Six to the Fore as SoSOL Thrills.
FVO athletes ate all the cake at the SoSOL party in Aberfoyle, as they captured wins on six of the eight courses, with the remaning two being first-time podium 2nds for two youngsters.
South Achray is one of our very best areas, and having loaned it out to Masterplan Adventure last year, it was back in our plans for this campaign. Dominic Edward and Jack Cheyne made their big-race debuts as officials, and brought out the best of the terrain to play on, while Ross McLennan injected some oversight in his role as controller.
Chris Smithard had an epic battle with TAY junior Finn Duguid on the Brown course, and triumphed by a single second (50.23). No such worries for Graham Gristwood, who was head and shoulders above the field on Blue, back in 43.41 for a margin of over 15 minutes over the pack. Rona Molloy (63.25) claimed an excellent bronze in the class.
Heather Thomson won on Green in 51.20, while Paul Hammond keeps insisting he's injured and keeps winning, this time on Short Green in 36.21.
The Light Green course saw two of our athletes in the top three, with Lachlan Carruthers best in 36.23, and Sean Truswell 3rd in 47.31. The winning run stopped at the Orange course, but Callum Sweenie, in his first large race, was 2nd in 36.21.
The Yellow podium is all FVO, where Mirren Howell (21.40) won from Struan McIntyre (23.02) and Oscar Baikie (27.36) was 3rd. And there's a new Gristwood in town, as Maya picked up her first-ever podium finish on the White course, where she was 2nd in a most creditable 21.07.