Lasswade Athletic club cross-country squads were in action on Saturday at the Scottish National Cross country Championships at Callendar Park, Falkirk. Part of the UK wide Stewarts cross country grand prix series the races attract not only the best in the host nation but also significant numbers from all the home nations. Nine races for all ages from twelve years up to seniors started at 11.30 with a 3200m event for under 13 boys and then girls. The last race, a seven and a half miler for senior men commenced at 2.30.
The Midlothian club had six runners in the first boy’s event which had 120 starters with Kieran Wren running a strong race to take 68th position. He was supported by Kyle MacKenzie 77th, Sean Mullen 78th, Ronan Clelland 82, Callum Grahame 91st and Matthew Smith 96th. In the girls race Rachel Hutchison finished 67th of the 100 starters while in the under 15 girls 4000m Amy Frankland was 23rd of the 80 who set off with Fiona Matheson 56th. In the boys equivalent Iain Lawson was best Lasswade in 57th, supported by Callum Clarke 80th, Fraser Amos 103rd and Ross McEwan 105th from the 120 in the field. Katie Logan was 76th for the under 17 women with Ewan Bathgate 57th for the under 17 men while in a huge field of almost 500 starters for the senior men’s race Barney Phillips was 69th with John Murray 103rd, Ben Mitchell 109th and Richard Connor 142nd.
However the highlight of the day for the East of Scotland club was yet another fine win recorded by one of its up and coming stars in the under 20 age group when Tranent’s Ross Matheson ran a storming race over 8000m to blow away the opposition including favourite Matthew Gillespie of Shettleston Harriers to record a convincing victory for Lasswade. Already a top British athlete on the track and indoors, Ross won the under 17 age group in the McCain Challenge cross country last year and has made a big step up in age group to under 20 this season and has taken the challenge in his stride.
