Stawell Amateur Athletic Club runner Lindy Muller produced another strong performance last Saturday to outpace the rest of the field when she took out the Stawell Curtain Centre 10km handicap.
It brought up her third win for the season.
A smaller field of 20 senior runners set off in the warm conditions for the combined handicap and championship race. Held as a sealed handicap, all runners started together, with first across the line taking the championship points. Handicaps applied post-race decided the actual race winner.
Col Barnett soon established a handy lead over Ray Scott and John Kelly, with Gary Howden and Peter Steggall not far behind. Further back in the field Ivan McDonald and Alexa Duke were also making good time.
By the halfway point, Barnett seemed to have the Championship in the bag. He had opened up a good lead on Scott, with Steggall overtaking Kelly for third. However, the handicap placings were still wide open. McDonald and Duke were still running strongly, as were Stan Watson, Susie Ellis and Lindy Muller.
Barnett continued to build on his lead and stormed home to take line honours and Championship points, clinching the Championship series for the season. Ray Scott crossed the line second with Peter Steggall third.
Susie Ellis was the first female home and also took out the Women’s Championship points for the race and the series for the season.
After handicaps were applied, the distance loving Lindy Muller scored a clear win from Susie Ellis, also another distance specialist. Col Barnett was third.
Barnett ran the fastest race time of 38 minutes 10sec. Susie Ellis was the quickest female in 43 minutes 31sec.
The juniors tackled a 4km circuit, with Nat Watson establishing a clear lead over Daniel Faravoni by the halfway point. Emily Parnaby, Shaun Parnaby and Emma Kelly were not far behind.
Watson went on to take line honours and the boys Championship series in a time of 16 minutes 4sec. Emily Parnaby was second runner home and clinched the girls Championship series for the season with a time of 17 minutes 23sec.
After handicaps were applied, Emily Parnaby claimed the victory from Emma Kelly, with Nat Watson third.
The sub-juniors raced over a 1.2km course, with Liam Scott taking line honours from Elly Barnett. However, after handicaps were applied Elly Barnett had run well enough to take out the race from Liam Burns second, and Georgia Barnett third.
Liam Scott ran the fastest sub-junior time of 5 minutes 41sec. Elly Barnett was the fastest girl in 5 minutes 56sec.