Well done to all our juniors members who were eligible (p6 or p7 pupils) and participated in our primary schools cross country championships. In the boys race it was fantastic to see five out of the top ten were harriers with the remainder all finishing within the top fifty, out of 134 competitors. Outright winner in a time of 7.42 was Hector Patterson, 2nd Sam Allott in 8.10 and 3rd Sean McMichan also 8.10. Finishers were as follows: 4th William Brodie 8.26, 9th Lewis Renwick 8.35, 14th Liam Bouglas 8.49, 16th Samuel Parrish 8.49, 18th Harrison Hughes 8.58, 22nd Liam Jaffray 9.18, 24th Ryan McMichan 9.25, 30th Ewan Thomas 9.31, 33rd Charlie Rae 9.35, 40th Andrew Drummond 9.52, 41st Max Hope 9.54, 50th Calum Renwick 10.11. Well done boys!

In the girls race there were an impressive eight harrier girls out of the top ten, with the remainder finishing around top thirty out of 113 competitors. Maisie Ballantyne was overall winner in a time of 8.43, Sinead McHugh finished 2nd in 9.15 and 3rd place went to Nicky Sutherland. Finishers were as follows: 4th Connie Richards 9.41, 5th Bailey Jamieson 9.42, 6th Lucy Nichol 9.42, 7th Abi Reid 9.48, 9th Katie Jaffray 10.04, 12th Isobel MacTaggart 10.12, 13th Jasmine Parrish 10.20, 14th Abbie McCaughey, 20th Abi Darroch, 29th Mollie Crozier, 32nd Maisie Drabner-Graham 11.35. Well done girls!!

Photographs to follow.

Link to Alan Clyne’s album HERE (top line of tabs, righthand end)

If anyone has any of their own photographs they would like added to this site please contact me.

A full mini bus of Teviotdale Harriers headed north on Saturday past to Falkirk to compete in the National Cross Country Championships. The weather was sunny, bright and cold, a total contrast to the previous year when it was so windy team tents were flying across the course. Talking of the course, there was another change to previous years’ routes with the section along the Antonine Wall having been removed and a rather zig-zag route to the finishing straight in its place. As last year the route went through the ‘tented village’ so watching from the tent was an option for the more relaxed spectator or exhausted competitor.

First to run were u13 boys of which we had 3 on the medium lap course covering 3,200m. Finishing in 85th position in a time of 14.36 was Jai Patterson, 2nd in 119th position was Thomas MacAskill in 15.21 and 3rd in 149th position Harrison Hughes in 17.07.

Next race for juniors was u15 girls with Carly Blaikie competing for harriers on the 4,000m large lap route. Carly finished 99th position in 21.48.

Fraser Clyne was next in the u15 boys event, again a large lap at 4,000m distance. He finished 65th in a time of 16.28.

Last junior to run was Ishbel Inglis in the u17/u20 womens’ race covering both a small and large lap at 4,800m. She finished 56th in 25.11.

Last race of the day for the club was the senior mens’ event. A gruelling 3 lap 12,000m course with plenty of hills to test the legs. Our first finisher was Greg Walker in 46.28, 82nd position, next in 90th position was Rory Anderson in 46.45, 186th Bruce Hughes in 49.28, 327th Andy Goodair in 53.33, 372nd Alan Inglis in 54.42, 435th Derek Scott in 56.37, 542nd Alex Corbett in 1.01.09, 602nd Alan Coltman in 1.05.59 and 622nd Paul Lockie in 1.10.50

This was a tough course for all especially our juniors, competing alongside the elite and much larger teams, but a great experience as well, and a chance to see some of the top names in cross country running up close. Well done to all.

Photographs by Alex Corbett HERE

Hawick News Press Release
Hawick Pupils Shine in Teviotdale Primary Cross Country Championships

Two hundred and forty-seven Primary 6 and 7 pupils from eight schools in the Hawick area gathered in the town’s Wilton Lodge Park on Friday 19 February for the fifth annual Teviotdale Harriers Hawick Primary Cross Country Championships.

Organised jointly by the running club and Borders Sport and Leisure’s Active Schools co-ordinators, the event is designed to showcase the enjoyment of cross country running and encourage children in the area to be active as often as possible.

134 boys and 113 girls participated in the 1850m race, with specially commissioned Teviotdale Harriers gold, silver or bronze medals presented to the top placed individuals and trophies awarded to the top placed schools.

In the girls’ competition Maisie Ballantyne of Wilton Primary School took home top honours (Time – 8:43), with Sinead McHugh (Drumlanrig Primary) in second (Time 9:15) and Nicky Sutherland (Wilton Primary) in third (Time – 9:20). For the boys, Hector Patterson from Denholm Primary took first place (Tome – 7:42) with Sam Allott (Denholm Primary) in second (Time – 8:10) and Sean McMichan (Drumlanrig Primary School) in third (Time – 8:10).

Denholm Primary took home all three school trophies. The Girls’ team trophy – awarded to the fastest five girls from the same school – came courtesy of Denholm team members Connie Richards, Bailey Jamieson, Lucy Nichol, Abi Reid and Isobel McTaggart. The fastest five boys over the line from the same school were Denholm Primary’s Hector Patterson, Sam Allott, William Brodie, Robbie Amos and Samuel Parrish. Denholm Primary also picked up the overall Champion School trophy, awarded to the school with the fastest five times, regardless of boys or girls race.

Borders Sport and Leisure’s Active Schools Coordinator, Paul Scott said: “What a great morning! It was brilliant to see so many children taking part in our fifth annual championships and completing the challenging course. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved from start to finish and in particular to Teviotdale Harriers and our eight cluster schools for all their hard work once again. All of the children are invited to keep up their interest in running at the Harriers junior section which meets every Wednesday 6 – 7.15 pm at the clubroom, 15a High Street, Hawick. It would be great to see them there.”

Teviotdale Harriers President, Alan Coltman added: “It was a fantastic day for volunteers, spectators and all of the runners.”

Hawick News Report by Paul Scott, Active Schools, BSLT
Photographs to follow