The Harriers veterans team of Rachel Fagan, Kate Jenkins and Anya Campbell stormed to victory in the East of Scotland Cross Country Relay Championship over the tough 4km course.

Joining in the celebrations was the vets B team of Fiona Shepherd, Arlene Botha and Dawn Grant who finished strongly to claim an unexpected bronze medal behind runners-up Edinburgh AC, which featured Peebles athlete Susan Ridley.

Organisers confirmed that the gold-bronze placings was a first from any club in the history of the championships which attract teams from the Highlands all the way down to the border.

Neil Renton from Gala Harriers told us: “It was a fantastic achievement by the two teams. Winning and finishing third has never been done by any other club.” Gala Harriers senior team of Dianne Lauder, Fiona Dalgleish and Kirstin Maxwell almost produced another shock as they were narrowly edged out of the medals.

Lauder’s time of 14.58 was the fourth fastest of the entire field.

Central broke the tape in the senior/junior women’s race with Fife AC in second and Edinburgh AC just getting the better of Gala for third.

Although Dalgleish is old enough to compete for the veterans teams and Maxwell had been competing for Scotland in the morning of Sunday’s race at orienteering, the green-and-white of Gala was in contention throughout the three 4km loops. Louise Mercer from Hawick was part of the Edinburgh University team which finished sixth overall. The Teviotdale Harriers team of Pam Paxton, Lauren Corbett and Donna Inglis finished 31st.

There was a further set of medals coming back to Galashiels after the veteran men’s team snatched a well-deserved bronze. Colin McCall, David Moffat, Steven Martin and Mark Bryson hung on bravely to the eventual winners Corstorphine and runners-up Dundee Hawkill over the four laps.

The senior Gala men’s team of Graeme Murdoch, Wayne McIntosh, Darrell Hastie and Fergus Johnston finished 11th of the 43 teams with Hastie’s time of 13.54 amongst the fastest times od the day. Teviotdale’s Rory Anderson, Iain Williams, Derek Scott and Alan Inglis finished in a creditable 19th.

Although host club, Moorfoots, didn’t claim any medals they were boosted by a strong run in the boys relay with Craig Angus (U13s), Euan Hood (U15s) and Kobe Stevens (U17s) to claim eighth place behind Edinburgh AC, Fife AC and Corstorphine, respectively.

And there were also a few compliments on the Sware course. Gregor Nicholson from the Moorfoots said: “The event went really well.

“The comments we got back from competitors was that it was a true cross-country course with hard climbs and water crossings.” Edinburgh AC won the boys race Pitreavie won the girls race from Lasswade and Central. Duncan Godfrey-Faussett, Corri Campbell and Gavin Bryson finished 13th for Gala with Bryson’s leg of 8.25 being the second fastest of the entire race. Teviotdale’s Carly Blaikie, Rachel Shiel and Ishbel Inglis claimed 14th in the Girls relay.

This weekend the juniors from clubs across the Scottish Borders will come together for the East Cross Country League in Stirling. Having won three age categories last winter, hopes are high of further success for Team Borders this time at the three-race league. Athletics development officer Neil Renton added: “We have a strong entry from across the age-groups.” For more photographs, turn over to page 41.