Burns. Mighty Burns. Triumphant Burns.

It is a little known fact that the tradition of the John McGlashan College Cross County dates back to 1779 Scotland, when young Jonas McGlashan's prize  Friesian Cow absconded from the river paddock and trotted off towards the neighbouring town, and Clan McGlashan ran hard in pursuit. None were faster than Robert Burns (The bard was visiting the district, in search of discounted haggis ingredients). Burns chased the errant cattle beast up hill and down dale, through the winding hill country of the Highlands, eventually capturing it thanks to a spectacular spear tackle. Burns was fastest 'across the country' crowned champion and toasted merrily by clan McGlashan.

This is, of course, the second most prestigious victory for a Burns in the McGlashan Cross Country. Last Tuesday, was the greatest.

Burns won the cross country,  For the first time in many years, Burns was not last (as it was even the last time it won the Elvidge Cup for the overall house competition). It was not third, as so often has been the case. It was not second. Burns won. 

Now, there are other important results from the day, and there were many outstanding individual performances.  

Firstly, Burns won the overall competition.

In the senior grade, results were as follows:

1st J Hou Ross,  2nd G Westgate Gilr,  3rd Jed T.F. Burns,  4th R Johnston Burns,  5th W Morshuis Gilr

And Burns won the overall competition.

The top five Intermediate runners were:

1st M Colquhoun Ross,  2nd S Stedman Balm,  3rd J Pearson Burn,  4th H Elliot Ross,  5th L Casey Balm

And Burns won the overall competition.

The placings in the Junior Division were:

1st J Mengel Ross, 2nd H Meltzer Gilr, 3rd J Cushen Gilr, 4th J Chagnon Gilr, 5th L Mackay Ross

And Burns won the overall competition.

The Novice Top Five were:

1st A Loe Burns, 2nd C Light Balm, 3rd W Hancox Gilr, 4th L Barron Balm, 5th N Casey Balm

And Burns won the overall competition.

The Top Five Year 8 Boys were

1st D O'Brien Ross, 2nd L Brown Gilr, 3rd A Goldsmith Balm, 4th M Jarvie Burn, 5th J Levy Balm

And Burns won the overall competition.

And the Year 7s: 

1st N McCoubrey Burn, 2nd A Walker Ross, 3rd E Jennings Burn, 4th O Rongen Gilr, 5th J Hunter Burn

And, as for the overall competition - the house with the greatest heart, with the highest level of participation, with the most spirit and grit (and likely with the fewest members of the First XV, who were by-and-large pathetic) triumphed. In case you missed it, it wasn't Balmac (Last), Gilray (Next to last), Ross, Second next to last) but Burns. Mighty Burns. Triumphant Burns.