Blakey Allus Has Wan At Eleven

By Brian Marantelli 6 May 2014

The 82^nd Victorian Cross Country League season opened on Sunday with the traditional Bob Charlton and Fred Grubb Memorial 6.5km at Boeing Reserve, Strathmore. The weather was overcast and rain threatened throughout the morning but fortunately stayed away for the race. The event started at eleven, an hour later than usual, to give runners, old and new, ample opportunity to register and catch up before the start. With the return of many of our regulars and also a good number of first time runners a final field of fifty one took to the river pathway.

Simon Field, back with the club after a season off, led the sealed handicap field from the start and recorded the fastest time of 21 minutes flat. As good a run as Simon’s run was, it was not enough to get him into the money after handicaps were deducted.

Gary Blake, after finishing second in last season’s final race at Westerfolds Park, won the event with a time of 27:02, holding out Duncan Whitford and Greg Foran. Gary, fresh from another track season with the Victorian Athletic League, had a margin of sixteen seconds over Whitford with another seventeen seconds to Foran. The next bracket of finishers belonged to the VAL athletes with Phil O’Brien, Sean Quilty, David Page, Joel Donnar and David Spence all moving onto the cross country season after the recent Stawell carnival. Colin Davis, celebrating his 250^th run with the club, finished ninth just in front of new member, Tasmanian Ian Cayzer.

Simon Field recorded the fastest time with David Spence forty four seconds behind him. Corina Kapusta was fastest female and Arron Downes collected the novice award.

The VCCL is pleased to announce that Rob Furness has joined the VCCL as the sponsor of the greatly anticipated weekly raffle. Each week Rob will kindly provide a voucher or sporting wear for the major prize. Furness, the proprietor of the Puckle Street icon Sims Sports Store is looking forward to his involvement with the VCCL.

Once again Leanne Callaghan is running the weekly “Tootsie Lotto”, see Leanne for a $50 season ticket number.

After a break for Mother's Day, we return the next Sunday for the Moran Stable Handicap at Karkarook Park, Oakleigh for a flat and fast 5km at the more usual time of 10:00am.

Related

Race 1 Photos courtesy of Leanne Baxter.
Handicapping Update from David Page.

---

Recent News