Gala Harrier Isla Paterson first female finisher at national hill-running championships

​Contested over a five-kilometre route featuring 250 metres ascent, the championships saw under-20 Paterson clock a time of 28:06 to finish as first female runner back and 17th overall.

At under-17 level, all three podium positions were secured by Harriers, with Richardson finishing first, Rankine second and Lunn third.

Richardson was 32nd overall in 30:14, Rankine 33rd in 30:52 and Lunn 61st in 35:23.

Those times saw Rankine and Paterson secure the overall under-17 and under-20 female junior hill-running league titles respectively, contested across seven races concluding at the weekend.

Richardson finished as runner-up at under-17 level in the league.

Fellow Gala Harrier Irvine Welsh was also in action at Kingussie, finishing 13th in a time of 26:36 to claim overall second position in the league.

Seb Darlow was there too, competing at under-15 level, and he crossed the line 30th overall in 30:03, less than half a minute behind Gala over-40 Tim Darlow’s 29:35 for 26th place.

Overall winner, out of a field of 80, was Team East lothian’s Angus Wright in 23:46.

Stratheran Harrier Harris Pagett was second in 24:17 and James Slimon, of Highland Hill Runners, third in 24:49.

Making up the rest of the top five were Kilmarnock Harrier Jonathon Downey, fourth in 25:00, and Perth Strathtay Harrier Struan Gatherer, fifth in 25:12.

Also on Sunday, Gala Harrier Katie Rourke was first female finisher, and 17th overall, at the 18km Salomon Three Mealls trail race near Kinlochleven in the Highlands, contested over a route featuring an ascent of 779 metres.

Her winning time was 2:04:47, almost two minutes ahead of the second woman back, England’s Millie Barnes, 18th overall in 2:06:53.

The 18km race’s overall winner was Scot Andrew Douglas in 1:29:31.

Fellow Scot Alistair Thornton was runner-up in 1:33:14 and Stewart Rodney, classified as British, was third in 1:38:59.