Published: Wednesday, 24th February, 2010 2:00pm

Inverclyde's golden day

MEDAL MEN: Inverclyde's senior winning team, left to right, Mark Pollard, Ian Fisher, Craig Ruddy, Chris MacKay, Kevin Kane and Dan Mulhare.

Inverclyde AC had their most successful day to date at the Stewarts National Cross Country Championships at Callendar Park, Falkirk, on a crisp, sunny day on Saturday, with the senior men taking pride of place.

They took the crème de la crème of national championship medals by winning team gold by just one point from Shettleston Harriers. These are the medals that all clubs in Scotland would dearly love to win.

And there was also a set of silver and bronze team medals.

Inverclyde AC also are only the second club from this area to win team gold in the senior men's 12K race. The first to achieve this was Greenock Glenpark Harriers way back just after World War 1 in 1923. Inverclyde AC's senior men's history-making six counters on Saturday were Dan Mulhare, Chris MacKay, Ian Fisher, Craig Ruddy, Mark Pollard and Kevin Kane.

Irishman and current National 4K Cross Country Champion Dan Mulhare was the first counter for the club, finishing in an excellent fifth place overall.

Dan was always up with the leaders throughout and, although he did not manage an individual medal, he must still be pleased with his run. Dan also took the Stewarts Cross Country Grand Prix title on countback from Shettleston's Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab.

Close behind Dan was Chris MacKay in an excellent seventh place overall. Chris, recently returned from warm weather training with the Scottish endurance squad in South Africa, was also well up throughout in the ideal running conditions and must be pleased with his performance, especially over the country.

The next two counters, Ian Fisher and Craig Ruddy, finished in 15th and 16th place respectively with both being given the same time. Ian, originally from Greenock, but living and working down south at the moment, produced an excellent run to finish inside the top 20.

British Internationalist Craig Ruddy must also be pleased with this improved run to claim a top 20 place in a top class field on the day, which must have pleased his coach Lawrie Spence.

Just behind Ian and Craig was fifth team counter Mark Pollard who finished in 19th position. Mark, twice a former individual winner of the men's race, had a solid run and was really pleased to have helped the men's team to this historic achievement

With just a few points between Inverclyde and Shettleston, the final team counter was always going to be vital. On this occasion it was Cumbernauld man Kevin Kane who came up trumps. He finished in 39th position.

Kevin, who has a personal best of 3.46 for the 1500m, set off cautiously. With lots of athletes setting off too fast, he picked them off one by one. Kevin also said that the tremendous Inverclyde support made the difference on those wobbly moments.

Other good senior men's runs came from Gerry Gaffney, James McFadden, Campbell Cromar and Robert Gray. Inverclyde's team total was 101 points, with Shettleston Harriers on 102 and Central AC third on 175.

The popular winner for the second year in a row was Alastair Hay of Central AC in a time of 37.40 from Tsegezab Woldermichael of Shettleston Harriers in 37.45. Kilbarchan's Derek Hawkins, in a time of 37.55, took an excellent third place despite falling during the race.

In the under-20 men's 8K event, Andrew Campbell, in his first year at this age group, produced a creditable run to finish 22nd overall. Winner was Kilbarchan's Callum Hawkins in a time of 25.34.

In the ladies' 8K race the runaway winner was Edinburgh AC's Freya Murray, ahead of Emma Raven of Central AC in second and Rosie Smith of Hunters Bog Trotters in third.

Murray's emphatic win of one minute 44 seconds was also the largest winning margin since these championships began.

Elspeth Curran of Kilbarchan AAC also had an excellent run to finish fourth overall. Curran also finished second in the ladies' Stewarts Cross Country Grand Prix.

Inverclyde AC juniors also travelled to Callendar Park for the fifth year in succession to take part in the event which ends the home winter season.

Known to all as 'The National', Callendar Park was a veritable sea of domed tents as clubs from all over Scotland arrived to participate.

There was an air of anticipation around the Inverclyde tent as the juniors prepared for their events. With the sun shining high it was the under-13 boys who set off first around the frosty course, and the black and white vests of Inverclyde were prominent in the leading group.

Jonathan Glen once again led the team home at the end of the 3.2K trail with a gutsy run in sixth place, with Ross Gray and Josh Houston having superb runs to finish in 11th and 12th places. Andrew Kelham is starting to get back to fitness and a determined run from him saw the team giving the club their first podium appearance of the day with a team bronze medal.

The excitement was barely over when the under-13 girls set off and first year Emma Mitchell set the pace for the Inverclyde team ,finishing in a top 20 place.

While not managing a medal position, the girls can justifiably be proud of their performances, with Chloe Simpson and Evie Semple improving both their position and time from last year's event. First timer, Kelly Williams, gave her best performance of the season as the team finished a creditable seventh place, a great improvement from last year's 18th.

The under-15 boys set off over their 4K course.

Back on form was Rory Kelham, who finished eighth, with Greg Williams just behind in 12th place. Michael Houston kept the challenge alive with yet another gutsy run in 25th place. Jack Rice produced a superb second half, and was gaining places right to the finishing line, and with Robert Todd also giving an improved performance from last year, it was a delighted team that stood on the podium to take team silver.

Unfortunately for the club the other junior age groups were short of the necessary numbers to make up teams. However, there were a number of excellent performances, with Rebecca Munn competing in the national for the first time, recording a top 20 finish.

Nynke Mulholland once more produced a sprint finish to take 10th place in the under-17 women's result. Lisa MacDonald, still short of racing fitness, gave a good account of herself in the under-15 girls' event, as did Emma Meechan, under-17, and Debbie Moore, under-20, in their races.

Paul Currie led home the Inverclyde athletes in the under-17 men's event. With sprinter Mathew Thomson, and Jonathan Hill, making a determined effort around the 5K course, it was a pity that there was not a fourth runner available to give the boys a team finish.

Thanks go to Kay Murdoch, Rhona Bushfield, Ian Cameron, Hugh Cameron and Julie Simpson for team management, to Robert and Paul Gray, Jim Ruddy and Morry Glen for help with the tent, and to all the parents and families who supported the club throughout the afternoon. Thanks also go to Hardies coaches.

Senior men's places and times: 5, D Mulhare 38.25, 7, C MacKay 38.34, 15, I Fisher 39.27, 16, C Ruddy 39.27, 19, M Pollard 40.05, 39, K Kane 41.19, 98, S Gaffney 45.05, 127, K O'Neill 46.13, 150, G Gaffney 47.00, 210, J McFadden 49.09, 270, C Cromar 51.24, 317, R Gray 52.52, 336, R Shaw 53.54, 365, J Smillie 55.48, 398, C Spence 58.26.

U-20 men: 22, A Campbell 29.22. U-13 boys' third team: J Glen 12.55, R Gray 13.19, J Houston 13.21, A Kelham 14.12.

U-13 girls' seventh team: E Mitchell 14.41, C Simpson 15.33, K Williams 16.04, E Semple 16.15. U-15 boys' second team: R Kelham 14.01, G Williams 14.11, M Houston 14.51, J Rice 15.19, R Todd 16.36. U-15 girls: R Munn 17.07, L MacDonald 18.04.

U-17 men: P Currie 25.41, M Thomson 28.53, J Hill 29.07. U-17 women: N Mulholland 18.39, E Meechan 23.31. U-20 women: E Rice 17.50, D Moore 23.07.

Inverclyde AC juniors are supported by National Semiconductor (UK) Ltd.