In pictures: Lauderdale Limper Marc Wilkinson wins home leg of cross-country series again

Clocking 27 minutes and a second, Wilkinson was 21 seconds off his winning time for last year’s first leg in Lauder but still not far short of two minutes ahead of runner-up Alex McVey, representing Edinburgh’s Carnethy Hill Racing Club.

Wilkinson was among four Borderers to finish among the top ten overall in the initial round of the new series, hosted by his home club Lauderdale Limpers.

The others were Teviotdale Harrier Robbie Welsh, fifth back in a time of 29:25 and also fastest male junior, and Moorfoot Runners Milan Misak and David Carter-Brown, eighth and ninth respectively in 29:52 and 30:02, the latter being the quickest runner over the age of 40 too.

A further six Borderers were among the first 20 of the field of 300 competing to make it home.

They were Gala Harrier Gary Trewartha, 12th in 30:31; Lauderdale’s Gregor Ker, 13th in 30:34; Moorfoot’s Daniel Lavin, Andrew Cox and Nigel Shekleton, back 14th in 30:42, 17th in 31:10 and 20th in 31:30 respectively; and Teviotdale’s Mark Young, 18th in 31:16.

Another four managed top-30 finishes – Teviotdale’s David Beattie, 21st in 31:32; Gala’s Tim Darlow, 24th in 31:48; and Lauderdale’s Dean Whiteford and Richard Holloway, 26th in 31:56 and 29th in 32:14.

Sophie Collins, of Edinburgh’s Corstophine Amateur Athletics Club, was the first female finisher and 25th overall, clocking 31:51, and there were three Borderers among the first ten women back – Lauderdale’s Chloe Cragg, seventh in 35:35; Gala’s Wendy Roethenbaugh, eighth in 35:43; Teviotdale’s Iona Jamieson, ninth in 35:50; and Moorfoot’s Carol Moss, tenth in 35:59.

The first of the 113 junior racers back was Moorfoot’s Thomas Hilton in a time of 11:55 and the next Borders youngster to make it back home was Teviotdale’s Irvine Welsh, finishing fourth in 12:39.

The fastest female junior was Edinburgh Athletics Club’s Jessica Taylor, clocking 13:39 and getting back 12th overall, and Gala’s Ava Richardson was only 43 seconds behind her in second place, and 16th all told, with 14:22.

A further seven rounds of the series are to follow, weather permitting, all taking place on Sundays.

The next is on November 27 at Dunbar in East Lothian, followed by the third on December 11 at Spittal in Northumberland, the first of 2023 on January 8 at Paxton, the fifth overall on January 29 at Galashiels, the sixth on February 12 at Duns and the seventh on February 19 at Hawick prior to the series wrapping up on March 5 at Peebles.