A WORLD duathlon champion and gun triathlete, Leon Griffin ruled the race for the men’s open 6500m in South Bendigo Athletics Club’s invitational cross-country run on Saturday at Woodvale.
Racing in the Bendigo University Athletics Club colours, Griffin charged to victory in a time of 22.19 minutes.
The women’s open champion was the consistent Alice Wilkinson from Bendigo Harriers in 26.34 to be 10th overall.
ABOVE: Alice Wilkinson, right front, leads a pack home in the 6,500m event. (Photo by Bendigo Photos)
How the day unfolded
There were 152 competitors across the three race distances of the Champions Supa IGA-backed Woodvale Classic which was also sponsored by G.M. and G.L. Hilson Builders, and Intersport Bicknell’s.
Griffin was up against 54 rivals as they raced two laps of the course.
It was a Bendigo University trifecta for the men’s open 6500m as Griffin, 22.19; Floyd Cartner, 24.11; and Nathan Crowley, 24.53; led the way.
The race for the women’s open crown was keenly-fought.
Wilkinson was number one in 26.34 from Harriers’ clubmate Abby Kuhne in 26.49 as University’s Rhianna Wik-Gamble was a second away in third place.
The 6500m included awards for the 40-plus and 50-plus age groups.
Top three in men’s 40-plus were Nathan Crowley, 24.53; and Uni’s Darren Hartland, 25.33; and Andrew Hosking, 25.38.
Bendigo Harriers’ veterans Peter Cowell and Jill Wilkie were in superb form.
Racing in 50-plus, Cowell ran a great time of 25.26 to be 5th overall.
It was another brilliant hit-out by Wilkie as she was 50-plus women’s champion in 27.24 and 15th athlete to finish.
Racing on invitation basis, Suzie Pedrotti claimed the women’s 40-plus award in 30.34 from University’s Anne McIntosh, 30.49, and Andrea Smith, 31.30.
A top runner on all surfaces, Anne Buckley from Bendigo Harriers was second in the women’s 50-plus in 28.29 from University’s Lisa Wilkinson, 30.54.
ABOVE: Logan Tickell leads the field in the 3200m event. (Photo by Bendigo Photos)
A memorable afternoon for the Tickell family
A memorable afternoon for the Tickell family included wins by Logan, and younger sister Chelsea in the 3200m.
Racing in the South Bendigo colours, Logan took overall honours and the under-15 boys title in 10.25 as Chelsea charged to the finish in 12.55 to be under-15 girls champion and 10th overall.
The eldest of the Tickell siblings, Zackery ran the 6500m in 25.24 to be fourth in the men’s open.
Runner-up in the under-15 boys 3200m was Merlin Tzaros from Bendigo Harriers in 10.55 as South Bendigo’s Thomas McArthur was next ini 12.15.
Leaders in the under-18 boys division were Bendigo Harriers’ Jackson Eadon, 11.46; University’s James Trew, 12.21; and William Trew, 12.46.
University’s Abbey Cartner ran the 3200m in 13.50 to be second in the under-15 girls class as Bendigo Harriers’ Tully Lang was next in 14.05.
South Bendigo’s Caitlin Campbell was fastest of the under-18 girls in 14.08.
Fastest of the 60-plus men were Peter LeBusque, 14.31; Ricky Ermel, 14.42; and Paul Bennett, 15.51.
Carol Coad was 60-plus women’s champion in 18.07 from Lynley McDonald, 19.48, and Peta Dawe, 19.49.
Winners of the 1000m were Noah Pedrotti, 4.01, and Charlise McQueen, 4.26.
