By JAMIE STRUDLEY
YARRA Ranges Athletics annual Handicap Cross Country was held in Coldstream on Saturday morning.
The clear skies betrayed the very soft ground from the rain during the week, but that didn’t stop runners from racing hard.
The unique racing format saw runners given a starting time based on their performances from races during the season.
Club handicappers worked hard to give all athletes the chance to be first across the finish-line.
The early starters ran strongly to try and hold off the fast finishing back markers, who had a rare chance to chase the field.
The rotunda on the hill in Margaret Lewis Reserve was a popular spot for spectators to watch the races unfold and to provide the customary enthusiastic cheers for all runners.
Event place getters were:
Under 6s Girls 500m: 1st Charlotte Spiteri, 2nd Maddie Cannon, 3rd Sinead Willey
Under 6s Boys 500m: 1st Sam Laven, 2nd Mathew Tartaglia
Under 7 and 8s Girls 1000m: 1st Kaylah Cannon, 2nd Stephanie Van Bemmel, 3rd Zoe Clarke
Under 7 and 8s Boys 1000m: 1st Harvey Kane, 2nd Anthony Targtalia, 3rd William Spiteri
Under 9 and10s Girls 1500m: 1st Ciara Willey, 2nd Cassie Lennon, 3rd Annabelle Tyquin
Under 9 and10s Boys 1500m: 1st Jake Russel, 2nd Tyson Flavel, 3rd James Davidson
Under 11 and 12s Girls 2000m: 1st Tahlia Harris, 2nd Ashleigh Rook, 3rd Aleesa Keenan
Under 11 and 12s Boys 2000m: 1st Rhys Thomson, 2nd Tyden Keenan, 3rd Mitchell Deckert
Open Girls 3000m: 1st Sarah Rollo. 2nd Zoe Sibley, 3rd Georgia Laven
Open Boys 3000m: 1st Brayden Woolridge, 2nd Hayden Rook, 3rd Harrison Van duuren
The next round of Cross Country sees Yarra Ranges Athletics Club visiting Cockatoo Little Athletics centre for their annual Hills Challenge on 13 August.
A challenging, fun event where runners will be tested by both the course and the other visiting athletes.
Yarra Ranges will be striving to retain the perpetual trophy in the club points competition.
The next round of the Athletics Victoria XCR16 season for Yarra Ranges Athletics senior competitors is the popular Ekiden Relays held in Anglesea, a truly unique event with different distances raced by each runner on the coastal trails course.
This is to be combined with a club trip for Yarra Ranges families to spend time together away from events and competitions.
For results, news, photos and more, visit www.yarrarangesathletics.org.au or check out the Facebook page.
