Deeside runner Robbie Simpson retained his title in the Stena Drilling Tartan 10km at Balmoral on Saturday but the Great Britain mountain-running international was unable to break the course record he set last year.
Simpson, 22, made a strong start and only marathon running specialist Ross Houston (Central AC) was able to match his pace in the early stages.
But before the runners reached the unrelenting 1.2km uphill section, which ends at the halfway point, Simpson had broken clear and it was obvious he had the race sewn up.
He continued to push on and eventually opened a gap of close to 400metres as he powered home in 31min 30sec, 13sec outside the record. Simpson said: “I started off fast and tried to keep the momentum going. The hill was, as usual, very tough but by that time I was on my own and it was hard to keep up the pace.
“Towards the end I knew I was a little outside the record and needed to do the last kilometre in about 2min 50sec but was far too tired to do that.
“I’m happy with that and I’m not too disappointed about missing the record. Although I think I’m fitter than last year, I had someone pushing me all the way on that occasion.”
Houston, the 2008 winner, who is waiting for his Commonwealth Games marathon selection to be confirmed, was runner-up in 32:25, while 2009 Balmoral champion Keith Hood (Corstorphine AC), competing in the Deeside race for the 14th year in a row, was a further 25sec behind in third position.
North champion Gordon Lennox (Forres Harriers) was fourth in 34:11.
Alan Reid (Peterhead Running Club) won the prize for being the first kilted runner when finishing 12th overall in 37:27.
It was the fifth time he has won this award in 10 years and the first time he has competed at Balmoral since suffering serious injuries in a road traffic accident in 2011.
Veteran Aberdeen runner Carolyn McLeod won a hotly contested women’s 10km in which 15sec separated the first three finishers. The orienteering specialist was locked in an intriguing tussle for most of the way with Moira Davie (Forres Harriers) and Clare Whitehead (Deeside Runners) but broke clear in the closing stages to secure her first Balmoral victory in 40:31.
Davie took second position in 40:38 and Whitehead, the 2004 winner, was third in 40:46.
McLeod said: “I’m really pleased as I really never thought I could do it. The other two were stronger than me on the uphill but I was able to catch them again going down.”
Jo Anselin (BP Challengers) was fourth in 41:04 and Aberdeen’s Debbie Moore, who was fifth in the ConocoPhillips 5km earlier in the day, finished fifth again in the 10km, clocking 41:12.
Lumphanan 10km champion Steph Provan (Deeside Runners) was sixth in 41:26, while seventh-placed Marie Baxter (Garioch Road Runners) won the over-40 age group prize when recording 41:38.