Scottish 10-Mile Champs preview

Friday 8th April 2016

Scottish 10-Mile Champs – a great club event at the Tom Scott races

Album of photos from Bobby Gavin from 2015

The Tom Scott Memorial Road Races, sponsored by Hydracrat, host the Scottish and West District 10-Mile Championships on Sunday – with all-time entry records broken and well-known names set to appear.

Now in its 54th year, the 10-Mile race has broken its previous entry record for the second successive year, with the event reaching 400 entrants for the first time in its history, breaking the previous record of 380.

The big news in the build-up is that the Men’s and Women’s Scottish 10-Mile champions from 2015, Craig Ruddy (Inverclyde AC) and Megan Crawford (Fife AC) have both declared their intention to return.

Ruddy will face stiff competition once again from Tewolde Mengisteab (Shettleston Harriers), runner up on the last two occasions and winner in 2012, with further competition from Ronhill Cambuslang, who will be strongly represented by Stuart Gibson, Iain Reid and Kerry-Liam Wilson.

With Paul Sorrie (Shettleston Harriers), Stephen Trainer (Greenock Glenpark Harriers), David Millar (Irvine AC) and John Newsom (Inverness Harriers) also set to appear, it will make for an interesting battle at the front.

In the women’s race Crawford has confirmed her intention to return and defend her title, with Fionnuala Ross (Shettleston Harriers) set to make her first appearance after finishing in 2nd at the Scottish Cross Country Championships in Falkirk last month.

Jessica Oliver-Bell and Avril Mason (Shettleston Harriers), Sarah Liebnitz (Inverness Harriers) Halina Rees and Sheena Logan (both Fife AC) and Jennifer Forbes (Gala Harriers) will be some of those contesting for the top positions.

Indeed, the appearances of Ross, Ruddy, Mengisteab and Newsom – all in the top 10 at the Scottish Cross Country – demonstrate the strength of the 10-Mile Championship and suggests intriguing races are in prospect on Sunday.

The early leaders last year

In total, an overall record of 495 athletes entered the Tom Scott Memorial Road Races, with an all-time high number also entering the Round the Loch 6k.

The Round the Loch 6K attracts runners of all abilities, from local fun runners to serious athletes with a preference for shorter distances. Derek Govan and Jozsef Farkas – winners in 2014 and 2015 respectively – will return, as well a host of challengers from host club Law and District.

Race Organiser Robert Benyon said: ‘The Tom Scott event has been a fixture in the Lanarkshire area since 1962 and enjoys great turnout every year.

‘As hosts of the Scottish 10-Mile Championships, a strong field is guaranteed and certainly this year’s looks to be the best for quite some time. It should be really competitive.

‘With nearly 500 athletes entered previous entry records have been smashed, making for some interesting races with battles throughout both the 10-Mile and the 6K.’

Both the 10-Mile and Round the Loch 6k races will begin at 10am on Sunday.

The Tom Scott Road Races organisers are extremely grateful to sponsors Hydracrat, Tunnock’s and Co-op Funeralcare for the assistance they provide.

With thanks to Bobby Hill