Fourteen Falkirk Victoria Harriers take part in XC championships

Falkirk Vics' Emily Christie helped secure a gold medal for Scotland East at the recent Inter-District XC meeting in Renfrew (Photo: Bobby Gavin/scottishathletics)

The grass at King George Playing Fields in Renfrew took a pounding last Saturday as the venue was host to three cross country championship events.

Fourteen Falkirk Victoria Harriers athletes were invited by Scottish Athletics to represent Scotland East for the Inter District Championships, and one Vics ace was also representing Scotland in the Celtic Cross Challenge.

It was a highly successful day with the district Vics giving it their all and several placing in team podium positions.

Five members formed part of the gold winning teams and one secured silver. The under-13 Scotland East boys took a silver medal with Falkirk Vics’ Ben Upfold – who finished in ninth place – forming part of the team.

Vic's under-17 girls: Isabella Ogg, Lucie Gibson, Chloe Davis and Katie Hedges

In the under-15 girls race, Scotland East won gold with Emily Christie’s sixth place finish securing her a medal. The boys were just as successful with Vics’ Hamish Hunter finishing in tenth place as part of the team.

The under-17 women also won gold with Isabella Ogg’s sixth place finish securing her a gold medal and the under-23 men also won gold with Scott Stirling, who led for the majority of his race, coming second to Central AC’s Jamie Crowe.

In the Celtic Cross Challenge, Falkirk Vics’ Ray Taylor maintained his excellent form and helped fellow Scottish athletes Calum Dick (Giffnock North AC) and James Alexander (Garscube) to lift gold for the Scotland under-17s men’s team.

Every runner had their part to play in the success of the district teams with the following athletes in the line-ups and putting in tremendous effort - U13 boys Thomas Mitchell, U13 girls Skye Robertson, U15 boys Luke Sedman, U17 girls Chloe Davies, Lucie Gibson and Katie Hedges, U17 men Luke Culliton and Callum Hendry, U23 men, Euan Martin.

Vics star Scott Stirling will now be representing Scotland at the the Home Counties International at Parliament Hill Fields in London this weekend, and also the Armagh 5k next month.

Stirling was part of the gold winning team last year with his time of 13.56 minutes and will no doubt be looking to repeat that success this year.

The East District’s final cross country league meet of the season will take place later this month when hundreds of athletes will flock to Falkirk for the National Cross Country Championships in Callander Park.