Lights in the Dark
FVO didn't QUITE managed to sweep the board at the Scottish Night Championships near North Berwick, but the posse is heading back west with 14 medals in tow, including six national titles.
Alison O'Neil opted to race in Women's Open, and was rewarded with a big win, in a time of 41.55, for her first night-time title since she was a junior .FVO pretty much owns the rights to crown the Men's Vet champ - in the 16 runnings of the Night champs, the Mens Vet winner has been from FVO no fewer than 12 times, and Will Hensman retrieved the silverware he had to hand back last year, through not running, with a time of 34.49, and Roger Goddard was 2nd, in 40.33.
There was plenty of local interest on the Blue course, which featured the SuperVet Men and the Vet Women, as well as the M18s. Jason Inman topped Men's SuperVet in his first run at his new standard (34.40) with Fraser Purves 3rd (37.05) and Rachel Kirkland was 3rd in Women's Vet (48.18). Peter Owen was best placed of our athletes in the field, 2nd overall and also 2nd in M18 (31.59).
Lucas Baikie had an audacious performance on Green, as he was 3rd overall (26.02) to win the M14 class, James Edward was 2nd (34.31) and Fraser Cheyne picked up the honours in M16 in 26.22.
The course honours didn't stop there though; there's a complete FVO podium in Women's SuperVet, as Alison Cunningham remains undefeated in three years on the course (31.50) with Hazel Dean (33.49) and Cathy Tilbrook (37.50) making up the set. Meanwhile, Mark Holliday only seems to come alive in the dark, and a bronze medal today in Mens UltraVet (40.32) is his 12th in total at the night champs.
Outside of the medals, John Owen was 4th on the seniors course (39.50), and Sophie Edward went one better on the novice course (19.49) behind two M14s.