Athletics Victoria XCR08 Series
Jell's Park - Saturday, 19 April 2008
6 km Cross Country Relays

The 2008 Athletics Victoria winter season - now known as XCR08 - ushered in a new era for the Coburg Harriers with the club's top womens team returning to Division One for the first time in almost two decades. Warm and sunny conditions greeted athletes on this course of two three kilometre laps

Several athletes were also making their debut for the club, including Liam Magee who impressed with his second placing at the club's opening winter season run. Wes Johnson was another to debut for the club along with Michael Jordan. Making their winter competition debut was Jackie Steel and retuning to racing after several years away from the sport was Sam Tabit - still running well with 3:13 recorded at the 2007 Melbourne Marathon

For the juniors, the club was excited to see the debut of Griea Taylor, daughter of the super talented Carmel Taylor, while making her winter season debut was Leah Polycarpou who - like Carmel - was an integral part of our summer track & field women's 2007/08 North West Region Division 2 premiership team

To the action and the Division 3 men's team were led off by Jeremy Grey who recorded a time thirty seconds quicker than last year to set a new club course record time of 20:49 - just edging out Shane Jansen's 20:50 set at last year's event. Also performing strongly was Luong Dao, also thirty seconds quicker than last year with 22:51. David Woods was off next, running in 24:06 while the two debutantes Sam Tabit and Liam Magee had their first run for the club in the top team. Both performed very well with Magee only eleven seconds quicker than Tabit with Magee recording 23:01

The Division 4 men were ably led off by Rohan King and he was the big improver coming in some eighty seconds quicker than last year. Ken Souyave and John Braszell both ran remarkably even legs, before Josh Persson showed the benefit of twelve months  hard work on the track with 24:34 - 76 seconds quicker than last year. Edwin Cheung ran the anchor leg, with 24:36, with the two three kilometre splts almost identical to John Braszell's

Warren Burke led off Division 5 in his first race after returning from injury - like so many Harriers over the past twelve months. Robert Virgona was next off, another to improve on last year, with 26:43 some twenty seconds to the good. Debutante Wes Johnson was next off and he should be pleased with his very even splits. Mohamed Reese brought the team home

And with several key figures missing due to voluntering duties with the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival, the last men's team to go was the Division 6 men. It would mark the first time in many seasons that the Coburg Harriers were unable to fill teams all the way down to Division 7. Michael Jordan led the team off and did it tough through the second lap. Both Daniel Norris and Daryl Thompson improved on their last year efforts, both slashing almost three minutes off their 2007 times

To the ladies now and our Division 1 team was led off by Carmel Taylor, who did well to record 24:45. Stefanie Modesti was off next recording 30:05, and Modesti will be better for the run. Third runner, and another returning from injury was Stacey Van Dueren. In a massive boost for the Division 1 women's team chances of staying in that division, Van Dueren posted the fastest Coburg women's time of the day with 24:39. Anchoring the team home was Daniella Modesti who ran a great time of 28:11

With a strong turnout from our female athletes, the club was able to field a Division 4 women's team. Rita Pana - lately of the Benny Tancredi stable - showed she is not just a sprint queen with a time that would have pushed for inclusion in the team above. Johanna Hayes was next off with an encouraging 32:54 while newly appointed Winter Vice-Captain Jackie Steel brought the girls home with 33:55

With only two U14 girls, and an U18 boy available on race day, it was decided to combine the three and enter them as an U18 boys team. Well done to Josh Traine, who showed the benefit of a hard summer of track & field with 11:00 for his 3 km leg. Griea Taylor was next off with an encouraging 14:24 in her first run for the club, while Leah Polycarpou showed she is another one to watch for the future with 12:49

The club also fielded a 50 + team with John Staunton, Len Hallett and Diane Brimacombe performing admirable

A big thank you to Chris Harrap, Haris Policarpou, Philip Van Dueren and Janine (Wes Johnson's partner) for assisting as officials

SPEEDY GONZALEZ AWARDS

Division 3 Men - Jeremy Grey (20:49)
Division 4 Men - Rohan King (24:16)
Division 5 Men - Mohammed Reese (25:58)
Division 6 Men - Daniel Norris (30:53)
Division 1 Women - Stacey Van Dueren (24:39)
Division 4 Women - Rita Pana (30:40)

THE NEGATIVE SPLITTERS (faster on their second lap)

Stacey Van Dueren - 23 seconds
Rita Pana - 6 seconds

BIG IMPROVER AWARD (from 2007 event to this year)

Daniel Norris - 2:56
Daryl Thomson - 2:48
Josh Persson - 1:16

ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

This went to Michael Jordan who was not in the best spirits straight after his run. Jordan discovered what it is still taking others a lot longer to learn (your editor puts his hand up here), that if you go out hard, you won't necessarily finish as hard

And to Griea Taylor who assisted the club in its hour of need. The call went out the day before this run that we needed more junior girls and Griea was fantastic in stepping up to the plate

BLOOPER OF THE DAY

Don't know if this is a blooper exactly, but certainly worthy of a mention. Edwin Cheung's partner and member of the Brian Delaney training group Munkie Cheung was due to arrive off an international at Melbourne Airport at 1:00 pm. Unfortunately the flight was delayed by twenty minutes, so with the Jell's Park run in Wheeler's Hill due to start at 2:00 pm, Edwin left the airport (and Munkie to make her own way home) in order that he would be across town in time to run for the club. What commitment!