Harriers retain their title at the Comrie Relay!

This years Comrie Hills Relay was full of incident and interest with local knowledge (or recce runs) proving the decisive factor! As a result Strathearn Harriers Men's Team ended top of the tree for the second year running and our Mixed Team (Liz's) were able to take home the 1st Mixed Team prize as well.

21 Teams from Carnethy, Central, Fife, Highland, Ochils, Westerlands, Corstophine, Beacon, Cosmics and 3 teams from Strathearn Harriers assembled for the race. Many had sent considerably stronger teams than last year with most bookies probably favouring a Carnethy win over Central.

However, not far into Leg 1, the form book was thrown completely out of the window as most of the leaders took a wrong turning. Last years leg winner, Simon Peachey from Carnethy, decided that if a job's worth doing it's worth doing well by finishing the leg dead last in a time 35 minutes slower than last year! Goodness knows where he got to.

Meanwhile, Colin Glencorse rescued two Fife runners who were disappearing off course and was rewarded for his kind action with a stage win for the Harriers. Allan Mooney somehow managed to avoid getting lost and recorded an excellent time of 59.16 for his Harriers mixed team, while Liz Mestecky took a full minute off her time from last year to bring her team in in 15th place.

Leg 2 was much more straightforward with no runners losing their way or missing checkpoints. Phil Mestecky and Simon Wake had a strong run and managed to extend the lead from 1 second to nearly 2 minutes over Fife due to some good route choices and fast descending off the hill. Their time of 45.46 was second fastest on the leg behind Fallon and Ashcroft from Carnethy. The pairing of Doug Flint and a resurgent Gordon Morrison were the 9th fastest in an excellent 53.11. Cathy Tilbrook and Ali Manners also had a strong run on this tough leg finishing in 1.06.28.

So on Leg 3 Digby took off in the lead and held it until near to the summit ridge where he was overhauled by Mark Harris of Fife and then later on by Dave Weir of Fife Vets. In all, 4 runners dipped under 1.05 on this leg with Andrew Wright of Highland recording an awesome 1.01 dead for a new course record. Phil Tipping ran well to come home in 1.17.16 for Liz's Mixed Team with Adrian Wake finishing in 1.31.07 for Allan's Mixed Team.

Further chaos ensued on Leg 4 as several contenders managed to get lost and the Central A team runner missing out on a leg 4 stage win by failing to punch the final checkpoint. Ian Beattie, running serenely through the mayhem, emerged into Laggan Park with a lead of nearly 7 minutes to the great surprise of the waiting crowds, officials and indeed himself. Meanwhile, the two Fife runners were apparently enjoying a sightseeing tour of the Dunira estate while the Highland Hillrunner, who had started Leg 4 in 4th place missed the turning over Shakey bridge and shot off down the Balmuick road and thence over the horizon.

For Liz's Mixed team, Karen Pass also had a fun-packed afternoon! Literally caught with her pants down by the early arrival of Phil Tipping, she then failed to retrace her steps correctly from the monument and began descending the steep path towards the Deil's Cauldron. Despite these faux pas, she only lost one position overall and brought the team home to their Mixed Team victory in a time of 1.08.30. Shelagh's time of 1.04.49 was good enough to bring Allan's team home in 15th place.

All in all, a fun-filled event made possible by the efforts of Alex Dillon as race co-ordinator and his team of helpers and marshalls especially Phil Tipping and Gordon Morrison. The day was topped off perfectly with a wonderful B-B-Q and home baking provided by Liz Tipping, Alison Beattie, Beth Dillon and Hazel Sym for which much thanks.

Full results are here

Read what others thought of the day
Carnethy
Ian Beattie's blog
Corstorphine
Scottish Hill Runners
Highland Hillrunners (also see their message board click on Highland Hillrunners link)
Fife AC Bulletin Board (see thread entitled "Results Week Ending 9th Sept. 50km, Strett Athletics Final, Comrie, Devils Beeftub. etc")
Ochils
Cosmics

...and see some excellent photos from a Fife AC Photographer
and some more good ones from Cosmics too