Borderers out in force for supporting bill for this year’s Edinburgh New Year Sprint

TLJT runners, from left, Janine Boyle, Nina Cessford and Brogan Beattie, pictured here at the 152nd Edinburgh New Year Sprint last July, are among the Borderers planning to take part in this year's, pencilled in for March (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

A list of handicaps was published last month for the main event, a 110m sprint offering a top prize of £5,000, and 14 Borderers feature among the 67 runners set to compete at the capital’s new Meadowbank Sports Centre, and further lists have now been drawn up for the other adult and youth races being lined up to accompany it.

Nine Borderers number among the 30 runners entering the 800m open handicap, the lowest-handicapped being Tweed Leader Jed Track’s Rory MacDonald, joint sixth back on 35m.

He’s followed by Kelso’s Colin Welsh on 40, Hawick’s Thomas MacAskill and TLJT’s Gary Ramsay on 70, Galashiels’ Michael Turnbull and Hawick’s Robbie Welsh on 75, Innerleithen’s Dean Whiteford on 85 and TLJT’s Gavin Taitt on 105 and Emma Brus on 145.

Six feature among the 14 contenders entered for the one-mile open handicap, Colin Welsh again being the lowest-handicapped, third back on 54, followed by MacAskill on 94, Robbie Welsh and Kelso’s Wayne McIntosh on 99, Whiteford on 129 and Kelso’s Matthew Fleming on 169.

The 200m open handicap’s 55 entrants include 16 runners from the region – Kelso’s Douglas Young on 4m, TLJT’s Gordon Armstrong on 12, Selkirk’s Craig Bruce on 15, TLJT’s Cameron Clamp on 18, Hawick’s Ross Borthwick on 21, Kelso’s John Fleming and Hawick’s Ryan McMichan on 22, Hawick’s Jai Patterson on 23, TLJT’s Janine Boyle on 27, Hawick’s David Lauder on 29, Selkirk’s Colin Bruce and Jedburgh’s Shellee Fojick on 33, Jedburgh’s Zoe Blair and TLJT’s Nina Cessford and Samantha Turnbull on 35 and TLJT’s Natasha Turnbull on 39.

There are five Borderers lining up among the 20 entries for the 90m veterans’ handicap – John Fleming on 10.5, Lauder on 13.5, Colin Bruce on 15, Jedburgh’s Scott Elliot on 16 and Cessford on 17.5.

Eight feature among the 90m ladies’ handicap’s 19-strong line-up – Boyle on scratch, Fojick on 2.5, Blair on 3m, Galashiels’ Caris Brus on 6.5 and TLJT’s Brogan Beattie, Cessford, Samantha Turnbull and Natasha Turnbull on 3.5, five, six and 8.5 respectively.

Youngsters from the region will also be out in force at this year’s sprint, the 153rd.

Lined up to contest the youths’ 90m open handicap are Jedburgh’s Calum Murrow on 11, Kelso’s Daniel Lawson on 12, TLJT’s Craig Tindle on 13, Moorfoot’s Hannah Begg and TLJT’s Evie Renwick on 14.5, Jedburgh’s Callum Auchinleck and Ewa Telus on 16, TLJT’s Ava Lees on 17, Jedburgh’s Kara Lindsay and TLJT’s Tess Renwick on 20, Jedburgh’s Jess Knox on 23, Kelso’s Lewis Fleming on 24 and Jedburgh’s Josie Auchinleck on 25.

Two-thirds of the 12 runners entered for the youths’ 800m open handicap will be representing the region – Moorfoot’s Kieran Fulton on scratch, TLJT’s Aaron Glendinning on 35 and Charlie Robbie on 65, Kelso’s Matty Fleming on 90, Hawick’s Irvine Welsh on 100, Hawick’s McLaren Welsh on 190 and Kelso’s Rory and Harry Fleming on 180 and 210 respectively.

Six Borderers figure among the 13 runners taking part in the 200m open handicap for youths aged nine to 13 – Lees on 37, Lewis Fleming on 46, Knox on 50 and Josie Auchinleck and Harry and Rory Fleming on 55.

Teenagers from the region account for half the 20-strong entry list for the 200m open handicap for youths aged 13 to 16 – Glendinning on 22, Murrow on 24, Lawson on 26, Tindle on 28, Matty Fleming on 30, Evie Renwick on 32, Telus on 33, Callum Auchinleck on 35 and Lindsay and Tess Renwick on 44.

A date has yet to be set for this year’s sprint – returning to Edinburgh after 23 years in East Lothian, first at Musselburgh, then at Prestonpans – but it’s expected to be in March.

It was originally scheduled for mid-January in keeping with its name but had to be postponed as its venue is still under construction.

For updates, go to http://www.sportingworld.co.uk/newyearsprint/index.html