Athletics: Auckland races clear in cross country

Edinburgh University’s Rhona Auckland continued her rich vein of form by finishing as the fastest woman in the East District Cross Country Relay Championships in Dundee on Saturday.

Though the students finished out of the medals in fifth place, Auckland, who won the 10k road race at the recent Loch Ness Marathon in a personal best time, was easily the best individual, covering the two-and-a-half miles in 13 minutes 47 seconds.

That was 44 seconds clear of the next best, Halina Rees (Fife) with Lothian’s Edel Mooney third in 14:33.

Central were clear winners of the team race in 44:02 from Lothian (44:30), who claimed a rare victory over local rivals 
Edinburgh AC (45:15).

Corstorphine, with three teams in the first six, have clearly become a major Capital force as they pushed Central (50:36) close in the men’s race, finishing just 13 seconds down.

They also provided the fastest individual in Doug Selman, whose time of 12:14 was four seconds faster than Central’s top man, Commonwealth Games 1500 metres finalist Ali Hay (12:18). Andrew Crichton (EAC) (12:21) was third fastest with Ross Matheson (Lasswade) (12:29) next, but Central’s B team kept EAC out of the medals.

EAC made amends in the young athletes events with Ross Allan, Josh Kerr and Roger Bough winning the boys race by 41 seconds from Fife with their B team just pipped for the bronze by Gala. Kerr was fastest under-15 boy in 7:52. EAC were first and third in the girls race with the official B team of Ishbel Kate Strathdee, Esme Stewart and Sarah Findlay finishing 18 seconds clear of Pitreavie, with EAC A 18 seconds behind. Findlay was joint third fastest in 9:27.