Northern Lights Shine for FVO Stars
FVO athletes were in scintillating form in a pair of National League races in Aberdeenshire, with several of the club's less-heralded competitors enjoying their moment in the spotlight.
The Scottish Urban League race in Aboyne was first on the card, and brought a dozen podium finishes, including five class wins.
Veteran athlete Dominic Edward scored one for the seniors, as he won the Men's Open class by over four minutes, in 45.12, and he was joined on top of the podium by Hanna Brindley, who headed the Women's Open field in 41.42, assisted by a late miss from the class leader.
Alison Cunningham extended her run of success in the league as she topped the SuperVet Women class in 22.32, leading from start to finish, but she was made to work hard by Rachel Kirkland, who was 44 seconds behind in 2nd.
Fraser Cheyne fronted Junior Men in 16.41, and there was an FVO double in Young Junior Women, as Catriona Downie (17.28) was first and Emma Cheyne (27.14) was third. Will Hensman (32.43) and Mark Johnston (35.08) were 2nd and 3rd in Vet Men, and there were 3rd place finishes for Mark Wood in SuperVet Men (31.37), Val Finch in UltraVet Women (50.35) and Ethan Baikie in Young Junior Men (21.28).
Action switched the following day to Glen Dye, for the 2nd Scottish League fixture of the season, and another nine podium finishes were recorded, once again featuring some unfamiliar names.
Jack Cheyne was king of all he surveyed as he topped the Short Green course in 49.56 for his first-ever class win. And there was a club double on Brown, where Will Hensman (79.05) led, and Clare Stansfield (97.26) was 3rd, as the best woman in the field.
Master and pupil locked horns on the Blue course, where Graham Gristwood and James Hammond were running down following recent injuries which cost them their places in the Kalevan Rasti team which sensationally won the TioMila Relay in Sweden, and it was the younger man who came out top in 46.34, to Graham's 51.02.
There was another double in Light Green, where Sophie Edward (38.30) got ahead of Sean Truswell (39.16) late in the round for 2nd place, Paul Hammond managed to limp round for 2nd on Green (53.00) and on Short Blue, Hannah Inman was a W16 for the day, and was 3rd (55.19).
Grace Molloy played her part in helping her IFK Lidigno team improve its pre-race ranking by 29 places in the TioMila relay in Sweden with a big performance on a big leg.
Grace went out in a chasing start on the 3rd leg holding a provisional 16th place after good work from Emma Bjesmo Robertson lifted them up 16 places late in the 2nd leg.
Many of the top world stars were also present on the 13km leg, which was the only one without forking, but Grace was unfazed in such exalted company, and gained another four places to come home in 86.24.
Lidigno briefly dropped back to 16th, but were back up to 12th by the end, in a race that was won on the last leg by defending champions IFK Goteborg, their third win in four years.