|
Morven was the perfect finish to the championship. The two senior men's championship contenders dominated the race, using their different strengths to race each other, and the outcome wasn't decided until the finish line. A lot at stake as the race winner would become Scottish champion. Stewart Whitlie (Carnethy) tried to get a big enough gap at the summit to hold of Brian Marshall's (HELP) fast descent and nearly succeeded with Brian only just getting in front before the finish and gaining a narrow 8 seconds lead. What a way to finish a 6 race championship series ! Well done to both. As well as coming second in the Senior men's, Stewart had the consolation of retaining his Over 40 title from Colin Donnelly (Lochaber) and Dave Cummins (Shettleston).
The Ladies title was also decided at Morven, but Elke Schmidt (Bellahouston) had it a lot easier and really just had to have a reasonable run to become champion, such is her current form. Long time leader Louise Burt (Fife) came second and Sarah Legge (Fife) pulled up to third. In the Men's Over 60, Douglas Milligan (Solway) did a Brian Marshall and dominated the last three races to come through and win what was looking a very open championship. The other title decided was the Men's Under 23, which Matthew Sullivan (Shettleston) did enough to get. Hopefully this will gain in popularity as it becomes more well known. Dave Scott (Ochil) had already won the Over 50s, and another Scott, Tom Scott (Fife) got the runners-up position after Morven in front of Dave Duncan (Ochil) and Doug Milligan. It must useful to be called Scott in the Over 50s as Jocelyn Scott retained the Women's Over 50s from Elaine Stewart (Cosmic) and Pauline McAdam (Westerlands).
Carnethy won both the Male team awards (and in both achieved the distinction of being unbeaten in all 6 races, a feat only equalled by Jocelyn Scott in the Ladies Over 50s) and Fife also did the double for the Ladies, the first time they have ever won team medals in the SHR Champs and they did it convincingly. In the senior Men, Lochaber pulled up to equal second with Westerlands after Morven. It is good to see them getting out and is their best result since they won in 1991 ! In the ladies it was Cosmics that gave Fife a run in both categories.
In the end 59 people completed enough races to earn a mug (42 senior men, 16 women and 1 Under 23 man). If anyone thinks they're been missed off the list, then contact me. Mugs will be given out later in the autumn at SHR 'do' and Tinto etc. Probably deserving two mugs (!) are the 5 people who managed to complete all six races, they are Bruce Smith (Carnethy), Dave Duncan (Ochil), Tom Bowie (Fife), Jocelyn Scott (Fife) and Stewart Whitlie (Carnethy). Dave Duncan is well known for running in all 10 Bog & Burn races this year, so obviously can't stop racing !
So, congratulations to the new 2007 Scottish Champions -
Men : Brian Marshall (HELP)
Women : Elke Schmidt (Bellahouston RR)
Over 40 Men : Stewart Whitlie (Carnethy)
Over 40 Women : Louise Burt (Fife)
Over 50 Men : Dave Scott (Ochil)
Over 50 Women : Jocelyn Scott (Fife)
Over 60 Men : Douglas Milligan (Solway)
Under 23 Men : Matthew Sullivan (Shettleston)
Men's Team : Carnethy HRC
Women's Team : Fife AC
Men's Over 40 Team : Carnethy HRC
Women's Over 40 Team : Fife AC
The final positions are here (or available from Championships menu on right of screen). Any queries to Andy Spenceley SHR Statistician
|