HELENSBURGH Amateur Athletics Club's young cross-country runners performed well against some of the best runners in Scotland last weekend.

With the sun splitting the sky on a bright October morning, Cumbernauld House Park was the lovely location for this year’s Scottish Athletics National XC Relays, with a record number of teams entered and large and enthusiastic crowds cheering the runners on.

The mixed aged group team is generally one U13, U15 and U17 runner,but the Helensburgh girls’ team featured one U13 and two U15 runners, Rowan Mair, Jenny Scott and Iona Wilson (pictured right), who ran well to record a mid-table finish in a field of over 80 teams.

Iona was fifth of the U15 runners on the U17 leg, clocking a strong 10.15 for the 2.5km lap.

Evelyn Dennison and Katie Flett also competed as single runners, Katie recording a good time of 10.54.

The boys’ team of William Scott and Matthew Gall (both U13) and William Wright U17, finished a creditable 82nd in a line-up of more than 100 teams; with the second Helensburgh boys’ team of Jock Cordner and Cameron Williams (both U13) and Matthew Cameron (U15) placing 91st, with Matthew 12th fastest U15 on the U17 leg.

These results followed hot on the heels of some excellent places for Helensburgh AAC athletes at the Dunbartonshire Schools XC event at Balloch Park the day before.

These athletes can now focus on their training for the next main event on November 10 – the National Short Course cross-country event in Lanark.