THE Irish Met Office may have named last week’s snow and winds as Storm Fionn but there was another storm Fionn on this side of the Irish Sea on Saturday, at sunny Broxburn to be more precise at the third and final East District Cross-Country League meeting.

Moorfoot Runner Fionn Hollingsbee raced to a clear eleven second victory in the Under-11 Boys race over the snowy undulating 1.4km course - leading his team home in a time of 5 minutes 29 seconds.

With clubmate Thomas Hilton 4th in 5.45 and Gala Harrier Ross Christie just inches behind in 5th in the same time, the Borders boys were convincing in repelling the expected challenge from Aberdeen AAAC who had been only five points in arrears going into the race.

The lead was extended to 30 points to secure the league title and the ESH Cup for the fourth time in the seven years since the composite Borders team was formed for the East League.

There were also runners-up spots for Team Borders in the Under-13 Boys league and the combined Under-17/Under 15 Girls league.

But an incomplete team saw the Under 17 Men drop out of contention.

It takes a lot to cause a cross-country race to be called-off and the record number of runners at Broxburn shrugged off the three inches of snow on the tough course and enjoyed sunny pleasant conditions, even if the temperature gauge barely rose above freezing.

Ewan Christie (Gala) has been running well all winter and knocking at the door of podium places which he duly achieved in the Under-13 Boys race over 2.7km with an excellent 2nd place in 10.25 - just being outsprinted down the home straight.

Fellow Gala Harrier Cameron Rankine was 17th in 11.39 and Ben Allan (Moorfoot) returned from a three-week injury lay-off to claim 25th in 11.48.

That placed the boys 4th on the day in what was a very close competitive team race and second overall in the final league placings.

It was a similar story for the Under 17/Under 15 Girls who finished 5th on the day in their 4.1km race and second in the league overall behind runaway winners Edinburgh.

Team scorers were Mairi Wallace (Moorfoot) 15th in 18.19, Tilly Leathart (Moorfoot) 20th in 18.39 and Eilidh Forbes (Gala) 24th in 19.17.

First race off was the Under-11 Girls race where Team Borders took 6th place through the Moorfoot trio of Sophie Logan (16th in 6.38), Stella Davidson (23rd in 6.49) and Ava Mooney (29th in 6.54).

The Under-13 Girls matched that position and were 6th in the final league placings. Anna Fairclough (Gala) led the team home with her 12th place in 12.37 with the Moorfoot duo of Madeline Collins (21st in 13.00) and Esme Minto (24th in 13.06) completing the team points.

There was just the one Team Borders runner in the Under-15 Boys race over 4.1km, Gala’s Gregor Collins having a strong run for 7th in 15.34. And it was a similar story in the Under 17 Men’s race over 5.4km with Gala’s Lewis Tharme the sole Borders finisher in 16th in 21.34.