Teviotdale Harriers' club championship a shining success

The occasion was the Club Championship and the Hawick athletics group was rewarded with a fine turnout for events in various categories, including races for children in the U11 to U17 age brackets, senior men, senior women and sealed handicap runs in all sections.

There are many families in the club and it proved an especially treasurable day out for one of them – the Watson clan, from Hawick.

Mum Lorna won the senior ladies’ sealed handicap, while siblings Ivan and Ruby took the U11 boys’ and girls’ categories respectively.

Club vice-president and event co-organiser Rachel Halliday said: “It was a cracking day – a good, successful day for everybody.”

While still having to operate under some Covid-19 restrictions, the Harriers had been trying to stage their events over a short period of time, which was possibly a little difficult for the runners, added Rachel.

However, the chance to get out running again had possibly been a big boost for them and given a purpose to training.

"It was great – I think for a lot of the runners, that was what they needed – a race,” she added. “A lot were doing a lot of training over lockdown.”

The club was aiming to fit events in every second week, said Rachel, and the next one would be the Cup races on May 8, followed two weeks later by the Burns Club race.

Most of the Teviotdale Harriers are from Hawick but there are members from Kelso and as far afield as Bo’ness, while a strong contingent from Langholm often supported training. "It was challenging, just to get a feeling of the rally back, but it was a really successful day,” she added.

On the club’s Facebook page, Rachel expressed congratulations to all the winners and runners and thanked all the marshalls, course organisers and timekeepers. She also praised all the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who brought the youngsters along and for all the support they gave the younger runners and the club. “A huge thanks to the farmers for allowing us to cross their land in the senior men’s race – not the easiest of times while lambing/calving but they accommodated us well,” she added.

Club champions:

U11 girls – Ruby Watson

U11 boys – Ivan Watson

U13 girls – Jessica Smith

U13 boys – Taylor Watson

U17 girls – Iona Jamieson

U17 boys – Conan Harper

Senior ladies – Kirsty Hughes

Senior men – Greg Walker.

Results:

U11 girls – 1 Ruby Watson, 2 Emily Mcleod, 3 Leah Lavery.

Sealed handicap – 1 Freya Walker, 2 Leah Lavery, 3 Amber Smith.

U11 boys – 1 Ivan Watson, 2 Greg Watson, 3 Robbie Drysdale.

Sealed handicap – 1 Callan Pender Mills, 2 Roan Jamieson, 3 Robbie Drysdale.

U13 girls – 1 Jessica Smith, 2 Niamh Dickson, 3 Sarah Mcleod.

Sealed Handicap – 1 Niamh Dickson, 2 Sarah Mcleod.

U13 boys – 1 Taylor Watson, 2 Craig Watson, 3 Glen Jamieson.

Sealed handicap – 1 Craig Watson, 2 Glen Jamieson.

U17 girls – 1 Iona Jamieson, 2 Ava Hughes.

Sealed handicap – 1 Ava Hughes.

U17 boys – 1 Conan Harper, 2 Thomas Macaskill, 3 Robbie Welsh.

Sealed handicap – 1 Thomas Macaskill, 2 Charles Mackay, 3 Robbie Welsh.

Senior ladies – 1 Kirsty Hughes, 2 Lindsey Knox, 3 Lorna Watson.

Sealed handicap – 1 Lorna Watson, 2 Lorna Walker, 3 Lindsey Knox.

Senior men – 1 Greg Walker, 2 Rory Anderson, 3 Colin Welsh.

Sealed handicap – 1 Frank Birch, 2 Paul Lockie, 3 Ron Hastings.