On Saturday 23rd November Scottish Athletics held their annual awards night at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow. With guest speaker Paula Radcliffe and Scottish Running A listers including Calum Hawkins attending the evening it was a certainly a night that one certain Teviotdale Harrier will never forget.
It was the second year in a row that this individual was nominated for the coveted Master of the Year award, unfortunately missing out last year.
However good things come to those who wait( along with a lot of hard work) and it with delight we can announce Alastair ‘Sammy’ Walker as Scottish Athletics Master of the Year 2019 .
A massive well done to Sammy on this superb achievement, you have done the club proud!
We may be a small club, but we have huge hearts and a body full of determination … “Get in there Sammy boy!”
Sun shines on the Harriers’ first cross-country races of the season. Writes Greg Walker
Teviotdale Harriers enjoyed a bright and sunny November afternoon for the annual Jubliee cross-country races held on Saturday at Hawick Mair. The event
attracted 45 runners, across 5 age categories, in 4 races covering distances from 1.6 to 3.5 miles. While the conditions overhead were fine and dry, the underfoot conditions in contrast were muddy and wet, with the heavy going making the courses particularly
testing.
The first race of the day was for under 11 and under 13 boys and girls. In the boys’ race, the early pace was set by Parker Johnstone who quickly took
the lead and at the halfway point he was still in front and going well. As runners re-entered the racecourse the handicap began to unwind and the fast finishing Craig Watson hit the front, Craig managed to extend his lead in the closing stages to win in a
time of 15:24 and lift the Pringle Cup. Parker Johnstone managed to hold on for second place with an excellent run. Alfie Walker came from towards the back of the handicap to take third, ahead of backmarker Irvine Welsh in fourth who recorded the fastest actual
time. Five girls were also amongst the field and leading the way in the early stages was Alyx Armstrong in only her second Harrier’s race. Alyx chased Parker in determined fashion at the front of the race and managed to open up a commanding lead on the other
four girls. Alyx maintained her lead as the field turned for home and she stayed on strongly to cross the line 40 seconds clear of her nearest rival and claim the Archie Richardson Memorial Trophy. Emily McLeod finished in the silver medal position and recorded
the fastest actual time, Emily was followed home, in third, by her sister Sarah who continues to improve after recently competing in national events.
Greg Watson 1st boy
Alyx 1st girl & Parker 2nd Boy
Alfie Walker 3rd Boy
Emily Mcleod 2nd girl
Sarah Mcleod 3rd girl
Next on track were the under 15 and 17 boys competing for the Lodge 424 Trophy alongside the under 15 and 17 girls and senior ladies who were racing for
the Ladies Jubilee Trophy. This was an interesting race as runners tackled the new longer course which included some severe climbs. As the race began to unfold it was clear that women’s captain Caroline Jack was going to take some beating as she began to build
a lead at the front of the ladies race. In the boys race Sam Allot was setting his stall out by going hard from the gun. As the race progressed Sam began to pay for his quick start and was being reeled in by Callum Renwick who was running well from the second
back mark and in the ladies race Caroline was similarly seeing her lead dwindle as Iona Jamieson began to close in. Caroline found the strength to hold on to claim the ladies Jubilee Trophy in a time of 35:16, followed home by Iona in 35:31, recording the
fastest actual time. In bronze position was Maisie Ballantyne. In the boys race, Callum Renwick would not be denied as he managed to pip Sam Allot to the line, winning the race by a narrow margin of 8 seconds and recording the fastest time, in third place
was Robert Wood.
Robert Wood 3rd under 17/15 boy
Maisie Ballantyne 3rd Women/under 17 girl
Sam 2nd , Callum 1stunder 17/15 boy
Iona Jamieson 2nd Women/under 17 girl
Caroline Jack (No. 74) 1st Women/under 17 girl
The final event of the day was the senior men’s race for the Jubliee Trophy. 16 runners lined up in a handicap which spanned 14 minutes from the front
man to the back marker. Front marker Francis Cannon set off with real purpose hoping to relive the success of his Mair Cup win earlier in the year and back marker Rory Anderson, who is currently in great form, looked really impressive in the early stages.
However, it was a man in the middle of the pack, Andrew Gibson, who appeared the likely winner as runners returned to St Leonard’s Park with 2 miles to go. And so it proved, as Gibson forged his way to the front in the final mile, eventually returning a comfortable
winner in a time of 34:36. The good Doctor, Paul Lockie stayed on strongly to hold on to second place and Rory Anderson dragged himself from the back mark into third place, defying his handicap and recording the fastest time of the day by some margin.
Andrew Gibson 1st Man
Paul Lockie 2nd Man
Rory Anderson 3rd Man
Almost 60 club members, friends and family reconvened later at the Evergreen Hall for annual Jubilee quiz, excellently hosted by quiz master Bruce Hughes. The event was again a huge success and tested the knowledge of Harriers young and old. The winning team were Magpyes skippered by Harriers stalwart Pye Reid and included Andrew Gibson and Craig Watson completing their second victories of the day, Kirsty Hughes and Maisie Ballantyne made up the winning side.
Teviotdale Harriers made the journey to Livingston on
Saturday to compete in first of two Cross Country Relays in the month of
October and what day the club had. They conditions under foot and the sun in
the sky meant for a great day of competitive, but hugely enjoyable running.
The Harriers youngters … snap happy!
Sarah Macleod, Zak Stewart and Glenn put on the club vest
for the first time as they made their debut in the East District Relays, with
the club ‘elders’ over the moon with the efforts they put in representing the
club at the highest of levels. Before the race the excitement and nerves were
clear to see on the trios faces but the performance by each of the youngsters
was exceptional and a credit to their club. Once Sarah, Zak and Glenn had
recovered from the gruelling 1.60 mile undulating course the pack lunches were
consumed and they along with the 7 other Harriers kids marched round the course
to cheer on the Senior Ladies & Men’s teams.
Irvine Welsh
Sarah Macleod
Rewind a couple of hours to 12 noon and the girls relay team
of Sarah (under 13), Ava Hughes (under 15) & Maisie Ballantyne (under 17)
were about to begin in the fiercely competitive field of 31 each completing the
1.6mile loop. As with the Scottish relays in 2 weeks time the under 13 starts
the race, passing over to the under 15 who then completes the changes by
handing over to the under 17 runner.
Sarah dug deep in an extremely fast paced start of the under
13 leg, pacing herself excellently to maintain her form and hand over to Ava in
a time of 14minutes 24 seconds. Under 15 Ava Hughes put together a strong
performance picking up 4 places on her way round the Livingston loop before
handing over the duties to Maisie who like wise picked up a further 4 places.
Ava time 11min 11 secs and Maisie 10mins 32secs. The girls finished the overall
race in 24th position.
Ava Hughes
Conan Harper
The Harriers fielded 3 teams in the boys relays at
Livingston with Irvine Welsh, Glenn Jamieson and Zak Stewart all taking to the start
line for the mass start of 39 teams. As with the girls race the speed from the
gun was frantic, with Zak and Glen tucking into the group; however Irvine the
second youngest of the Welsh contingent pushed hard to stay with the leaders in
10th position at the half way point of his loop. With little over
half a mile to go in the under 13 leg, it was all downhill to the finish, Welsh
emptied the tank to pass a further two runners placing Teviotdale in 8th
position with 2 legs to be run. Welsh clocking a time of 9mins 44 seconds,
Jamieson 2nd Harrier home with an impressive time of 11mins 24secs,
Stewart completing the trio of under 13 boys runners in 11mins 40secs.
Champing at the bit and eager to get running on the under 15
legs were Conan Harper & Robbie Welsh. Harper who took on 8th
place from young Irvine Welsh run a superb race clocking up a first mile of
5minute 36seconds bumping the Harriers
up into the bronze medal position. A strong finish from Team East Lothian
however knocked Teviotdale back into 4th position before handing
over to the under 17 leg. Robbie Welsh the second of the Harrier under 15 leg
runners run a time of 10mins 1 second gaining 6 positions.
Finally Callum Renwick and Robert Wood had their turn of
covering the now severely champed up course in the under 17 leg, although both
still only under 15. Renwick had all the pressure on his young shoulders to
hold off the chasing older under 17 boys, and he done so with great mental and
physical strength. Running a time of 9min 20seconds Callum retained the
position of 4th place, one of the highest finishes any of the
Harriers teams have had in recent years. Robert Wood in his typical gutsy
fashion complete his leg in a time of 11minutes 24, with the second Harriers
team crossing the line in 32nd.
After all the excitement of the junior relays it was then
the turn of the senior women and men, both with one full team and one partial
team.
Pauline Mcadam, Ishbel Inglis and Kirsty Hughes competed
relentlessly putting them in good form for the full Cross Country Calendar over
the coming months. The 2.45mile loop time for the trio collectively was 1hours
5minutes and 47 seconds, Mcadam 22:12, Inglis 22:00, Hughes 21:35 positioned 50th
overall. Ann Aitken competing as part of the partial team time was 24:03.
The senior men first team was head off by Rory Anderson,
Colin Welsh on the 2nd leg, Raymond Jaffray on the 3rd
and Andrew Gibson bringing the Harriers home. Finishing in 34th place with a total
time of 1hour 1minute and 17 seconds.
Anderson 13:42, Welsh 15:51, Jaffray
15:25 and Gibson 16:19
The second senior men’s team was Alan Inglis 17:12, Brian
Harper 18:07 and Alister Biggar 18:54.
TEVIOTDALE HARRIERS: The athletics club for Hawick and area since 1889.
