Night Fighters Strike Home
The 2025/26 Forth Valley Night League series came to a spectacular finish with an epic race at Lochan Spling, near Aberfoyle, with two new champions, two defending their title and one moving class.
The ten race series takes athletes right across the Forth valley to race under torchlight, and although AROS's Alasdair Pedley won the final race in 44.12 from TAY junior Finn Selmer Duguid, local youngster Alexander Hunt headed the class for his first win. Peter Owen pushed him hard though, and moved into 2nd place on the final week ahead of former GB star Alasdair McLeod.
There was a late change in the leadership of the women's championship, and Scarlett Kelly, despite missing four races mid-season, did enough to get ahead of younger sister Esme at the death for her third consecutive win in the class. Laura Brown also contended, but missed out on a real challenge as she only raced four times.
Matthew Owen won the Novice title last time around, and he moved class for this campaign, shrugging off his shadower requirement by Christmas and then running on to take the Short course trophy, with a 55.44 win at Lochan Spling the icing on the gingerbread. Scott Baikie was 2nd in the standings, and Neil Conway forced his way into 3rd place with a silver medal in the final race.
Rona Molloy hasn't had time to race at night before, but now being a lady of leisure, she was right on the money in the battle to be women's short course champion, heading out Alice McDaid for the title, while Scarlett Kelly scrapped enough points from her three races in the division to claim 3rd place.
The Novice course entries were lower than normal, and Helena Carey was the only eligible runner by season-end, with the others either being non-members or racing only once, but three wins and two runners-up berths from her five runs mean she's champion by some margin.