BENDIGO REGION ENTERS DIVISION 1 FOR STATE CROSS COUNTRY SERIES by Craig Green
The Bendigo Region made up of athletes representing the Bendigo YMCA Harriers, South Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Bendigo University clubs will join forces again this winter to take on other elite runners in the state.
Entering Division 1 for the first time after earning promotion the men’s team will have the opportunity to directly compete for points against runners of the quality of Steve Monaghetti, Craig Mottram, Lee Troop and Jeff Risley to name just a few. In forming the Bendigo Region the young team will face a huge challenge against clubs such as Geelong Region, Box Hill, Ballarat YCW, Knox, Glenhuntly, Doncaster, Sandringham and another 5 clubs.
Currently athletics in Bendigo is going through an exciting phase with the young runners improving remarkably to reach the top echelon of runners in the state for their age and being competitive at national titles. Runners representing Bendigo include those winning country titles and also medaling at recent state championships in gaining qualification at national titles.
On Saturday 18th April the team will venture to Jells Park in Melbourne for race 1 of the 10 race Cross Country series. The course is quite undulating at Jells Park for those runners coming off the track after the summer season. The format for race 1 is 6 x 6000 metre relay for the Division 1 team, which will be a stern test and question the depth of this year’s number one team in Bendigo.
The team will be lead by last years best performer Brady Threlfall who seems to perform better the longer the distances is. Threlfall recently recorded a top 10 finish at the national under 23 titles in Adelaide over 1500 metres to go with his win on the professional circuit over the mile at the Madison carnival.
Kyall Britten coming off some terrific performances at 800 metres will be also a senior member of the team. Britten provided some determined performances last season and will be ideally suited in some of the events up to 6000 metres where he can use his speed.
The veteran and experience in the team will come from Phil Noden who mainly races on the professional circuit. An expert in pacing himself to perform to his maximum potential Noden should excel at the longer events during the race series, which was evident during last year’s events.
Tim McCullagh has displayed remarkable improvement over the past 12 months in racing up to 3000 metres. The quickest performer of a Bendigo athlete over 1500 metres during the summer season and smashing the 4 minute barrier for the 1500 metres it will be interesting to see McCullagh step up to the longer endurance events for this series.
Kaine Leech and Cody Williamson have held several close battles particularly on the professional circuit this summer. Both have performed best at 800 and 1500 metres this season and like McCullagh it will be interesting to watch how they perform at the longer cross country distances against the best in the state. At underage level they are in the best performers within the state and the success and the depth of the team will fall upon their young shoulders.
An out and out distance campaigner is young gun Andy Buchanan who seems to race best over the longer distances. Success at the country titles over 5000 metres and great consistency especially of late will ensure Buchanan is a member of this team more often than not.
Australian orienteering representative Leon Keely is an athlete that enjoys the hillier courses evident by his performance on the mountain goat track at Lardner Park Warragul last season. If Keely can recapture that form he will be a key player in the success of the team.
The above runners will perform the nucleus of the Division 1 team but due to the different events and tracks other runners will come into consideration for selection especially in the events that are 10,000 metres of more where strength will play a crucial part in the team’s success.
Josh Nolan, Brian Keely and Adam Fleming will also seek selection in Division 1 teams and certainly be entering the selector’s minds for upcoming events. They all have loads of ability and will add much needed depth to the team.
Even if available for the over 50 with Charles Chambers and over 40 teams with John Maher both will come into their own on the long distance cross country runs and half marathon events. Don’t be surprised if Chambers and Maher earn points for the Division 1 team for the events held at Lake Wendouree, Bundoora Park, Eastern Park in Geelong and the Burnley half marathon.
With such a young team the Division 1 Bendigo Region men’s team to strive for a top 3 finish will be a big ask. The remarkable improvement though shown by runners making up this team in the past 6 months does give much promise that a finish in the top 5 is possible. The top five will definitely be attainable without injury and the best athletes making themselves available.
The Bendigo Region will also send teams throughout the state to compete in the Men’s Division 5 and 7, the Men’s 40 and 50 plus, the Women’s Division 2 and 3, Women’s 40 plus and also underage teams. These teams bring to the forefront those runners competing for all Bendigo clubs into one team and representing Bendigo as a region in athletics. Up to 40 athletes each week should be representing Athletics Bendigo and the Bendigo Region against runners of all ages in the state.
Fixture for the upcoming Athletics Victoria XCR09 season:
- April 18th, Jells Park Wheelers Hill (relay event with 6000 metre legs).
- May 9th, Lardner Park Warragul (2000 to 8000 metres).
- May 30th, Sandown Race Course (3000 to 10000 metres).
- June 20th, Lake Wendouree Ballarat (5000 to 15000 metres).
- July 4th, Harcourt to Bendigo Coliban Relay (relay event).
- July 18th, Bundoora Park, Bundoora (6000 to 12000 metres).
- August 1st, Eastern Park, Geelong (4000 to 16000 metres).
- August 8th, Sandown Race Course (relay event 6200 metre legs).
- September 6th, Yarra Boulevard Burnley (Half marathon).
- September 19th, Tan Track Botanical Gardens Melbourne (relay event with 3800 metre legs).