WIND and rain couldn't stop Gala's evergreen Harriers racing onto the podium at the Scottish East District Cross Country Championships.

Held at Glamis Castle, more than 1,000 athletes from up and down the east coast competed for honours.

And following a hotly contested senior men's race featuring 60 quartets, Gala's Masters team crossed the line in 18th overall - and second in the Over 40s team race.

Gary Trewartha completed his two-miles opening leg in 15.09 minutes, with second-runner Simon Adamson two seconds quicker and Jamie McGowan, running the third leg, with a similar time of 15.11 minutes.

But Harriers anchor Graeme Murdoch produced one of the fastest laps of the day, clocking 13.40, to edge Gala onto the Masters podium behind Corstorphine AC.

Central Athletics Club claimed the overall men's team gold.

Gala Harriers B, which was also made up of veterans Bob Johnston, William McCulloch, Yan Horsburgh and Magnus Inglis, came home in 40th.

Gala Harriers senior women's team of Sarah Green, Lizzie Macleish and Kirstin Maxwell finished ninth of the 46 teams.

And the ladies' B team of Eileen Maxwell, Carole Fortune and Lindsay Dun did well to cross the finishing line in 29th.

Midlem's Zoe Pflug was just edged out of a medal, anchoring Edinburgh University's B team to fourth.

But Susan Ridley from Peebles did earn a Masters silver with the Edinburgh AC team.

The youths races proved just as competitive with Cameron Rankine showing up well to lead Gala Harriers to fifth in the Boys' Race.

Rankine was the fastest lead Under 13 athlete of the day with an opening leg time of 9.32. Under 15 Ewan Christie clocked 9.27 to keep the Harriers in third and Ewan Purves, who had to step up an age-group to anchor the team, did exceptionally well with a time of 9.43 to cross the finishing line in fifth.

Gala finished just 56 seconds behind winners Edinburgh AC.

The Teviotdale Harriers team of Robert Wood, Thomas MacAskill and Fraser Clyne finished in 23rd.

And the Gala Harriers B team of Lennon Scollon, McKenzie Power and Jake Shepherd was 33rd.