In photos: Hawick’s Robbie Welsh claims first win of current Borders Cross-Country Series

Welsh completed the 6.7km senior race, starting next to the town’s Livingston Place swimming pool, in 23 minutes and three seconds.

That was eight seconds faster than runner-up Alex McVey, of Edinburgh’s Carnethy Hill Running Club, with McVey’s clubmate Iain Gilmore following in third place in a time of 23:19.

Welsh’s win was the first this series for both him and his club.

Round one, held at Lauder in early November, was won by Lauderdale Limper Marc Wilkinson for the second year running in 27:01, almost two minutes ahead of runner-up McVey, with Welsh fifth back in 29:25 and also fastest male junior.

Wilkinson also won round two at Dunbar in East Lothian at the end of November in 21:13, 18 seconds ahead of runner-up McVey, with Welsh third in 21:32.

Victory in round three at Spittal in Northumberland in mid-December went to McVey in 23:17, with Gilmore second in 23:34 and Welsh third in 23:43.

Wilkinson missed out on his third win of the series in round four at Paxton earlier in January by 21 seconds, clocking 26:13, with Team East Lothian Athletics Club’s Angus Wright finishing first in 25:52 and Richie Umpleby, of Edinburgh’s Carnethy Hill Running Club, third in 28:06.

Wright also won last year’s Gala round, in 22:08, with Wilkinson six seconds behind him.

Welsh and fellow Borderers accounted for half the top-ten finishers at this year’s Gala round, with clubmate Gary Trewartha fifth, and first male over the age of 40, in 23:48; Teviotdale’s Rory Anderson seventh in 24:05; Gala’s Iain Stewart ninth in 24:10; and Lauderdale’s Gregor Ker tenth in 24:12.

This year’s 2.7km junior race in Galashiels was won by Moorfoot Runner Thomas Hilton in 9:39, with Lasswade Athletics Club’s Rowan Taylor second in 9:56, Welsh’s younger brother Irvine third in 10:26 and Gala Harrier Corey Cruddas fourth in 10:27.

Gala’s Ava Richardson was the first female finisher, and 15th overall out of a field of 97, in 11:40.

Six other Borderers were among the top-20 junior runners back – Moorfoot’s James Moore, sixth in 10:57; Lauderdale’s Joseph Dawes, ninth in 11:07; Moorfoot’s Shaun Pyman, 11th in 11:26; and Lauderdale’s Jonathan Laing, Sam Robertson and Stuart Whiteford, 17th, 18th and 19th respectively in 11:55, 12:08 and 12:10.

Moorfoot’s Ruaridh Pearson wasn’t too far behind in 21st place, clocking 12:16, and there were four other Borderers in the top 30 – Gala’s Matty Fleming, Elise Field and Cameron Tunmore, 27th, 29th and 30th in 12:39, 12.57 and 13:06; and Teviotdale’s Craig Watson, 28th in 12:42.

There are three more rounds of the series to follow, all on Sundays – at Duns on February 12, Hawick a week later and Peebles on March 5.

Full results were unavailable at time of going to press but were expected to be uploaded to the series’ website, www.bordersxc.co.uk, later on yesterday or today.