Giffnock North AC have won the Lindsays Trophy for the third successive year. The Glasgow club enjoyed a superb Lindsays Cross Country Season and tallied the biggest overall number of finishes across three national events at Lanark, Perth and Falkirk.
With 242 athletes having competed, Giffnock were well clear of nearest rivals Edinburgh AC to land the trophy they won in 2019 and 2020. Garscube Harriers, winners in 2018, took third place.
The Lindsays Trophy was handed over to Giffnock at a special presentation by Ian Beattie MBE, our Chief Operating Officer; GB U20 international and Giffnock North AC athlete Hamish Armitt and Mike Johnston, Convenor of the Road Running and Cross Country Commission.
We are delighted to confirm that this year’s final table includes no fewer than 115 clubs – with 109 of those being Scottish clubs. That’s up by almost 20 clubs from the 96 listed in 2019-20 and represents strong growth post-pandemic.
All of the top ten clubs had more than 100 finishers which is terrific for the sport. A club is listed if they have at least one finisher at any of the three Lindsays Cross Country Season national events.
The global pandemic hit cross country events hard in 2020-21 but thankfully the season returned in full over the past winter.
Big turnouts at the Lindsays National Relays at Scone Palace and the Lindsays Short Course Champs at Lanark set up the February highlight – as the Lindsays National XC was staged at Falkirk after a two-year absence.
And Giffnock didn’t just impress in terms of participation, the club won all six age group team races at U17/U15/U13 level and the two overall trophies for performance across all male categories (the A.T.Mays Trophy) and across all female categories (the Pat Spence Trophy).
Ian Beattie MBE, Chief Operating Officer at Lindsays, said: ‘I’m delighted to award Giffnock North AC the Lindsays Trophy following another strong season. The club’s record in the competition really is impressive. Huge credit goes to the athletes, their coaches and supporters.
‘We are undoubtedly in a great period for athletics across Scotland, with the success of our elite athletes proving an inspiration at all levels. The fact that we had 115 clubs competing in this competition stands testament to the remarkable impact that the sport is having in communities the length and breadth of the country.
‘As a firm, we are incredibly proud to be able to put Lindsays name to the Scottish Cross Country Season and to support athletics in Scotland. The original idea behind presenting a Lindsays Trophy was to grow participation in the sport so it’s brilliant to see the number of clubs steadily rising. And joining Hamish for the presentation reminds us all what can be achieved.
‘The links between good physical health and positive mental health have never been clearer. The two are key to active, healthy communities and a thriving economy. As an employer, we are committed to encouraging all of this. It has never been more important as the nation recovers and rebuilds from Covid-19.’
Giffnock North President, Billy Glasgow, said: ‘Everyone at the club, from the most seasoned Veteran to youngest Junior, is delighted to have won the Lindsays Trophy again.
‘It's a much-appreciated reward for all the efforts that go into supporting - and enjoying - the cross country season's major events. Major thanks must go to Lindsays for their continued, far-sighted and considerate support of the sport.’
Endurance Coach Dudley Walker added: ‘The Lindsays Trophy is a prize we love to be in the running for, as well as a great incentive to every club in Scotland – because it is about getting team out there competing at National events.
‘Having more runners means deeper competition, a more exciting atmosphere and a more memorable day out for all, including the volunteers, relatives, parents and supporters.
‘Claiming all six age group golds at the 2022 Lindsays National XC was the cherry on top of a long, demanding season for our athletes and as hard-working a band of coaches as you'll meet. We look forward to defending the Lindsays Trophy next year and facing up against so many strong and able clubs.’
Hamish Armitt helped make presentation at the club’s training bases at Eastwood High School on Glasgow’s south side. Hamish was 10th at the European Cross Country Champs in Dublin last December as he represented GB and NI in the U20 Men’s race for the second time (he was 31st in Portugal in 2019). His connection with cross country stretches back a number of years already and Hamish is in fact the only Giffnock North AC athlete to win gold at the Lindsays National XC at U13, U15 and U17 level.
Final results:
Top ten clubs with highest number of finishers at Lindsays National Relays, the Short Course Champs and the Lindsays National XC:
Giffnock North 242
Edinburgh AC 199
Garscube Harriers 165
Cambuslang Harriers 160
Central AC 136
Corstorphine AAC 122; East Kilbride AC 122
Bellahouston Road Runners 107
Shettleston Harriers 105
Falkirk Victoria Harriers 101
Lindsays Trophy history (with full table for 2021-22 via icon) can be found here.
