Woods, Dunbar Running Club; 29 Craig O'Donnell, Dunbar Running Club; 30 Robert Turner, Musselburgh; 35 Robert Henry, Musselburgh; 44 Caspian Richards, Dunbar Running Club; 56 Paul Slifer, Musselburgh; 59 Michael Foy, Haddington Running Club; 60 Craig Goldie, Dunbar Running Club; 63 Matthew Wanless, Dunbar Running Club; 75 Robin Watson, Dunbar Running Club; 81 Mark Keast, Musselburgh; 87 Benjamin Napier, Dunbar Running Club; 88 Angus Chandler, Team East Lothian AC; 94 Ross Beveridge, Haddington Running Club; 98 Andrew Anderson, Dunbar Running Club; 100 Norrie Mckinley, Haddington Running Club; 114 Brian Davidson, Dunbar Running Club; 161 Neil Jones, Haddington Running Club; 163 John Good, Haddington Running Club; 169 Jamie Wilson, Haddington Running Club.
Seniors female: 1 Rowena Halliday, Dunbar Running Club; 14 Flora Henry, Team East Lothian AC; 23 Rhona Anderson, Dunbar Running Club; 31 Suzanne Beattie, Musselburgh; 35 Sarah Archer, Dunbar Running Club; 86 Marjorie Kelly, Dunbar Running Club; 90 Tara Broadfoot, Dunbar Running Club; 94 Anne Hay, Dunbar Running Club; 99 Agnes Mcknight, Haddington Running Club.
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