Gerry Blitzkrieg At Churchill Park

By Brian Marantelli 15 July 2013

Gerry O’Donnell, enjoying his first season with the Victorian Cross Country League, captured his first win with a dogged run in the Churchill Park 6.5km handicap on Sunday. Gerry was in second place, behind tearaway leader Keleigh Robinson, with a mile to travel but chased hard to hit the front two hundred metres from home. O’Donnell held on to defeat the fast finishing Matt Grant and Robinson, dead heating for second, by six seconds. Wayne James was inches away in fourth place in the closest VCCL finish in recent memory. Phillip O’Brien made up considerable ground from his back mark to finish fifth, recording the fastest time of the day, 22:29. Last week’s winner, Richard Banks, put in another great effort by finishing sixth, just ahead of the improving Mark Andrews. Mark Hipworth recovered from a nasty fall in the final hundred metres to cross the line in eighth place. David Haigh finished ninth although he did a “John Landy” enabling Hippo to hold onto to his eighth placing. “Haighy” obviously wouldn’t make the English cricket team. Corina Kapusta, gaining the fastest female time of 26:01, closed out the top ten a few metres to the good of Travis Longmuir. Travis was the second fastest time overall with a solid run of 23:39.

The race was sponsored by long time club competitors Sean Quilty, Robert Howlett and Collingwood football stalwart supporter Tony “Joffa” Parsons.

Next Sunday is the 15^th running of the Eric Greaves Memorial at Braeside Park, starting at 10am. The race is a combined event with the Victorian Masters and for the first time the Victorian Business Runners.

Over the next few weeks the tickets for the presentation night and $1000 draw will be available.

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