HELENSBURGH Athletics Club athletes took part in the biggest event of the winter cross country season so far at Cumbernauld House Park recently.

The national cross country relay championships attracts the elite junior and senior endurance athletes from right across Scotland and this year included the likes of Beijing World Championship finalist Laura Muir who was competing in the senior women’s event.

With such high quality athletes on show this was always going to be the sternest of tasks for the junior athletes from Helensburgh.

The first race of the day was the junior women’s event and with around 120 teams entered, the start was always going to be treacherous. This proved the case for Helensburgh’s lead off runner Katie Flett who was one of several athletes involved in a pile up within the first 50 metres.

She managed to pick herself up and continue and along with teammates Chloe Murphy and Melissa Robinson finished the race in 36:09 giving them a very respectable 48th position overall.

The second girls’ team of Amelia Murphy, Jenny Scott and Jessica Noble followed them in 76th place in a time of 40:50.

In the junior males race, although there was a similar number of teams thankfully there was no repeat of the girls’ start. Joshua Bain stayed well out of trouble and made his way steadily through the field before handing on to Bryn Davies and Finlay Gray to bring the Helensburgh ‘A’ team home in an excellent time of 30:16 giving them a finishing position of 35th.

The second team comprising of Christopher Wilson, Finn Burden and William Wright finished in 85th place, in a time of 37:02.

The full individual times of the athletes competing were as follows: 11-13 Girls Katie Flett – 13:08, Jenny Scott – 14:22*, Amelia Murphy – 13:58, Amirah Hassan – 14:06.

13-15 Girls Chloe Murphy – 12:07, Jessica Noble – 12:30*.

15-17 Women Melissa Robinson – 10:54.

11-13 Boys Joshua Bain – 10:46, Finn Burden – 12:00, Christopher Wilson – 12:35.

13-15 Boys Finlay Gray – 9:38, Bryn Davies – 9:52, William Wright – 12:27.

*Time TBC.