Wallis in bid to defend title in full field

Sally Wallis bids to defend the women’s title in tomorrow’s Kinord 10km at Dinnet which has attracted a capacity field of 150 runners.

The Deeside club member showed good form earlier in the month to win the Bennachie hill race and will be keen to match that performance.

Her opponents include JS Kintore’s Julie Hoyle, who won the Huntly Room to Run 5km in August and was fourth in last Sunday’s Aviemore 10km.

Sara Henry (Deeside Runners), who has finished third for the past two years and was second in 2016, is also competing.

Stuart Pringle, who was third last year, is among the favourites for the men’s although he faces competition from his Deeside clubmates Steven Watters, who was third in the Aviemore 10km, and Jamie Ross who set a PB in the River Ness 10km earlier in the month.

Aberdeen AAC’s Anne Howie will be joined by Alex Sutherland (Inverness Harriers) and Anne Docherty (Forres Harriers) in the Scotland squad for the home countries masters international cross country match at Southport next month.

Howie will run in the 55-59 women’s age group race while Docherty is in the 70-74 competition and Sutherland goes in the men’s over-75 run.

Aberdeen-born Jill Smylie (Giffnock North) will run in the 35-39 age group.

Olympic Games 5,000m runner Andy Butchart (Central AC) is rumoured to be taking part in the opening East District cross country league meeting of the season at Stirling tomorrow.

Aberdeen AAC go into the match as last season’s overall champions in the men’s and boys’ leagues.