Stan Watson triumphed in a closely fought battle with Jacinta Collier to take out the Stawell Amateur Athletic Club Handicap held last Saturday.
Eighteen senior runners set off in fine conditions over the demanding 8km course, with Gary Saunders first runner away.
At the half way mark Jacinta Collier and Stan Watson were well positioned, but backmarkers Col Barnett and Ray Scott were also making up good ground.
After a neck and neck battle with Collier, Watson finally broke free 1km from home, going on to score his first win for the season. Collier hung on to run second, with the fast finishing Barnett third.
Col Barnett ran the fastest time of 29min 33sec. Jacinta Collier ran the fastest female time of 33min 11sec.
A field of 11 junior runners set off on the 3km event, which produced an exciting finish with the first 4 runners separated by only 15 seconds.
Shaun Parnaby found the course to his liking, and powered up the last hill, overtaking Harry Steggall, to grabbed the lead 300m from home. He managed to hold off a finishing burst from Naomi Jamieson to win, with Harry a close third.
Karl Scott ran the fastest junior time of 11min 49sec. Lucy Alexander was the fastest girl in 12min 49sec.
The sub-juniors ran a 1km out and back race with pocket-rocket Lachie Hamilton scoring his second win in 3 races! Heidi Sudholz came home well to finish 2 sec behind Lachie in second place, and Richard Dugdale was third.
Dugdale also ran the fastest boys time of 4min 50sec. Heidi Sudholz was the fastest girl in 4min 49sec.