News of some of the top performances from the past week including a Scottish 12-hour record by Fionna Ross and a world junior pole vault record by New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney

Ultra running

Barcelona 12 hour/24 hour track races, December 19-21

Two of Scotland s international ultra distance athletes enjoyed a successful weekend in Barcelona with Fionna Ross setting a Scottish record while placing first lady in the 12 hour event and Marco Consani winning the 24 hour event in a PB, reports Adrian Stott.

The distance of 130.9637km recorded by Ross bettered the previous record set by Debbie Consani by nearly 2 km. Debbie, who was there as support for her husband Marco, was one of the first to congratulate her friend and occasional training partner.

It also puts Ross in second place on the GB all time 12 hour rankings with only Eleanor Robinson having run further.

Consani finished with a distance of 256.531km. It moved him into second place on the all-time Scottish 24 hour rankings, behind Don Ritchie and into eighth on the the all-time GB rankings.

Track and field

Auckland, December 19

New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney broke the world junior pole vault record with a clearance of 4.64m and also gained an Olympic standard. The previous record held by Swede Angelica Bengtsson was 4.63m set indoors in 2011.

Cross country

Iris Lotto CrossCup, Brussels, December 20

Fionnuala McCormack of Ireland won the women’s 6km in 20:07, seven seconds clear of runner-up Maureen Koster of the Netherlands. Louise Small was the leading Briton in sixth. McCormack had previously finished second or third four times.

Dame Tasama of Ethiopia won the men s 10.5km race in 32:19, well ahead of Kenyan Patrick Ereng s 32:44.

Nick Swinburn finished a fine fourth.

Jack Rowe won the junior men’s race and Phoebe Law led a British top four in the junior women’s race, while Kathleen Faes won the under-17 race.

South of Thames 7.5 mile Cross Country Championships, Tonbridge, December 19

Kent AC dominated the event in terms of gold medals. John Gilbert won the men’s race and led his team to victory while clubmate Amy Clements won the women’s race. They narrowly lost out in the women’s team event though to Dulwich Runners.

A full report and Jeremy Hemming’s photographs will appear in the next issue.

South West Cross Country Championships, Bicton, December 20

There was a clear win for Owain Jones in 32:07 and Charlotte Green won the women’s race in 24:28 from top veteran Emma Stepto.

Road

Saltwell 10km, December 19

Ryan McLeod gained his fourth victory in the event winning over the tough course in 31:28, almost a minute clear of Carl Smith. Ryan’s father Mike had won the event 16 successive times between 1974 and 1989.

Alyson Dixon, who had won three times herself between 2011 and 2013, regained the women’s title. She timed 35:39 to beat Justina Heslop’s 36:50.

A full report from Les Venmore and photographs from David Hewitson will appear in the next issue.

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