National Masters Cross Country  - 5 February

Central AC Masters Women demonstrated the quality of their running in winning silver team medals at the National Masters Cross Country at a challenging course at Kirkcaldy. Within the individual age group categories, Jane Waterhouse took the gold medal in the W55 age group category taking her record numbers of championship wins to 11.

The difficult 6 kilometre course, started with a mile long climb up hill tracks and finishing through a mile of cloggy mud in cereals fields diverted at the finish to cope with recent flooding. Hazel Dean led the Central team home in 11^th place in the race with a time of 26m23s, just outside the individual medals in fourth place in the highly competitive W45 age group. Fiona Kelsall was next home placing a fine 16th place with 27.39, with Jane Waterhouse completing the team with 26th place in 28.20 in a record field for the event. Only a strong Edinburgh AC team could better the team performance of the Central trio, who finished ahead of a Carnethy Hill Runners team featuring winner Angela Mudge a former Scottish, GB cross country champion and world mountain running champion.

The men’s race over a longer 8 kilometre excursion had the challenge increased by worsening weather with Fraser Purves first Central athlete home in 85th place with 39.03, closely followed by Liam McCabe in 89th place in 39.10, Stuart Watson was 128th with 41.32 and George McHardy 196th in 52.24 with the team credited with 9th place.

Dublin Cross Country

There was success for two of Central’s runners in Dublin at the weekend with Alexander Hendry finishing fifth in the Under 23 Mens Race, assisting Scotland to take Team Gold.  The Under 17 Womens saw Central’s Kathryn Gillespie move up an age group to finish in an impressive eleventh place overall on a testing muddy course.

Results are now available for the Club Cross Country Championships

ClubCrossCountryResults2011

Club Cross Country Prize Winners 2011

Chloe McGregor won an excellent silver medal in the under 20 womens pentathlon at the Scottish indoor combined events championships in Glasgow at the weekend.  The 17 year old from Fallin set personal bests in the High Jump (1.36m), 60m Hurdles (10.85s) and 800m 2:55.3 to take second place overall in a new personal best score of 1962 points.

Also performing well was Dunblane girl, Sarah Pearson, who set a new club record score of 2269 points in the under 15 girls pentathlon.  Sarah produced a good display in the 60m hurdles finishing 2nd in 10.24s, then set personal bests in the High Jump (1.38m), Shot (6.38m) and leapt to 4.13m in the Long Jump to move to 5th place overall.  She ran hard in the 800m finishing in 2:48.73mins which was enough to lift her to 4th but she just missed out on the medal positions.

Tom Chandler from Balfron was competing for the first time in the under 15 boys pentathlon after setting one of the highest scores ever in the under 13 boys age group last summer.  The older age group proved to be a much higher standard but Tom performed well in the 60m Hurdles (10.70s), Shot (7.74m) then produced an excellent High Jump display in his first ever attempt at the event with 1.48m.  He finished with a competent 800m (2:35.97mins) to take 5th place overall in 1617 points.

Team coach, Kenny Pearson, came out of retirement to attempt the senior mens Heptathlon for the first time in 7 years.  Kenny performed well in the High Jump (1.62m) and Pole Vault (3m) but was unable to add to his Scottish medal collection placing 4th overall.

Central AC had a successful end to the indoor league regular season at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow with 4 teams qualifying for the league final in March.

The under 20 women qualified with ease with Louise Anderson taking a double victory in the 60m (8.56s) and Triple Jump (10.57m).  Megan Jardine also took victory in the 200m in a personal best time of 29.2s and was runner up in the 400m.  Chloe McGregor took over half a second off her personal best in the 60m hurdles taking 2nd in 10.21s to see the team win the match and the division.

The under 11 girls also qualified comfortably with Erin Clark taking wins in both the 600m (2:13.9mins) and Standing Long Jump (1.75m), Lucy Davidson took 2nd in the Standing Long Jump (1.70m), Erin Potter was 3rd in the 60m (10.11s), Rachel-Kate Martin 3rd in the B 60m (10.50s) and Leah Trevis set a new best in the Standing Long Jump (1.34m).

Also through to the final are the under 15 girls who finished 2nd on the day to take them through as divisional runners up.  Sarah Pearson sliced 2 seconds off her best in the 300m (45.6s) for 2nd and also took runner up in the 60m hurdles (10.59s).  Emily Batchelor took 2nd in the Shot (6.96s) and set a new indoor pb in the 200m (29.8s).  Also on form was Laura Clarke who comfortably won her heat in the 800m for 3rd place in a new indoor best 2:36.9mins. There were personal bests all round with  Lydia Simpson (60m 8.73s), Roison Bonucchi  (800m 2:39.5mins), Morven Paterson (60m 9.00s), Shamsa Scott-Angel (800m 2:43.1), Shannon McFarlane (800m 2:52.2), Beth Gallagher (60m Hurdles 12.67s) all setting new marks.  Isla Burns (High Jump 1.25m), Amy Gullen (60m 9.33s), Sophie Parsons (60m hurdles 11.49s), Natashe Lee (300m 53.1s) and Louisa Pettigrew all added valuable points.

The under 13 boys complete the final line up finishing 3rd place in the league to grab the 5th available spot.  Sandro Rosta was the surprise winner in the Long Jump with a superb jump of 4.06m in his first ever attempt at the event.  Cameron McCorgray (High Jump 1.25m), Cameron Hawthorn(12.38s) and Robert Burns (shot 7.94m) took 2nd places and Liam McGregor set 2 new personal bests in the 60m (9.16s pb, 3rd) and Shot (5.43m).  George Stanger set a new best for 4th in the 800m (2:49.6mins), Keiran Halliday was on form for 3rd in the 200m (30s) and Jack Houghton (60m 9.88s), Campbell McNicol (800m), John Paterson and Craig Jardine (60m) completed the line-up.

The under 17 women finished joint 2nd on the day for 3rd in the league but missed out on the 5th available place in the final by a slender margin.  Agatha Williams-Kelly took another victory in the Shot (8.05m), Kirsty Forsyth showed improved form for 3rd in the 300m in a new indoor best 46.7s, Farren Parkins leapt to new heights in the High Jump (1.40m) and Laura Stewart was also on pb form in the 200m (31.2s).  Kirsty Mitchell provided good points in the 60m (4th 8.75s) and 60m hurdles (4th 9.90s), Emily Greenan also took 4th in the 800m (2:42.5) and Amy McCabe had a good indoor debut in the 800m for 5th place in 2:56.5mins.

The under 15 boys also narrowly failed to progress to the final just missing out on 3rd place in the league.  Liam Halliday added nearly 2 metres to his club record in the Triple Jump with 10.12m.  Also setting personal bests were Cullum Presland (200m 27.2s), Iain Davies (800m 2:24.5), Euan Lambert (200m 27.9s) and Lachlan Brown (9.73s).  Gary MacFarlane (800m 2:47.1) and Keiran Potter (Triple Jump 7.76m) made good indoor debuts.

The under 13 girls raised themselves to 4th place overall with a fine personal best from Megan Ely (60m 3rd 8.94s).  Evie Gallagher (800m 2:52.5), Kate Gallagher (800m 2:58.2) and Jodie Currie (Long Jump 3.27m) also set pbs.  Sophia Baverstock, Jenny Holl, Kirsty Wilson and Erin Travers gained valuable points.

The under 11 boys also finished 4th with Angus Boermans (Standing Long Jump 1.62m), James Thomson (60m 9.75s pb), Ross McCorgray (60m 10.24s pb), Matthew McGarva (60m 10.17s) and Sandy Holl (600m 2:22.3 pb).

The under 20 men were were unable to maintain their final challenge but Peter Muirhead set a new best in the 60m (7.54s) and took runner up spot in his first attempt at the junior 60m hurdles (9.47s) and Ryan Calder performed well in the under 17 mens age group (60m 7.65s).