Cross Country 2026 Pointscore competition kicked off at UOW on 18th April.
It was a picture-perfect afternoon, and it was fantastic to see so many people in attendance for our opening round. Feedback on the new and improved course was overwhelmingly positive. A big thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to develop the course.
In the 1km event there were six competitors. Sally Browne was first home in 10:06, followed closely by Grace Parmenter in 10:16. Ayla Parmenter and Michael Parmenter crossed the line together in 10:20. Harry Morris finished fifth in 11:24, with Nash Connolly sixth in 12:15.
The 2km event attracted seven participants. Charli Keogh crossed the line first in 10:43, followed by Jaxon Keogh in 11:21. Hallie Browne, Joel Browne and Maggie Vaughan all finished together in 11:24 whilst Phoebe Armstrong and Lani Parmenter both recorded 11:38.
Leading the field of 12 in the 3km event was Simon Donougher in 14:53. Jack Kinsele and Ivy Donougher shared second place in 15:13, with Steve McCullough close behind in 15:17. Steph Donougher was next in 15:45, just ahead of Mila Bozikov in 15:47. Piper Browne was seventh in 16:16, followed by Peter Dooley in 19:00. The Emmerton family battled it out for line honours, with Alex finishing in 19:22, Ben in 19:28 and Mitch in 19:41. Malachy Martin rounded out the field in 22:01.
The Medium Course (5km) saw the biggest field, with 19 participants. Matt Reid led the pack home in 19:26. Leith Babian crossed in 19:59, with new member Ron Cozijnsen third in 20:15. Scott Armstrong ran strongly for fourth in 21:06, while Gavin Dyball finished fifth in 23:51. Will Heffill was sixth in 24:06, followed by Dean Bryce (26:09), Glenn Sansom (26:44), Andrew Heffill (28:53), Sam Keogh (29:53), Angela Bond (31:30), and Erich Moeller-Duhme (32:52). Hannah Vaughan and Alex Arnold tied in 33:17. Katie Martin was next in 35:05, followed by running partners Natasha Toms (36:34) and Sky Martin (36:35). Eva Moeller-Duhme completed the field in 45:09.
There were four starters in the Long Course. Scott Martin claimed a comfortable win in 43:29, followed by Peter Khourey in 52:30. Rebecca Cooper finished third in 53:54, with Paige Connolly-Davies fourth in 54:46.
This year, not only do we have a newly designed course at our UOW home, we have also introduced mass starts to our cross country competition. Previously, most club runs were handicapped, with the slower runners starting first and the faster runners starting last with everyone else in between. This year, most club runs will be conducted as mass start events, with handicaps applied to each runner retrospectively to determine the final placings. This change has been introduced in response to member feedback, with the aim of creating a more streamlined and enjoyable race-day experience.
By moving away from staggered starts, we expect smoother, more efficient race afternoons with fewer delays and simpler race management. The mass start format also encourages greater social participation, allowing runners to start and share the experience together, building a stronger sense of club community and atmosphere.
While all runners will start together, runners will be advised of their handicaps prior to the race, with those handicaps then applied to the results to ensure fairness across all abilities. Results will be calculated using these adjustments, so every participant still has a genuine opportunity to compete for placings and win, not just the fastest runners. This approach maintains inclusivity and motivation across all levels of ability. Overall, the updated format aims to combine fairness with a more social, engaging, and time-efficient race experience for all members.