Photo by Bobby Gavin
*Please note this report is very much subject to corrections, additons, further photos etc. Thanks for your patience.
What a day. What an atmosphere. What an event.
The Lindsays National XC Relays is always one of the most popular events in the year across the championship calendar in Scotland and the 2024 edition lived up to that reputation.
Cumbernauld once again delivered the perfect backdrop for four races replete with drama, medals, sunshine and mud.
The sight of a couple of hundred spectators racing from one side of the course to the other to watch the finish of the Senior Men and Non Binary race – roaring as they ran – will live long in the memory.
Jamie Crowe, off a flight from New York at 9am, was propelling Central AC to six-in-a-row and close to the line by that stage as, 100m or so adrift, Andrew McGill of Cambuslang and Finlay Ross-Davie of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds staged a dramatic battle for the silvers.
‘There was such a noise and excitement that I actually turned my head to try and watch them battle towards the finish on the other side of the run-in to the line,’ smiled Jamie.
‘I thought ‘everyone else is watching this so I might as well, too.’ ‘
Central’s victory was laced with emotion as they won once again in North Lanarkshire but without the presence of the late Alastair Hay, who had such an influence on the National XC Relays.
Cameron Milne articulated the feelings of his club-mates superbly on our post-race interview.
Edinburgh AC broke the hold of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds to win the Senior Women’s race and there was pathos there, too.
The trophy they received was the Marjory Cook Trophy and this is the first time Edinburgh have won it since Marjory passed away in 2021 and her family initiated that commemorative trophy.
In the younger age groups, Lasswade AAC savoured the moment as they won at this event for the first time with golds in the Young Females race.
Giffnock North were second there and the podium for the Young Males was bathed in yellow and blue with they went 1-2 ahead of third-placed team East Lothian.
Look out for out story on the age group races on our website through Sunday.
Crowe really did fly in for victory but, as Ali Hay would always have acknowledged, it was a real team effort once again from the group guided by coach supreme,…
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