The 2025 Cross Country Relays took place at The Armoury, Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 31st May. This was the 34th edition of the Championships and the 2nd time held at The Armoury. This year the event was held in glorious sunny conditions with temperatures around 20 degrees, which was far more pleasant than last year’s torrential rain and muddy conditions.
Nowra fielded 10 teams this year and brought home 2 team medals and shared a medal with Victory Runners with a combined south coast team.
The women’s 30-39 years team of Erin Smart, Paige Connolly-Davies, Loretta Norris and Joanna Lodge completed the 4x4km relay event in 1.16.02 to proudly take the gold medal. This was a gutsy effort with 3 of the team members usually more comfortable sprinting on the track. Erin started off the team’s endeavour in 17.52, then new member Paige completed her 4km lap in 20.05. Loretta ran lap 3 in 18.39 and Joanna, newly joining the Nowra crew, finished off in 19.24. 
In the 16-17 (U18) event, 16-year-old Lily Sproule was joined by 13-year-old Lana Crawford, and 14 year old Airlie Stevens and Madeline Oke, all of whom backed up after running the 14-15 year old relay earlier in the day. Lily kicked off leg 1 of the 4x4km event with a strong run of 15.51 and then Lana ran leg 2 in 16.52. Airlie went round in 17.35 and Madeline finished off in 16.54. This was an impressive effort for the young team and they were rewarded with a silver medal.
William Heffill and Macca Davis combined with Victory Runners Morten Ellerington and Joshua Astin-Briggs in the 13’s event and demonstrated their strength to take the silver medal in 30.46. These boys are more used to competing against each other at events, so it was great to join forces and run collaboratively! Morten clocked the fastest leg of 7.06, followed by Josh with 7.55, then Will ran leg 3 in 8.17 and Macca brought the team home in 7.26.
In the girls 4×1.5km 9-10’s event, Ivy Donougher, Mila Bozikov, Addison Galloway and Maggie Ball were 9th in 26.57. Ivy kickstarted the team’s competition with a run of 6.15. Mila ran 6.45 for leg 2 followed by Addison in 6.54 then Maggie in 7.01.
The boys 11-12’s team of Finn Goddard, Kai Thirwall, Declan Bennett and Thor Jackson were 10th in 23.29. Finn, despite recovering from illness, clocked 5.30 in the opening leg. Kai was 2nd runner with 5.44 followed by Declan Bennett in 5.59 and the team was rounded out by Thor Jackson in 6.14.
Nowra entered 2 teams in the girls 14-15’s 4x2km event. Team A of Airlie Stevens, Lana Crawford, Madeline Oke and Emerson Boatswain were 5th in 32.04 The girls times were very close, with Airlie clocking 7.58, Lana 7.52, Madeline 7.51 and Emerson 8.21. Team B of Isla Bailie, Evie Smart, Josie Sproule and Maiya Donougher were 9th in 36.24. Sprinter Isla pulled out a great leg of 8.56 followed by Evie with 8.58 whilst Josie clocked the fastest leg for the team in 8.38 and Maiya, a sprinter more comfortable with the 200m distance, showed great resilience and determination to finish in 9.51.
In the Under 20’s event which was held at the same time as the Open event, 3 of the boys doubled up and ran a leg in each event. Harrison Baxter, Hamish McLaren, Oliver Baxter and Nic McGill made up the Under 20 team whilst the Open team consisted, in relay order, of Oliver Baxter, Nic McGill, Will Dyball and Harrison Baxter.
The Under 20 team was 6th in 55.12. Harrison kicked off the relay in a solid time of 12.38. Hamish was 2nd to run and finished in 15.36 followed by Oliver, for his 2nd run of the day, with 13.28 whilst Nic completed leg 4 (also his 2nd run of the day) in 13.29.
In the Open event Oliver got off to a flying start with 12.37, just 1 second faster than Harrison’s first leg in the Under 20 event. Nic was 2nd runner and clocked 13.06 followed by Will in 13.24 and then Harrison, doubling up after the Under 20 event, finished in 13.17. The team were 8th across the line in 52.26.
Great racing boys doing the double!
In the Men’s 50-59 years event a smiling Scott Armstrong completed leg 1 in a fast 15.36. Ming Leung was next cab off the rank with 18.09 followed by Gavin Dyball, who clocked 17.25 and Glen Mustapic brought the team home in 18.49. The combined time of 1.10.06 gave the men 6th place.
The last race of the day, the men’s 40-49 years, saw lots of cheering. Marcus Baxter had a fast first leg of 15.36. Mark O’Leary was 2nd runner and clocked 19.56 followed by Matt Watson who ran a presidential pace of 23.52. New member Greg Griffis, aka athletics photographer extraordinaire, ran a gutsy 4km, after running around all day taking photos, and valiantly crossed the line to loud applause in 25.08. The team were 6th in 1.24.33.
Thank you to everyone who competed and to all those who cheered and supported the runners.