Athletics

To Mizuno went the victory, but to Kilbarchan went the glory. With the weather for once relenting and the November sunshine lighting up even the drabbest of Central Scotland's en route scenery,

yesterday's sixtieth Barr's Irn Bru Edinburgh to Glasgow road relay was a race worthy of a diamond jubilee occasion.

There were at least two little bits of athletics history made to keep the statisticians happy, the victor's success being for a record eight time in a row and Trudi Thomson, of Babcock Pitreavie, becoming the first women ever to run in the event.

Mizuno Racing Club, the capital combine whom the others love to hate, duly won but the outcome was by no means their predicted procession.

In fact, they had had the temerity to suggest in some quarters that they might improve on their best winning margin of 6mins 26secs, which certainly provided incentive aplenty for their rivals - and in the end they were happy to settle for a victory achieved in slightly adverse circumstances as they were at least two runners short of their preferred line-up.

John Robson, the elder brother of Mizuno club mentor Alan, had to withdraw late on Saturday with a suspected broken ankle, the result of a training mishap on Saturday when a horse reared near him as he went for a gentle run on Kelso racecourse near his home. John swerved to dodge he horse and had the misfortune to tread in a hole.

Brian Kirkwood, who had

finished sixth in the Braid Hills cross-country race in Edinburgh on Saturday, was summoned, not for the first time in this event as a late replacement. The former Dumfries veteran said: ''If I'd known I was running I wouldn't have competed on Saturday - I was a little tired.''

Kirkwood, however, maintained second place on the fifth stage, only 12 seconds slower than Kilbarchan's Ian McDougall, though both were shaded by a scorching 27:16 by Alex Robertson for Ron Hill Cambuslang, which brought him up two places to third.

It was only on the seventh stage that they were able to take their now accustomed grip on the eight-stage, 45-mile test, along the old A8 and through Scotland's heartland after Kilbarchan had proved to be the jokers in the pack with a spirited challenge for six stages and finishing only 2mins 5secs behind at the finish at Crownpoint Stadium.

Kilbarchan, led by Scottish champion Bobby Quinn and Alan Puckrin, were absolutely delighted with their runners-up medals: ''That's the most satisfying medal I've ever won,'' said Quinn. ''It proves you don't have to be a member of a big club.''

Fife gave a tremendous performance to hold off Ron Hill Cambuslang for third, while City of Edinburgh achieved their target of a top six finish and were rewarded with medals for the most merit-orious performance having improved from tenth last time.

They were just ahead of new club Inverclyde, for whom Chris Robison had the fastest second stage, and Hunter's Bog Trotters, who had Phil Mowbray quickest on the long stage six in 33:38.

Stage six, the seven miles from Forestfield Hotel to Airdrie War Memorial, offered some fascinating head-to-head duels: Mowbary setting off just behind Edinburgh's Jeff Pyrah, Inverclyde's Tommy Murray locked in battle with Fife's Danny Leggate, who beat him by 17 seconds in 33:46, and Alan Puckrin up front holding off Mizuno's Dave Ross by 23 seconds.

Mizuno, of course, had their aces up their sleeves, Tom Hanlon taking over in Airdrie to convert a 37-second deficit into a 46-second lead over Kilbarchan's Andrew Muir and Glen Stewart cruising home in a majestic finish over a minute faster than anyone else on the anchor stage for an overall winning time of 3:47:15, nearly three minutes slower than the team's time last year.

Trudi Thomson ran the fourth stage for Babcock Pitreavie, and lost only one place to a male rival. ''If he hadn't overtaken me he would probably have been expelled from his club,'' said the British distance international who confessed she set off too fast. ''I enjoyed it and I'm glad I did it,'' she said.

Hopefully, Garscube Harriers, allowed to compete because the club are celebrating their centenary and allowed to finish though well outside the normal half-hour cut-off point, also enjoyed their outing. Results:

Sixtieth Edinburgh to Glasgow 45 miles eight-stage road relay - 1, Mizuno RC 3:47:15; 2, Kilbarchan 3:49:20; 3, Fife 3:52:06; 4, Ron Hill Cambuslang 3:52:19; 5, Shettleston 3:54:02; 6, City of Edinburgh 3:54:27 (most meritorious performance); 7, Inverclyde 3: 54:56; 8, Hunter's Bog Trotters 3:55.24; 9, Dundee Hawkhill 4:01.18; 10, Springburn 4:01.38; also 21, Bellahouston 4:23:14; 22, Garscube 4:45:45.

Fastest stages: stage 1 - D Runciman (RHC) 27:43. stage 2 - C Robison (Inverclyde) 30:00. Stage 3 - I McNicol (Mizuno) 25:11. Stage 4 - S Conaghan (Inverclyde) 26:39. Stage 5 - A Robertson (RHC) 27:16. Stage 6 - P Mowbray (HBT) 33:38. Stage 7 - T Hanlon (Miz) 27:08. Stage 8 - G Stewart (Miz) 25:43.