The 2024 East Lothian Christmas Cross Country event was back with a bang at Whitekirk Hill on Sunday 15th December.
The event featured 3 races:

• Under 11 athletes: 2.5 km course (1 loop)
• Under 13 to Under 17 athletes: 5 km course (2 loops)
• Seniors and Masters athletes: 7.5 km course (3 loops)

Runners were encouraged to wear festive attire, such as Santa hats and festive stockings. Even braided in hair baubles were spotted!

It was a beautiful, cold crisp morning and runners were rewarded with stunning views over the East Lothian countryside and across the Firth of Forth. The trail course was varied and challenging with a 79 m elevation gain, featuring one notoriously steep hill which runners were confronted with on every loop.
The event attracted runners from local clubs and beyond, with Santa Claus himself making an appearance as the tail runner in the under-11 category.

There were registrations from local running clubs: Dunbar, Musselburgh, Haddington, Lothian RC, Portobello, Edinburgh Athletics Club, Lasswade AC, Harmeny AC, Penicuik Harriers as well as runners from further afield including, Falkirk Victoria Harriers, Pitreavie AAC, Moorfoot runners and Dundee Hawkhill Harriers as well as George Heriot’s School.

All under 11 participants received medals, and prizes were awarded to the top finishers across various age categories.

Results are as follows:

• Under-11 boys – 2.5k: 1. Magnus Di Rollo (George Heriots); 2. Fergus Mackenzie (TEL); 3. Kaelan Vass (Haddington Running Club).
• Under-11 girls – 2.5k: 1. Charlotte Greenshields (Edinburgh Athletics Club); 2. Annie Whale (Edinburgh Athletics Club); 3. Martha Turner (Musselburgh and District Athletics Club).
• Under-13 boys – 5k: 1. Yuen Sham Lam (Harmeny Athletics Club) 2. Mason Vass (Haddington Running Club) 3. Adam Connolly (Dunbar Running Club).
• Under-13 girls – 5k: 1. Hannah Bogle (Lothian Running club) 2. Abi Campbell (Musselburgh and District Running Club) 3. Tessa Golding (Harmeny Athletics Club).
• Under-15 Boys – 5k: 1. Frank Orsi (Team East Lothian) 2. Frank Brown (Team East Lothian) 3. Tom Barrett (Unaffiliated).
• Under-15 Girls – 5k: 1. Imogen Turner (Team East Lothian) 2. Skye Robertson (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) 3. Kate Douglas (Musselburgh and District Athletics Club).
• Under-17 boys – 5k: 1. Thomas Gornall (Team East Lothian) 2. Freddy Fendick (Team East Lothian) 3. Leo Grilli (Team East Lothian).
• Under-17 girls – 5k: 1. Kirsty Roden (Team East Lothian).
• Seniors Male – 7.5 k: 1. Adam Gray (Penicuik Harriers) 2. Callum Reid (Edinburgh Athletics Club) 3. Fraser Kelly (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers).
• Seniors Female – 7.5k: 1. Mairi Wallace (Penicuik Harriers) 2. Suzanne Beattie (Musselburgh and District Athletics Club) 3. Zoe Robertson (Penicuik Harriers).

All at Team East Lothian were delighted with the support from across the community and thank the volunteers, marshals, and all at Whitekirk Hill who gave permission for the event.