HomeHanna Hits The Heights At Nairn
Added on 01 February 2011
The venue for the penultimate meeting of the Speyside Leisure Cross Country League, held on Saturday 29th January, was East Beach Nairn. A tough and challenging course, from the outset, a short sprint on tarmac runs straight into a bottle neck and a thigh burning climb up the dunes and down onto the beach, followed by an undulating journey through the sand to a cold river, a muddy burn and a selection of challenging and sandy hills, culminating in a long run-in to the finish along a firm and twisting path.
It was in this giant amongst cross-country courses that Strathpeffer's Hanna Cleghorn won her 4th race in the 6 race series, finishing 30 seconds clear of her nearest rival and tied for time with the 1st placed Under 17 Lady, Inverness Harrier's Mhairi MacLennan (the U15girls and U17 Ladies run in the same race, but compete separately.) Hanna ran a brilliant tactical race, avoiding the clamour at the start and picking her way through the field to ultimately claim the title of Under 15 Girls Champion. Hanna's achievement, in this her first season as an Under 15, is made even more remarkable as she is one of the youngest runners in the age group.
Making it a triple winning day for the Ross County Enduros, Ryan Moodie, U17 and Luke Shaw, U13, finished well ahead of their counterparts, both young men taking top spot in their respective age groups and setting up a thrilling finale to the season, in a fortnights time.
In the U11 boys category, Finlay Clarke's 3rd place race finish moves him up into 4th place in the boys league, whilst for the girls, one third of the “Cheeky Girls” Alice Kerr, ran her 2nd best race of the season and Erin Robinson's run put her into 5th place in the girls league.
The Under 13 boys team of Luke Shaw, Finlay Todd, Hamish Kerr and Logan Mathieson tightened their grip on a 2nd place league finish, with the girls team of Catriona Holland, Abby MacGregor, Molly Todd and Mhairi MacPhail lying in 4th place.
In the U15 Girls table Mairi Gilmour moves up into 10th place, whilst for the boys Paul Holden slots into 7th place with Douglas Holland's 7th place finish, in only his 2nd run of the season, putting him into 14th position overall.
The final race in the league is at Dornoch on 12th February 2011. This promises to be a nail biting event from start to finish, where titles will be won and lost. Your club and athletes need your support.