A look ahead to Saturday’s relays action in Cumbernauld

Runners will converge in Cumbernauld this Saturday for the Lindsays National XC Relays, with 2534 names on the startlists for the Scottish event, writes Peter Jardine.

Central AC, despite a number of absentees, were imperious in victory once again last year and had three teams placed in the top 17.

Impressively, it was a seventh set of team golds in eight years for the squad led by coach Derek Easton.

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds got the better of them at the East Districts but have a couple of athletes racing in Leeds this weekend, while Cambuslang Harriers are the West champions and Moray Road Runners led home the North field.

Inverclyde AC, winners two years ago, should be stronger on Saturday with Andy Douglas and Jonny Glen available after missing Kilmarnock.

For Kilbarchan AAC, could Callum Hawkins augment a team which already boasts Connor Maclean and Cammy Wright? Or will Shettleston benefit from the presence of Scottish half-marathon champion Weynay Ghebreselassieas well as Lachlan Oates?

Glasgow Uni, Aberdeen AAC and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds have all made the podium in the past three years.

The battles will no doubt continue right through the field to masters and V50 level. There were 26 teams involved in the latter age-group contest last year.

In the senior women’s race, victory has been savoured in recent years by Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds but others to top the podium include Edinburgh AC (2015) and Central AC (2014).

Could 2019 East champions Fife AC break the mould only a few weeks after Ron Morrison became president? As well as those clubs mentioned, VP-Glasgow have been regular medallists in recent years.

Shettleston Harriers won the West XC Relays and Inverness Harriers took the golds at Gordonstoun in the North event.

Giffnock North AC will shoot for a hat-trick in the young males race – and few would bet against them after their teams went 1-2-3 at Kilmarnock in the West XC Relays. Central AC were silver medallists last year while Garscube Harriers collected bronze for the second year in a row.

Fife AC broke the mould when they won the young females race last year for the very first time, ending a sequence of Edinburgh AC success.

Giffnock’s girls took second last year with Inverness Harriers taking the bronzes to give North a slice of team podium glory.

Timetable

12:00: Young females
12:40: Young males
13:20: Senior/junior females
14:45: Senior/junior males