CENTRAL AC’S cross country season opened at Glamis Castle with medal placings for both senior teams in the East District Cross Country Relay Championships.

The senior ladies team faced a testing 4000metre course through the grounds and woodlands of the Glamis Castle estate with teams of three runners.

First off, Fanni Gyurko pushed hard to come in with the leading runners in 3rd place with a 14 minutes 22s lap and sixth fastest lap of the day. Natalie Milne was able to move the team up to second place with her 15.28 lap passing on to Under 20 runner Kate Gallagher.

For Kate it was her first senior team run, and she ran a spirited lap, chasing those in front but with fast finishing clubs pushing hard behind. Her 14.43 lap brought the team home in silver medal position behind the winning Edinburgh University trio.

The Men’s four leg relay, over the same 4000metre course as the Ladies race, saw Central win the Bronze medals in an overall 50min 58secs behind Corstorphine AAC (49.59) and Aberdeen AAC (50.22).

Aidan Thompson put in a fine effort on the first leg (12min 29secs) to put the team in second place. Ruaridh Miller’s 13.10 effort saw the Club in third after the second leg with Michael Wright (12.59) maintaining this position on the third leg.

It was Alastair Hay who completed the Central effort with 12min 20secs to record the third fastest relay leg of the day.

Central Men’s ‘B’ team came home in 27th place through Fraser Logan (13.27), David Lindsay (14.21), Will Hensman (15.09) and newcomer Ben Noad (16.55).

A Masters team of David Eckersley (15.14), Colin Alexander (16.26), Jens Subke (16.13) and Charles Graham-Marr (15.36) acquitted themselves well to finish in 34th overall and eighth in the Masters race.

Raymond Milne (17.15) led off another Masters Team backed-up by Allan Gall (19.19), John Millar (20.43) and Cameron Campbell (19.17) finishing 57th overall. An incomplete team of Hugh Buchanan (16.33) and Colin Sinclair (18.09) rounded off Central’s efforts on the day.

The young athletes combined U13, u15 and U17 leg runners, each doing a 2,500 metre lap and Central’s young female team made the most of the setting to post fine race times.

Melissa Turnbull on first leg for the A team produced a classy 10:07 to bring the team in 4th place, Carrie Banks on the under 15 lap produced a 10:11 dropping just one place and Rosie Eckersley on the final leg brought the team home placed a creditable 6th.