| Last Updated - 13th May2008 |
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LATEST NEWS
AV Road Race
Sandown Racecourse
Saturday 17th May
Some important details for Rd 3 of the XCR08 season at Sandown:
Start times:
.All Junior 3k events start at 1.45pm.
.All 10k events start at 2.30pm
.NB: Entires close 5pm Mon May 12.
Bus:
.We are planning to have a team minibus thanks to Chris Sly leaving at 10.45am from Landy Field. Those intending to take the minibus should email myself or Chris Sly (sly.christopher.l@edumail.vic.gov.au) ASAP. Cost is $8 each. If there is not enough interest, the minibus will be cancelled as it becomes financially unavaliable.
Officials:
.We are desperately short! Geelong Region is required to provide 3 officials at Sandown. Failure to do so means we get NO points for any of our teams. In past years, this burden has been shouldered mostly by the same junior parents, but this is unsustainable – as we are discovering now! If you know of any family or friends who could possibly fill this role at Sandown, please let me know ASAP.
2008-09 Bib Numbers:
·There are still a large number of AV rego numbers that need to be picked up. If you don’t have yours and plan to run at Sandown, can you please let me know so I can ensure that I have them.
Sandown Info:
check your AV books (I will have a supply there on Sat if you don’t have one) or see http://www.athsvic.org.au/viewPage.php?webPageID=95
Good Luck to all running Saturday.
AV Cross Country
Lardner Park, Warrigul
Saturday 3rd May
On Sat May 3, we had a small team drive the 2hrs + to Lardner Park in Warragul for Rd 2 of the XCR 08 season. These races also doubled as the Victorian Country Cross Country Championships for 2008. Lardner Park has a reputation for offering true cross country running and it seems that the hills, mud, fence & multiple ditches to be jumped didn’t disappoint, especially with heavy rain in the 24 hours prior.
The U’14 girls kicked off the afternoon over 2kms. Claudia Verstraten and Jmara Hockley-Samon both had fantastic races to finish 2nd & 3rd overall respectively and 1st & 2nd in the country championships.
Clare Hodgson was next to represent Geelong in the U’16 girls 3km race and similarly had a fantastic race, also finishing 2nd overall and & 1st in the country championships.
Our senior men were next to race over 8kms. After securing a win in the opening round, they were very keen to have a good result at Lardner to keep close to the top of the Div 1 ladder. Things looked shaky in the lead up, however, with numbers down and fingers crossed that illness or injury would not hit any of those planning to run in the lead up. Fortunately the only hiccup proved to be Andre LaGerche’s navigational skills in finding Lardner Park, but a 2 lap course always lends itself well to warming up during lap 1! Lee Troop recorded another impressive run. Despite feeling tired from a heavy training load and spending more time in recent weeks with his altitude tent than Freyja and Macy, he managed to win by 23 secs and in so doing, also recorded Geelong’s 3rd Country title for the meet. Next in for Geelong was Ryan Christian who continued his recent good form to finish 15th overall and 2nd in the country championship. Andre LaGerche who started with cold legs but a high heart rate slowly made his way through the field to be next in for Geelong placing 30th overall, followed soon after by Michael McNaughton (33rd), Colin Thornton (34th) and Wes Benson (59th). Word has it that if you exclude the time it took Andre to get over the one fence per lap, he would have threatened the top 3 placings! Next in for Geelong having his first run for Geelong was Jack Verstraten (134th) – welcome and well done. Jack was followed in by Andrew Chalmers (235th). Overall Geelong finished 3rd in Div 1 which is a great result given that it could easily have been much lower if Andre (or anyone else) was still out there now trying to get over that fence! This places Geelong 2nd overall in Div 1 after Rd 2, 1 pt behind Box Hill and 2 pts ahead of Knox.
The last race of the day was the senior women’s over 6kms, that was made up of a 2km then 4km circuit, to ensure that they got to fully enjoy the whole fence / ditches / hills experience! First home for Geelong was Kristen Wyatt finishing 20th overall and 3rd in the country championship. Word has it that Kristen spent much of her time towards the front of the field before the elements took their toll late in the race. I cannot confirm whether the fence had any role in her undoing but if so, perhaps Andre and Kristen can team up at training prior to the 2012 running of this race! Kristen was followed across the line by Cathryn Hoare (47th), Freyja Troop (78th), Lisa Verstraten (102nd) and Eliesha Byrt (106th). If you truly want to see the fence together with the one competitor neither Andre nor Kristen will be seeking for advice, check out the YouTube footage at http://www.youtube.com/athsvictv. Also featured in this footage are all 3 of our newly crowned country champions.
A reminder that those wishing to race must have entered via Athletics Victoria by 5pm this Monday. You are automatically entered if you took out a season ticket.
Before finishing, a final congratulations to Andre La Gerche who backed up last Saturday’s run to win the Puffing Billy Great Train Race the following day by over a minute. I’m not sure whether there were any similar navigational difficulties on the way there, but clearly no fence jumping was involved!
Geelong results can be found here.
AV Cross Country Relays
Jells Park, Wheelers Hill
Saturday 19th April
 The winning Geelong Region Division 1 Men's Team
A small, but dedicated Geelong Region crew tackled many other teams in the first race of the Athletics Victoria Cross Country season at Jells Park.
In their defence of last year’s Premiership, the Division One Men’s team were always likely to be victorious fielding athletes of that calibre. Brett Coleman got the team off to a solid start, while Michael McNaughton and Andre La Gerche consolidated the position to hand over to Lee, who ran beautifully to record a time of 17.23 minutes. Sandwiched between the two Australian Beijing representatives, Colin Thornton put in a fine performance placing Craig into third position at the start of the final leg. Mottram burned up the Jells Park course to record a sizzling time of 16.39 minutes for the 6km and take Geelong to a impressive victory.
Geelong's Division One team were unable to field a full team, but Kristen Wyatt , Cathryn Hoare , Eliesha Byrt , all ran strongly.
The Under 16 Women’s team of Clare Hodgson, Wendy Parish and Shantelle Maurer finished a creditable 7th, while the Women’s Under 14 team of Jmara Hockley-Samon , Darcie Verstraten and younger sister Claudia Verstraten , managed to win a bronze medal.
Thanks must also go to Lyn Taylor and Peter Samon for fulfilling the important role of duty officials for AV and to Andrew Hodgson and Jack Verstraten for managing the junior teams.
 Darcie Verstraten, Claudia Verstraten and Jmara Hockley-Samon
Geelong results can be found here.
BUSH INN AWARD
This award goes to Colin Thornton, who made himself available for this race only five days after the birth of his first child. Colin may also have felt under some pressure as he was the "meat in the sandwich", linking our two Olympians together in the relay. Colin, we hope you enjoy your meal at the Bush Inn.
"The Athlete's Foot" Geelong Road Championships
Deakin University
Saturday 12th April
“The Athlete’s Foot” Geelong Road Championships opened the 2008 Winter Season around the Deakin University outer road circuit.
In the junior race, Malvern Harrier’s Leigh Bruton set a new course record time of 10.02. First local to finish was Lewis Clark, followed by Jessie Shields. Under 16 female winner was Clare Hodgson followed by Jmara Hockley-Samon and Meg Smith.
In the senior men’s race, Lee Troop used the six kilometre circuit for a hard training session. Troop picked up the pace over the final 3 kilometres to run out a convincing winner. Doncaster’s Allan Failla and Ryan Christian fought hard for supremacy with the battle for second came down to a sprint finish, with Failla prevailing by a stride.
Former Commonwealth Game’s marathon medallist, Lisa Dick slashed almost 2 minutes from the old womens’ course record. First local woman to finish was Kristen Wyatt, with Catherine Hoare and then the much improved Freyja Troop.
Thanks very much to Tony Stewart and “The Athlete’s Foot”. Thanks also to Subway, The Bush Inn Hotel, The Corio Bay Sports Medicine Centre, Oberon High School and the City of Greater Geelong and to Mary Clough, Andrew Hodgson, Tim Kilfoyle, Mary McDonald, Chris Sly, Janette Sly, Kate Sly and Janine Smith.
Results can be found here
This year the management of the Geelong Region Cross-Country Team will be shared between:
Brett Coleman (Senior Men / Women Team Management)
Chris Sly (Junior Men / Women Team Management)
Mary McDonald (Team Uniforms / Geelong Championship Races)
Lee Troop (Team Captain and general enquiries)
Please register with Athletics Victoria as soon as possible as you can only represent Geelong if you are currently registered with a Geelong Senior Club and Athletics Victoria. The 2008 - 2009 Athletics Victoria Registration Form is here.
Please fill this out and return to your Senior Geelong Club. Each Geelong Club (ie. Bellarine, Chilwell, Corio, Deakin and Geelong Guild) will also need to collect their Club Fees before they send your registration form to Athletics Victoria. Registration runs from April 1st 2008 – March 31st 2009 so includes the upcoming summer track and field season.
New athletes (or athletes requiring a new singlet / crop top) should see Mary McDonald. The colours of the Geelong Region Cross-Country Team are navy blue with white trim, so shorts / briefs / bike shorts should be navy blue.
The 2008 Winter Season Calendar is here
Please enter individual races for the season. If you are intending to run in the majority of races, a Season Ticket is the best value for money. Season Tickets / Individual Race entry forms are available on the Athletics Victoria website www.athsvic.org.au
The Geelong Team Management will enter the appropriate number of teams for the relays, so you do not need to worry about entry for these races.
Please contact Brett Coleman, Chris Sly, Mary McDonald or Lee Troop if you have any questions.
Geelong Region Cross Country Team proudly sponsored by
Corio Bay Sports Medicine Centre
Pakington Bakery
Subway
The City of Greater Geelong
The Bush Inn Hotel
Oberon High School
Geelong Athletics Inc.
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