Moor Cup Races

Saturday 5th March saw the final club race of the season held at Hawick Moor. The Moor Cup Races are the blue riband event of the racing calendar and were first held in 1894 making it the oldest cross country race in Scotland. This was the 111th running of the event.

Underfoot conditions were extremely wet with a lot of water lying on the course. The usual decision regarding the best footwear for the conditions was made and it was a toss up between spikes and flippers. It was absolutely fantastic to see 50 Harriers braving the cold conditions and their ages ranged from eight to eighty plus.

First race off covering a lap and a half of the race course was the U11/U13 boys and girls. Jai Patterson (10:01) crossed the line first in the boys race having started as the back marker and was followed home by Hector Patterson (10:03) in second and Irvine Welsh (10:11) in third place. Irvine was running in his first club race. Maddie Hewitt (10:21) won the girls race crossing the line first after having started as backmarker. Second was Ava Hughes (10:35) followed in third place by Abbie Reid (10:39). Abbie was running in her first club race.

Next off were the U15/U17 boys and the ladies covering two laps of the course. First home for the boys was Jamie Waugh (12:51) followed closely by Fraser Clyne (13:20) in second place. In the ladies race Ishbel Inglis (12:33) was first home with Pauline McAdam (13:18) second and Kirsty Hughes (13:21) in third place.

The final race of the day was the mens four lap race. Backmarker Greg Walker (29:18)took the honours finishing ahead of Alex Corbett (29:40) in second place and Bruce Hughes (29:46) in third. Alex Corbett picked up the old mans trophy (Glencairn Trophy) for first over forty finisher.

All times quoted are handicap times. Unusually all five winners of each of the handicap races were also the fastest actual time runners.

Report by Alan Inglis.
See Alex Corbett’s photographs HERE

Click here for results MOOR CUP 2016