Edinburgh AC finished sixth in the opening match of the Premier Division of the UK Women’s Athletic League – a day that started in blazing sunshine and ended in a torrential downpour at Leigh Sports Village in Greater Manchester.

Edinburgh had five event winners, taking full points in both ‘A’ and ‘B’ pole vault as Courtney MacGuire cleared 4m and went close at PB height of 4.10m to win the ‘A’ event and Anna Gordon followed suit in the ‘B’ event with 3.70m on her UK League debut. Sarah Warnock was the other winner on the field with a wind assisted season’s best of 6.26m to take the ‘A’ long jump.

Alisha Rees turned on the after burners to win the ‘A’ 100m with a well timed dip finish. Her time of 11.61 was just 0.02 outside her own Scottish Junior record. She followed up with 2nd in the 200m in 23.97.

Lauren Stoddart, just a few weeks back into training after injury, stayed strong in the closing stages of the 2000m Steeplechase to win in 7.01.23 and gathered valuable points for the team by also covering the 1500m and 3000m as a ‘cool down’. Emily Strathdee produced a fantastic run in the latter event to take six seconds off her personal best with 10.24.68 while Emma Nuttall also continued her return to her best form with 2nd in the ‘A’ high jump, clearing 1.80m and going close at 1.85m.

There were several season’s bests including 3rd place in the ‘A’ 400m for Stacey Downie in 54.37 and a 4th place in the 400m hurdles for Mhairi Patience on her UK League debut for Edinburgh.

Missed points from unfilled events prevented a higher finish on the day despite the many good individual performances, as the club finished just 8 points behind 4th place and a single point from 5th. With such a close result it is all still to play for in matches two and three in July and August.

A huge thank you to all athletes, officials and coaches who made the trip south.

Match Result:

1. Thames Valley Harriers 215
2. Trafford 170.5
3. Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow. 170.5
4. Cardiff AAC 157
5. Birchfield 150
6. Edinburgh AC 149
7. Notts AC 127
8. Blackheath & Bromley H & AC 110