Sarah Barham held off some strong challenges over the closing stages of the Stawell Sportspower 8km Handicap to take out her first win with the club.
Barham has shown a steady improvement since the start of the season and came into the race in great form.
A field of 12 senior runners set off over the challenging course in ideal running conditions. Gary Saunders and Carolyn Lehmann led the field way, with Meg Parnaby and Peter Hilbig not far behind. At the half way point middle marker Kelvin Mills was setting a hot pace, but Gary Howden and Ray Scott were also in contention.
Further back Nathaniel Warren was also coming through the middle of the field and gaining fast.
However, Barham proved to have the fitness and strenght to hold her form over the final hilly section and sped down the long hill to the finish to win by a small 3 seconds over Ray Scott, with another 21 seconds back to Nathaniel Warren, who ran well to place third.
Nathaniel Warren again notched up the fastest time of the day with a good time of 30 minutes 25 sec.
Sarah Barham was the fastest female with 38 minutes 49 sec.
The juniors also raced over a 4km course, with all of them starting together as a sealed handicap. Invitatational runner Jed Prouse led the field home. After handicaps were applied, Charlotte Hilbig claimed the win ahead of Tobias Blair.
The sub-juniors tackled an out and back 1 kilometer event, with Liam Burns taking out the event in a smart time of 4 minutes 31 seconds. Scarlet Burns was second with India Burns third.