Stawell Amateur Athletic Club runner Axel Meumann appeared to revel in the cold, wet and muddy conditions last Saturday, when he held off last years race winner Paul Atherton to take out the Lindsay Kent Memorial 8km Handicap.
Nineteen brave senior runners lined up in the rain for the combined handicap and championship event. Held as a sealed handicap, all runners set off together, with first across the line taking the championship points. Post-race handicaps decided the actual race winner.
Soon after the start, Col Barnett, Ray Scott, and Adrian Tyler formed the leading group, but as the race progressed, Barnett opened up a good lead.
Scott settled into second place ahead of Tyler. In the middle stages of the race Charlie Jones worked his way through the field to overtake Tyler, but had to hold off challenges from John Kelly and Peter Steggall.
However, Barnett was too good for the rest of the field and crossed the line first to claim the Championship points and fastest race time of 30 minutes 55sec. Scott was second with Jones third.
Fastest female and Women’s Open Championship points went to Ilana Jorgensen with a time of 38 minutes 22sec. Women’s Vet Championship points went to Susie Ellis.
After post-race handicaps were applied, Axel Meumann claimed the handicap section win by a narrow margin from last years winner Paul Atherton, with Col Barnett in third place.
The juniors ran a 2km sealed handicap and championship event, with Nat Watson crossing the line first for the junior male championship points and fastest race time of 8 minutes 35sec. Emily Parnaby was second across the line and earned the junior female championship points, as well as fastest junior girl in 8 minutes 49sec.
After handicaps were applied Emily Parnaby took out the race from brother Shaun, with Emma Kelly running well for third.
The sub-juniors also ran a 2km race, with a determined India Burns putting in a great run to take out the event from brother Liam. Elly Barnett was third with the fastest sub-junior girls time of 10 minutes 31sec.
Liam Scott ran the fastest sub-junior time of 9 minutes 5sec.