Nowra Athletics Club sent two teams to the NSW Road Relay Championships on Saturday at Ourimbah and both teams came home with medals!
The Under 20 male team of Arron Spiessberger-Parker, Jake Myors, Harry McGill and Jye Edwards won Gold in the 4 x4km event in a combined time of 50.46 minutes. Arron set a blistering pace in the first leg, completing the 4km in 12.11 minutes. Next up was Jake who went around in 13.27 minutes, followed by Harry in 12.32 minutes. Bringing the team home was Jye in 12.36 minutes. The team lowered the course record they set in 2014 by well over a minute proving they are in great form this season and well deserving of this triumphant win in front of Bankstown Sport and Kembla Joggers.
In the women’s 45+ event Cristine Suffolk, Linda Weatherill, Angela Bond and Annette Sampson combined to take out the silver medal in a time of 1.09.46 hours. These hardworking runners were all-smiles with their silver medal. Well done!
Meanwhile the local cross country round was held at Timberhills this week. Numbers were slightly down again for this school holiday round but the weather was certainly in the runners favour, with afternoon sunshine.
There were just two mighty little runners this week in the 1km event and it was Connor Minchin who was first across the line in front of Grace Rose.
In the 2km event there were 14 runners. In Division 1 Darcy Arnold maintained his lead from Go Marker position to finish first. Scott Delo was second and Matthew Higham third. James and Jake Babian then followed in 4th and 5th place.
In Division 2 Kate Leung was the winner followed by Rachael Banwell and then Harriet Urquart.
The 3km event again saw a small number of competitors. In Division 1 Chelsea Pascoe was first home, followed by Jasper Arnold in second and newcomer Freya Robinson-Mills in third. It was also great to see Lily Murdoch back on the course running well to cross the line in 4th place.
In Division 2 it was William Pratt who took line honours from back marker position. Thomas Pratt was second and Jasper Leung third while Andrew Havadjia finished strongly in 4th place.
In the medium course Division 1 Cooper Thomson was the worthy winner with Glen Mustapic second and Peter Dooley third. Division 2 winner was Angela Urquart who beat hubby Gavin Urquart home, and Casey Johnson was third. Donna Johnson kept the Johnson name on the podium with a win in Division 3; Terry Bailey was second and Chris Russell third.
In the Long Course there were the usual dedicated runners giving it their all on the undulating terrain of the McKinnon farm, many back out running after last weekend’s King of the Mountain, including the inspirational Kevyn Davis, and the three plucky KOM women Sky Martin, Sue Anfruns and Natasha Toms. Dean Bryce and Laura Babian were so happy to be running Timberhills, they skipped off from the start line. Geoff Crook and Milton Cox both put in good solid performances as usual, along with Bradley Sawyers and Bill Broughton.
Taking the first three places this week in Division 1 though were Scott Martin, Perry Strand and Darrin Smith, in that order. Division 2 was won by Doug Jeffrey, followed by Eric Moeller-Duhme and Kev Davis.
Next week’s cross country will be held at Longreach. Hope to see you there.