Central AC dominant at the national relays
Winning performance by seniors as juniors also impress
Central AC’s men’s team continued to collect silverware at the National Cross Country Relay Championships, winning for the sixth time in seven years.
Following their district relay win recently, Central were among the favourites over the tough course at Cumbernauld but an even more dominant performance set the scene for another strong season by the senior men.
The seniors were also joined on the podium by the junior boys taking silver medals at the event for the first time in 11 years.
In the senior men’s race, Matthew Sutherland opened with 12mins 10secs over the 4000m course to see his team into eighth position. He handed over to Cameron Milne, who had made the trip from his work base in the Netherlands to support the team and produced an excellent effort of 11.51 to pull them into the lead.
It was a position they would not relinquish. Scott Green ran 11.45 to Picture by Bobby Gavin extend the lead and Alastair Hay’s 11.38 on the final leg was the icing on the cake as Central beat Kilbarchan AAC by 46 seconds.
The junior boys team of U13 Connor Bell followed by brothers U15 Cameron MacMillan and U17 Ben MacMillan each tackled 2500m legs. Connor’s 9.02 put them in contention before the MacMillan brothers took then to silver medals – Cameron running 8.42 and Ben 7.59 to finish 17 seconds behind Giffnock North.
The ladies A team finished fourth behind Edinburgh University, Victoria Park and Giffnock North. Jennifer Wetton had a 14.27 opener over the same course, Lauren McCulloch ran 15.06 and Rebecca Craig 15.11. Despite 13.01 from in–form Morag Millar, they just missed a medal.
Other results: Central B ladies 17th – Abby Rowley (15.35), Catriona Buchanan (14.29), Kim Timmins (15.43) and Becky Hay (17.33); Central C ladies – Kirsten Samara (17.17), Heather Scott (17.57) and Mary Kerr (21.39), only three runners.
Central junior females A team 24th – U13 Melissa Turnbull (10.24). U15 Summer McLean (10.42) and Rosie Eckersley (10.03); B team 27th – Carys Gibb (10.34), Naomi Howlieson (10.58) and Carrie Banks (10.00); C team 34th – Catriona Kane (10.51), U13 Mirren Henry (10.58) and Kyra Gibb (10.12); D team 54th – Brogan McMillan (11.27), Mary Kealey (11.11) and Elizabeth Thompson (11.02) and an incomplete team made up of Allie Buchanan (11.58) and Megan Dunlop (13.10) also ran.
Central junior males B team 23rd – Joshua Kennedy (9.59), Finlay Muir (9.22) and Lewis Dow (8.43); C team 48th – Tom Campbell (10.30), Cameron Kerr (9.03) and Daniel Bruce (9.42); D team 82nd – Owen Eckersley 10.47, U15 Jack Campbell (10.42) and U15 Euan Docherty (10.13); E team 85th – Ruaridh Burns (10.07), Ross Lawrie (11.14) and Cameron Fraser (10.38).
The large turnout of Central’s Boys was completed by two incomplete teams of Dylan McCulloch (12.04) and Ethan Thomson (10.07) and two U13s Alex Dunlop (11.19) and Angus Kennedy (13.21).
Senior men’s B team 7th – Murray MacLarty (12.28), Lewis Millar (12.21), Conan McCaughey (12.14) and Michael Wright (12.22); C team 17th – Jack Kerr (12.33), Tom Graham–Marr (13.15), Dale Colley (12.21) and Sandy Holl (12.46); D team 84th – Telfer Gray (13.17), David Lindsay (14.11), Ben Noad (16.18) and Jens Subke (17.53); Masters team 73rd – Iain Dunsmore (15.39), Scott Brember (12.57), Donald Shaw (14.56) and Colin Alexander (15.55).
Special mention should be made of an Over 50 team comprising Cameron Campbell, Allan Gall and John Millar who do not appear on the provisional results but, as always, showed the younger athletes a great overall attitude as did a solo run of 17.19 by Raymond Milne.