*Report subject to corrections and additions. Please note we will cover U18 and U16 races in a separate story on our website through Sunday. Thanks for your patience.
Stefanie Tucker and Ben Potrykus savoured the same gold medal-winning adrenaline rush at the Lindsays Short Course XC.
But the back stories behind the two Senior race winners at Kirkcaldy were decidely different.
Cambuslang athlete Stefanie won an individual cross country medal for the first time in her career.
Inverclyde AC’s Ben for his part took this title for the third time in his career and the third time over the Kirkcaldy course he knows well as a Burntisland resident.
Stefanie didn’t hide her joy at finally repeating road success across mud and grass.
If Ben was slightly more restrained then the satisfaction was huge on a day when a respected coach at a rival club told him ‘That’s the best I have ever seen you run’.
There was a parallel podium line between the two races in a sense with former champions from Central AC – Morag Millar and Jamie Crowe – beaten in their victory bid.
Jamie was second with Corstorphine AAC’s Angus Smith doing well to hold off the closing Andrew McGill of Cambuslang for a fine bronze medal.
The other significant headline in that Men’s race was team golds for Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds (after six-in-a-row for Central AC). Cambuslang took the silvers and Central the bronzes.
Edinburgh Uni’s winning team (place in brackets) featured: Thomas Hilton (12); Angus Wright (13); William D’Arcy (17); Innes Wright (18).
Masters gold at V40 went to Dermot Cummins of Corstorphine.
There were Masters titles for Eoin Coull, Chris Upson and Alex Chisholm in ten-year categories.
Pre-race preparation paid off for Potrykus, it appears.
‘I have had this race on my mind all week and I am thrilled to win it for the third time here – that is 2022, 2024 and now 20226,’ he said.
‘I love this course and it seems to suit me. In fact, in my runs this week I came here on Wednesday and then returned on Friday.
‘It is good to check out where the muddy patches are and see what the corners might be like.
‘Andy Butchart has won four of these Short Course titles and Laura Muir has five. A year is a long time in athletics but I would love to win it again to reach four and keep putting my name up there as Scottish Short Course XC champion.’
East Kilbride AC had a good day in the teenage races and that was thereafter crowned by U20 gold for Ben Baillie. Edinburgh Uni’s Callum Hendy took silver and Alistair Street of Kilbarchan AAC was third.
Stefanie won from Zara Redmond as the Edinburgh Uni Hares and Hounds athlete burst beyond Millar over the last 20m on the closing straight.
Zara took the U20 gold and also led her student team-mates to team golds. Edinburgh AC were second and Carnethy HRC took home the bronzes.
Edinburgh Uni’s winning quartet was Zara Redmond, Anya McLean, Saskia Chaplin and Isabel Mansley.
‘I was very much aware of who I was racing with someone like Morag a former winner and Zara capable of finishing fast,’ said Stefanie.
‘I’ve run this race a few times before and not been anywhere near the medals. In fact my only cross country medals have been team ones so today feels amazing.
‘It was fast and fun to run and my main motivation for being here was to help the team.’
Zara won U20 from Nancy Corrie of Harmeny AC and Abbie Stewart of Stirling Uni.
Masters gold in the W40 category went to (overall bronze medallist) Morag Millar.
There were further Masters titles for Lesley Bell (Garscube); Carol Mantle (Lauderdale Limpers RC) and Margaret Martin (Fife AC).
+++
Tags:
Ben Potrykus, Kirkcaldy, Lindsays Shorts Course XC, Stefanie Tucker