GIFFNOCK NORTH made a splash at a wet and wonderful West XC Champs in Erskine last Saturday, claiming six junior age-group team titles and two team silvers to go with the individual honours of two golds, two silvers and three bronze medals.
Not to big anyone up too much, but the U20 Men did sweep their podium, the medals and the team title, as Oliver Macdonald (not long home from college in Tennessee) defended his crown, backed up by storming runs from Glen Griffiths and Alasdair Maclean in second and third respectively over 6.4 rolling, twisting kilometres. With a Strathclyde Uni rival for company for much of the race, the trio decided that “four runners into three medals doesn’t go” (quote courtesy G Griffiths), jettisoned the interloper and fought to the finish themselves. Great stuff.
At day’s start, our resolute U13 Girls were first race away on a dreich morning, tackling 3.2k of slick and sticky parkland, and while they didn’t land a medal this time, they had Iris Jackson in tenth for auto selection for the West team at the Inter Districts in January. The team were edged – by one point – from bronze by Law. Full muddy marks to Abbie Gallagher, Lila Brogan, Rebecca Adams, Sienna Baudet, Sofia Edwards, Amelia Gallagher, Emma Wilkinson and Kate Johnstone.
The U13 Boys fared better, as Chris Cameron as ever gave everything for the cause and third place, leading Ben McKerracher (tenth) and James Gemmell to the team title. In close order was Andrew Church, followed home in the biggest junior field of the day – 57 finishers – by Euan Moir, Andrew Mitchell, Dominic Fitzpatrick, Jordi Francisco-Suraez, George Gilbert and Cain Martin.
Eve Cameron nailed a well earned second in the U15 Girls’ 4.2k, and with Emma Nicholson in fourth and Lucy Tonner 11th, another team gold was in the bag. Chloe Simpson ran strongly for 14th, well supported by Mia Tomb, Anna Hill, Lottie Martin, Ella Buckley, Freya Mearns, Neave Johnstone and Isla Mostyn.
Donald McInness struck individual gold in his U15 Boys event, holding off Ayr Seaforth’s Riley Fulton by two seconds on the uphill finish. Kian Dick raced home fourth and Evan Tyler fifth to wrap up their team crown, backed up admirably by Pat McGovern, Elias Wright and Harry Tosh.
Next to hit the gold standard were the U17 Girls, packing four into the top dozen for the District team crown. Holly Simpson (third) and Isabella Wilson (fourth) literally ran themselves into the ground for their places at the end of their 5.7k, with Nicole Yates and Amy Gallagher racing strongly for eighth and 11th respectively. Isabella’s dash to the line was enlivened by it being shoulder to muddy shoulder with her cousin Eilidh, of Garscube Harriers. The people you meet on a day out in the countryside.
The U17 Boys race delivered a tactical show, as a seven-strong group warily held together for more than half the race, before Giffnock’s Louie Muir took the bull by the horns and surged to break it all up. Louie’s gambit looked destined for glorious reward, but the class act that is Daibhidh Kinnaird of Cambuslang hung in there and finally clawed our man back for the gold. Louie’s silver, Calum Dick’s fourth (to go with his brother’s earlier identical placing) and Aaron Reid’s sixth were more than enough to clinch the team gold, ably backed by Matthew Hill’s solid 13th and strong efforts from Cameron Nugent and Ruaridh Mostyn for good measure.
Silver was the colour for our U20 Women’s trio Isla Munro (fifth), Ella Youngs (7th) and Rachael Hill (8th), beaten only by a Glasgow University outfit that included former GN junior Tuscany Wright, who finished individual third.
In conquering 8.6k of evermore churned-up mud’n’turf, Emma Creasey was first home for Giffnock’s sixth-placing Senior Women’s squad, comprising Allie Chong, Catriona Bark, Mary McCutcheon, Hilary Carswell, Carolyn Datta, Gillian Gallagher, Eva Chong and Doreen Henderson. Well played, ladies, with extra loud applause for Masters Category Team silver medalists Allie (third Masters individual), Catriona and Mary.
Just to plough the course even deeper, the Senior Men’s event had 215 finishers, among them our very own Ali Stables (21st), Harvey Mitchell-Divers, Conor Drummond and Rob Crusher. No complete team, then, but complete respect for the chaps flying the amber-and-azure flag over such a tough old track …setting out just as the rain came on!
Well done everyone who competed and made the day another special one for the club, if not your washing machines. Thanks to the organisers, course setters (who must have had webbed feet), officials, time-keepers, fans, mums, dads and the tent wranglers. All that remains is to discover how many of our lads and lassies gain selection for the West Inter-District teams. Good luck all, you’ve earned it.
Photos of Giffnock North AC athletes from the day can be found in the GN Junior Endurance Facebook page.
Further photos can be found on Scottish Athletics Facebook page.
Thank you Croy Thomson for the excellent write up and Allan Cameron for the cracking photos.