Hippo Backmarkers Dominate

By Brian Marantelli 25 May 2017

Races three and four of the Victorian Cross Country League season were both over the short 5km distance and both events were won in similar fashion. Coach Mark Hipworth’s top two distance athletes from the VAL track season came off tight handicaps to score convincing wins.

In race three on Mothers Day at Brimbank Park, Michael Marantelli came from a very tight handicap to take the lead with under 600 metres to travel and won by seventeen seconds from the improving Adamo Traini and Daniel Lawlor. The win was Michael’s fifth with the club previously winning twice at both Warringal Park and Around the Bridges. Marantelli’s VAL season included wins over 1600m and 3200m at Northcote, Warrnambool and Ararat. Michael’s time of 16:03 was the fastest of the day whilst Camilla Whishaw was the fastest of the females with a time of 19:51.

Mitchell Cashion won the Moran Stable 5km at Karkarook Park the following Saturday with another great run off the back mark in the time of 15:33, clearly the fastest of the day. Mitchell, new to the VCCL, enjoyed a break out year over the summer season with several wins including the VAL’s top distance event, the Herb Hedemann 1600m at Stawell. After the calculation of times in the sealed handicap Mitchell had only one second to spare from his stablemate Daniel Lawlor and a further seven seconds to another Hipworth runner, Matthew Grant. Janine McKerron, the first of the ladies, was fourth overall and Camilla Whishaw was fastest female with a fine effort of 19:02.

Many thanks to the Tony Moran stable for their generous sponsorship over a long period of time.

The next VCCL event is June 4th at Woodlands Park in Greenvale for the 8km Caruana Classic, where we will be joined by the Bendigo Athletic Club. Start time is Sunday 10am.

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