A few of the FVO trophy-winners

Having irreparably burst the club wheelbarrow at the 2022 Scottish Championships, we're now reduced to hiring agricultural machinery to haul away the medals from the 2023 version at Creag Mhich., as there were 32 medals in all from 67 starters, ten of them A class golds!

Grace Molloy is back from a year on the US collegiate circuit, and looks none the worse for the lack of terrain experience, as she cantered to victory in W21E in 77.40 for an 11 1/2 minute margin over ESOC's Alison Q O'Neil.

There were medals in all the mens classes from M12 to M60, except for M16 where we had no runner, and in all the womens classes from W10 to W60, excepting W18, where Lucy Hensman still managed a championship PB.

On the womens side, Hannah Inman (30.12) and Esme Finch (34.07) confirmed their places as the best W12s in the land with an FVO 1-2. Esme Kelly added the W14 gold in 41.10, behind an ineligible English athlete, with Eilidh Connor picking up the bronze in 58.14. Scarlett Kelly, meanwhile, had a strong race to top W16 ahead of a quality field in 42.43, and there was a silver medal in W35 for Fiona Berrow (74.05) and a first-time bronze for Alice McDaid in W40 (86.13).

Janine Inman is no stranger to the top of the championship podium, and she extended her Scottish Champs record to an incredible seven in a row (having not raced in 2017) with W45 gold in 44.40. Similarly, Beccy Osborn and Rona Molloy collected their seventh championship medal of recent times, both silvers, with Beccy home in 58.34, in W50 and Rona 18 minutes quicker on a shorter course in W55.

The W60 podium is all FVO this evening, as Alison Cunningham (43.13) topped the standings ahead of clubmates Vicky Thornton (49.09) and Heather Fellbaum (54.19). There were Short course placings for Lucy Finch (1st in W10B), Hanna Brindley (2nd in W14B), Holly Stodgell (1st in W20S), Laura Hendrie (1st in W21S) and Liz Owen (2nd in W45S).

We were no less prolific on the mens side. Matthew Owen made his championship debut and topped M12A in 31.15. Sam Hunt took silver in M18E (84.07) as did Pierre Lardet in M20E, in Pierre's case missing out on the title by a single second (81.12). Defending M21E champion Alasdair McLeod was 5th past the post this time, but has the consolation of the silver medal for Best Scot.

Andy Llewellyn (M35 - 70.53) and Dave Godfree (M45 - 54.05) successfully defended their national titles, in Dave's case for a 3rd consecutive year, while Roger Goddard won M45 silver in 58.53). Meanwhile Will Hensman and Steve Feltbower continued their head to head battle in M40 with Will 13 minutes (73.53) up on this occasion to regain the trophy he lost last year. Jason Inman won M50 silver in 63.31, Jon Cross took the bronze in M55 (56.25) after a couple of Yorkshiremen were dismissed for being from Yorkshire, and Hugh Buchanan had the M60 bronze in 63.30.

Outside the podium finishes, there were championship PBs for Rachel Kirkland. Lucy Hensman, Geoffrey Hensman, Fiona Hendrie, Nicola Melville and Jonathan Molloy. We even got in on the act in the colour-coded courses, as Peter McDaid won Light Green, Katie Hensman continued her journey back from injury with an Orange victory, and Freya McDaid edged out namesake Freya McLennan for 2nd on White.