Gala Harriers junior Isla Paterson a senior cross-country race winner at Bathgate

Paterson, a junior at the Galashiels club, crossed the finishing line at Bathgate’s Balbardie Park in 21 minutes and 33 seconds, 16 seconds ahead of runner-up Merce Sanchez Oller, of Edinburgh Athletic Club.

She was one of a dozen Gala Harriers running as seniors and one of three among a field of 112 contesting the 5.8km women’s race.

The others were Gillian Lunn, 47th overall and 18th veteran in 26:23, and Lisa Dalgliesh, 63rd all told and 30th veteran in 27:30.

Following them back was Teviotdale Harrier Morag Michie, 93rd in 31:15.

Darrell Hastie was the fastest of Gala’s male seniors, finishing ninth overall out of 251 runners, and as first of 154 veterans, in 27:47, just over two minutes behind Central Athletic Club’s Jamie Crowe’s winning time of 25:40.

Robbie Welsh was the next back of the nine Gala runners in the senior race, placing 23rd overall, and as fourth junior, in 29:20.

Hastie and Welsh were followed by Marcus D’Agrosa, 26th in 29:33; Iain Stewart, 64th overall, and 15th veteran, in 31:55; Wayne McIntosh, 77th in 32:37; and Jamie McGowan, 118th in 34:11.

Those times saw Gala’s men’s team end up sixth on the day out of 30, placing fifth in the league, and as third masters team, after three meetings, the previous two having been at Kirkcaldy in October and Dundee in November.

Fellow Gala runners Frank McElroy, Magnus Inglis and Neil Christie also took part in the senior men’s race, finishing respectively 128th in 34:49, 172nd in 37:30 and 190th in 39:11.

Gala Harriers also fielded 18 juniors in Bathgate, competing as Team Borders alongside members of Moorfoot Runners and Lauderdale Limpers.

Three managed top-ten finishes – Kirsty Rankine and Ava Richardson in the under-15 girls’ race, placing fifth in 17:38 and eighth in 18:04 respectively, and Archie Dalgliesh, seventh in the under-15 boys’ race in 15:57.

Also taking part in the U15 girls’ race, staged jointly over 4.6km with one for under-17s, were Gala’s Poppy Lunn, a U17, 32nd in 19:08, and Jaidyn Brown, 57th out of 81 runners in 20:45, along with Moorfoot’s Isabella Moran, 28th in 18:48; Thea Harris, 33rd in 19:14; U17 Sabine Jefcoate, 42nd in 19:53; and U17 Ava Mooney, 48th in 20:26.

In the U15 boys’ race, Dalgliesh was followed home by clubmates Gregor Adamson, 11th out of 49 in 16:25, and Oliver Hastie, 14th in 16:47, placing them as third team, plus fellow Gala runners Seb Darlow, 23rd in 17:21, and Charlie Dalgliesh, 25th in 17:36, and Moorfoot’s Ruaridh Pearson, 37th in 18:51.

The under-11 boys’ race, contested by a field of 62 over 1.7km, saw Gala’s Isaac Hastie and Leo Rossman get back 11th in 7:05 and 30th in 7:38 respectively, with Moorfoot’s Torin Urie placing 17th in 7:10, earning third place as a team.

The girls’ race for that age group saw Gala’s Molly Trewartha and Annabel Cregan finishing 19th and 20th out of 52, both clocking 7:40, trailing Moorfoot’s Emma Moran, fourth in 7:05, and Lauderdale’s Rowan Johnston, eighth in 7:21.

Those times earned them second place as a team on the day and overall.

In the under-13 girls’ race over 2.9km, Gala’s Holly Craig was 23rd in a field of 60 in 13:19, with Moorfoot’s Eala Mackay 55th in 15:04.

Gala’s Angus McCarthy, Bryn McAree and Cameron Tunmore were 33rd in 12:28, 42nd in 12:42 and 48th in 12:55 in a field of 61 contesting the boys’ race for that age band, trailing Moorfoot’s Jack Foley, 12th in 11:11, with his clubmate Murray Learmond 38th in 12:39.

Moorfoot’s Kieran Fulton was runner-up in the under-17 boys’ race over 5.8km in 18:37 and his clubmate Luke Grieve 20th out of 38 in 21:36, with Gala’s Irvine Welsh and Matty Fleming placing 14th in 20:22 and 31st in 24:08 and Lauderdale’s James Moore 21st in 22:02, and Sam Robertson 23rd in 22:42, earning third place as a team on the day.

Fulton was only eight seconds behind winner Andrew McWilliam, of Lasswade Athletic Club.