A smallish field of 49 assembled for the time honoured Newgrove Benchtops Eliminator at the Canoe Club on Sunday with an increasing wind affecting exposed parts of the river path. All entrants had to complete both the 4 km and 3 km events with the best performed twenty qualifying for the 2 km final.

For the first time in ages, it was a backmarker who took home the prized trophy. Pat Hagan spotted the limit markers six minutes start and only reached the lead in the last fifty metres when he overtook Coral Bridgland with Navid Rashid a close third. It was Hagan’s first club win and he has wrapped up this season’s club championship with a string of fastest times. Madeline Crawford was the fastest female in the final.

Top 10 Placings

P. Hagan 6.03, C. Bridgland 11.56, N.Rashid 8.19, S. Curtain 7.20, L. Haines 6.57, S. Beaulac 8.18, C. Rose 7.33, E. Kelly 6.59, A.Jenkins 9.11, M. Crawford 8.22.

The next club event is the Dawn Buster at the Carousel at 7 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.

The field of 55 who tackled the Intersport De Grandi Half Marathon handicap at Barwon Valley Park on Sunday faced windy conditions which made for hard going on the westward sections of the course.

This favoured the stronger backmarkers so it was no surprise to see Stephane Vander Bruggen and Dan Wright who was going for a threepeat, engage in a stirring battle. It was Vander Bruggen who triumphed by 70 metres from the gallant Wright. Vander Bruggen is the head coach of the Geelong Performance Coaching squad and this was his eighth club win.

Louise Brennan and Edward James were the fastest of their gender. Twenty-seven runners took the easier option of the consolation 5 km event. Geoff Marshall was congratulated on reaching his 300 run milestone.

Top 10 Placings

S. Vander Bruggen 82.23, D. Wright 82.10, T. De Koning-Ward 113.04, E. James 79.52, H. Mack 88.20, S. Curtain 90.28, P. Posterino 80.53, P. Fuller 103.04, M. Morton 91.48, J. Austin 119.57.

Fastest Times

• Under 40 Male: E. James 79.52, P.Posterino 80.53.
• Under 40  Female: M. Crawford 102.08, K. Bahari 110.19.
• Veteran Male: M.Clayton 81.01, D. Wright 82.10.
• Veteran Female: L. Brennan 100.44, K. Wright 119.50. 
• Masters Male: M. Maiden 96.56, S. Pretty 105.13.
• Masters Female: T. De Koning-Ward 113.04, C. Crawford 119.13
• Legends Male: D. Churkovich 104.42, J. Morton 107.27.
• Legends Female: J. Austin 119.57.
• Supervets Male: P. Fuller 103.04,F. Engelsman 129.10..
• Magic Money: P. Fuller 103.04.
• Consolation 5 km: S. Borwick 22.39.

Next Sunday’s race is the Eliminator event with races of 4 km and 3 km starting at the Canoe Club at 9:00 a.m. New members and invitation runners most welcome. Registrations close at 8:30 a.m.

Another cool morning saw a field of 62 tackle the running of the Eastside Wholefoods Four Bridges 5 km handicap at Fyansford on Sunday. Conditions were ideal but there weren’t any bridges to cross after a part of the usual course was underwater due to the river flooding.

It was Rachel Ryan who relished the revised course overtaking Coral Bridgland in the last twenty metres with Damian Woodberry running yet another placing 70 metres back in third. It was Ryan’s first club win, having run just over fifty club races since joining in 2014. Invitation runner Alana Park narrowly won the fastest female honours with Luke Haines a winner by 4 seconds in the fastest male division. John Morton was congratulated on reaching his 200 run milestone.

Top 10 Placings

R. Ryan 25.13, C. Bridgland 31.59, D. Woodberry 22.52, G. Clark 23.48, M. Gniel 22.52, C. Crawford 24.40, A.Jenkins 24.47, M. Morton 18.53, J. Foran 20.44, N. Angus 25.18. 

Fastest Times

• Under 20 Male: J. Peart 20.24.
• Under 20 Female: G. Ellis 29.04.
• Under 40 Male: P. Posterino 17.54, H. Mack 18.41.
• Under 40  Female: A. Park 21.26, M. Crawford 21.31.
• Veteran Male: L. Haines 17.50, E. Kelly 18.11.
• Veteran Female: K. Wright 24.06, L. Solly 24.37.
• Masters Male: M.Maiden20.04, J. Foran 20.44.
• Masters Female: S. Andrews 22.06, C. Crawford 24.40.
• Legends Male: K. Walker 22.03, D. Churkovich 22.38.
• Supervets Male: D. Elward 20.33, P. Fuller 23.21.
• Supervets Female: C. Stephens 25.46, C. Bridgland 31.59.
• Magic Money: S. Borwick 23.08.

Next Sunday’s race is a 21.1 km handicap race starting at the Barwon Valley Park at 8:00 a.m. There is also a 5 km event. New members and invitation runners most welcome. Registrations close at 7:30 a.m.

The warmest morning for many months made for pleasant racing for the field of 52 who travelled to Anglesea for the running of the Injury Clinic 8 km handicap on Sunday.

It was Michael Orelli, a superveteran of 460 club races who defied the efforts of the following pack to win by 180 metres from perennial placegetter Damian Woodberry with Jeff Walker a further 120 metres astern. It was Orelli’s sixth handicap win and he attributed his improved performance to the warmer conditions, having a distinct dislike for the cold of winter.

Susan Andrews and Paul Posterino were the fastest of their gender. Thanks to the course directors and marshals whose expertise made the race such a success.

Top 10 Placings

M. Orelli 49.59, D. Woodberry 39.20, J. Walker 43.35, N. Angus 42.50, G. Clark 40.28, J. Foran 35.47, L. Haines 30.46, M. Gniel 39.41, S. Curtain 32.38, L. Ryan 35.12.

Fastest Times

• Under 40 Male: P. Posterino 29.54, H. Fleet 31.18.
• Under 40  Female: J. Bish 41.00,  K. Bahari 41.01.
• Veteran Male: E. Kelly 30.23, L. Haines 30.46.
• Veteran Female: K. Wright 41.44, L. Solly 42.16.
• Masters Male: J. Foraan 35.47, Z. Krstevski 35.58.
• Masters Female: S. Andrews 37.56, N. Angus 42.50.
• Legends Male: D. Churkovich 38.04, J. Morton 40.14.
• Legends Female: J. Austin 45.06.
• Supervets Male: D. Elward 34.45, G. Clark 40.28.
• Supervets Female: C. Stephens 43.39, F. Barnett 56.50.
• Magic Money: K. Bahari 41.01

Next Sunday’s race is a 5 km handicap race starting at the Fyansford Hotel at 9:00 a.m. New members and invitation runners most welcome. Registrations close at 8:30 a.m.