ATHLETICS

CHAMPIONSHIPS KNOCKED OUT BY THE WEATHER

The severe weather conditions saw the Scottish Young Athletes Road Race Championships at Greenock and Dundee Hawkhill’s Sidlaw Hills Race cancelled.

The biggest casualty of the severe weather, however, was the Alloa Half Marathon which is regularly contested by more than 1,000 runners.

Conditions at Glenholm, south of Broughton, were not much more favourable for the Chapelgill Hill Race, the opening counting event in the Scottish Hill Runners championship.

A total of 130 runners battled against ice, snow and bone-chilling winds. Scott Fraser (Hunters Bog Trotters) headed the competitors, covering the 1.5 mile up and down course with its punishing steep ascent of 1,400ft in 20 mins 34 secs. Fraser had just five seconds to spare over runner-up Ross Gollan (Shettleston) in what is reckoned to be the steepest climb and descent in the Scottish hill running calendar.

With four runners in the top 10, Shettleston made a determined start in the team stakes seeking to dethrone 2017 champions Carnethy. Jill Stephen (HBT) made it a winning double for the Edinburgh club, placing 26th overall in 23 mins 19 secs, a sizeable 59 secs ahead of Stephanie Provan (Deeside R.) in 33rd. Evergreen Jocelyn Scott claimed the over-60 women’s prize, leading home Fife AC in the defence of their women’s veteran team title. Results: 1 S Fraser (Hunters Bog Trotters) 20.34, 2 R Gollan (Shettleston) 20.39, 3 A Anthony (Ochil HR) 1st veteran 20.55, 4 J Lennox (Shettleston) 2nd veteran 21.06, 5 J Waldie (HBT) 21.06, 6 J Espie (Deeside R.) 21.14, 7 H Battle (Metro Aberdeen) 21.23, 8 M Sullivan (Shettleston) 21.46, 9 R Stewart (Shettleston) 21.50, 10 J Yells (Lochaber AC) 22.00 … 12 S Whitlie (Carnethy HR) 1st over 50 22.14, 50 J Tullie (Teviotdale) 1st over 60 26.22, 113 M Evans (Westerlands) 1st over 70 35.51.

Women: 1 J Stephen (HBT) 23.19,

2 S Provan (Deeside R.) 24.18, 3 N Evans (Westerlands) 26.17, 4 C Ward (HBT) 1st veteran 26.45, 5 V Oldham (Cosmic HB) 1st over 50 26.53, 6 M Hetherington (Carnethy HR) 2nd over 50 29.51, 7 M Lye (Carnethy HR) 2nd veteran 29.53, 8 M Entwistle (Deeside R.) 3rd veteran 30.18, 9 F Kelsell (Ochil HR) 4th veteran 30.29. 10 V Leiper (Shettleston) 30.39 ... 12 D Burns (Lomond HR) 6th veteran 30.56, 19 J Scott (Fife AC) 1st over 60 34.58.

Dundee athlete Jamie Crowe (Lamar University, Texas) has been awarded the Men’s Outstanding Running Events Performer and Men’s Newcomer of the Year awards for the Southland Conference Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Crowe dominated the distance running events, taking gold medals in the 3,000m and 5,000m, helping to place Lamar to a fourth-place team finish in his first year with the team.

Tony Martin (Falkland Trail Runners) added the British Veteran over 65 cross-country title to his Scottish title at Forres.

Martin covered the hilly 6km course in 22 minutes 44 seconds.

Innes Bracegirdle claimed individual silver in the over 60 women’ s category, with Fife AC colleague Margaret Martin taking the bronze medal.