Nowra Athletics Club
Winter 2009 Newspaper Reports
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Summer Athletics to Begin Soon Nowra Athletics Club will commence its Summer Athletics Competition next Wednesday, 9th September at the Ron Brown Sporting Complex (behind Shoalhaven High School) in Park Road, Nowra. Club officials will be on hand from around 5.30pm for registration of individual athletes or families. A programme of events and other information will be available for parents, aspiring officials and athletes. |
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The Nowra Athletics Club’s Summer Athletics competition is a graded piontscore competition where all participants are grouped according to their ability. This makes the competition fun and challenging for everyone. The Summer Athletics Competition offers most Track and Field events including sprints and middle distance running, high jump, long jump, discus, javelin and shot put. Due to popular demand, hurdles will now feature in the track events also. Athletics is a great sport for any individual;
it can also be a fantastic family experience where everyone has a
chance to be a winner - including Mum and Dad! |
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Michaela won the 14yr girls 800 and 1500 metre events achieving personal best results in each. The 1500 metre race saw Michaela competing against 14 and 15 year girls - the challenge of racing against older and more experienced athletes posed no problems, in fact it spurred her along to achieve great things. Miss Quinn won the 1500 metre race outright setting a new Championship record in a time of 4.44 which was well under the Australian Championship qualifying standard! Fabulous effort Michaela - everyone at the Club wishes you the best at the NSW Championships. On a completely different kind of running track, local athlete Damian Smith produced another superb long distance performance competing in the very popular Mt Wilson to Bilpin 36km Bush Run(22-8-09). No stranger to difficult long distance running, Damian finished the event in tenth place beating home over 400 other runners. What can you say - except, fantastic and what’s next Damian – Ultra Distance, Sydney to Melbourne perhaps? Don’t forget Summer Athletics competition starts next week at the Ron Brown Sporting Complex, Park Road, Nowra (behind Shoalhaven High School). Registration and announcements will be from 5.30pm with competition commencing at around.00pm. New members are always welcome at the Nowra Athletics Club. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 4446 0226 or visit the Club website at www.nowraathletics.org.au.
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Cross Country Presentation & Fun Run Runners and their families from the Nowra Athletics Club had a relaxed afternoon for the final 2009 Cross Country outing at Willandra on Saturday (22-08-09). Club members had the opportunity to take part in a 1.5km or a 3km team fun run event. The fun run had team members running hard over the course whilst collecting letters to solve a word puzzle. Winning team members then had another short run for chocolate glory! |
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An entertaining presentation followed where all cross country runners received certificates for their participation. Congratulations go to all divisional winners in the Nowra Toyota Pointscore Competition and to the fastest male and female runners in each division. A full rundown of points and placings is available on the Club website and the results section of the paper. Naturally every person who spent some time at cross country this year was a winner. And as everyone knows, getting a win quite often requires a lot of hard work from the individual as well as a lot of other people. In that vein, a big thank you goes to all officials and volunteers who assisted the club throughout the 2009 Cross Country season. Well done to all athletes and their families who represented the Club at the various State events this year. Once again Rod & Jan Gibb deserve special mention for their tireless efforts for the Club and for making Willandra the Cross Country Capital of Australia. Club members are reminded that the Australian Cross Country Championships are being held at Willandra this coming weekend. There will be teams from every state and territory with a guest team from New Zealand. Please come along and see some of the best runners in the country. |
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The first competition road run kicks off at Nowra Showground (Start/Finish behind the main grandstand) at 4.15p.m. Any interested runners in the Summer Road Run Competition, who don’t have a schedule of events should contact Kevyn on 44478309, Terry Bailey on 44216065 or Bill Seary on 44227626 or Paul Jennings on 44218332 for further details. (also see this website. The Nowra Athletics Club conducts an “evening” athletics competition (Summer Athletics) from September through to late February. Summer Athletics is a graded competition which encourages athletes of all ages and abilities to participate. The Summer Athletics Competition starts on Wednesday 9th September at the Ron Brown Sporting Complex (behind Shoalhaven High School) at 6.00pm sharp. Additional enquiries can be made by contacting Club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or by visiting the club website (www.nowraathleticsclub.org.au).
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Nowra Athletics Club Cross
Country Report The final round of the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore was conducted at the Willandra course last Saturday (15-08-09) and featured some fine running to end the winter season. Next Saturday, again at Willandra, the Club mystery run and presentation day will take place. The mystery will be revealed before the running begins but club members should note an earlier starting time of 2pm so you need to there from 1.30pm onwards. The final pointscore round revealed how fit and strong many of our runners have become through the winter of varied competition. The races were sealed handicaps and the 2km divisions were amazing. In division 1 Layne, Kye and their Dad Mark Jones were the first three across the line and after the handicaps were adjusted Kye took out the race from Layne with dad back to 6th. Kye was fastest male and Layne fastest female. Keeping up with the Joneses was a bit hard in that run. The other 2km divisions also featured great running and the final pointscore results may depend on some of these good runs. The 3km divisions told the same story with some tremendous running. Angus Pryde was a good winner followed by two Kelletts, Brendan and Bridget who was fastest female while Peter Dooley was fastest male. Division 2 went to Indiana Van Arkel from Brielle Musgrove and Carmel Quinten. Go the girls! The 4km races were really speedy. Mitchell Brown took the double with first home and fastest time as well. He was ahead of Brad Johnson and Bradley Sawyers, Michaela Quinn was fourth and was fastest female. Division 2 featured a good battle with Jill Smith the winner from Gavin Urquhart and Maxine Gernyi The 8km divisions had a similar result. Alex Pitkethly first and fastest ahead of Milton Cox and Ashley Hale, fastest lady was Tori Jones. Division 2 went to Ed Egan from Gary Bowen and Sabina Hamaty. Alex was having a hit out before he contests the Australian Cross Country Championships at Willandra on August 29. While on the subject of these Australian Championships which also incorporate the Australian Schools Championships, Alex will be joined by Emma and Hamish Gorman as the only runners from Nowra to be running on their home course. Michaela Quinn is a reserve and it is uncertain if she can get a run at this stage. It seems odd to this writer that the reserve shows up and waits to see if a team member needs replacing but we will comment no further. Some Club members will be assisting with the Championships on the day but all are encouraged to come and see the best in Australia compete and of course cheer on our small squad of runners. NEXT SATURDAY MYSTERY RUN AND PRESENTATION AT WILLANDRA. Note the earlier starting time 2pm.
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Cross
Country Pairs Day Cross country runners and their families shared a beautiful afternoon at the Timberhills course on Saturday. The Club’s annual Pot Luck Pairs day was on the agenda and there were plenty of laughs as two person teams competed for delicious chocolate prizes.
There were two handicap races on offer with two
Divisions in each. Some teams were made up of family members or
friends and some were drawn out of the “Pot Luck” hat. Both the 2km
event and the 5km event went extremely well and saw lots of very
happy runners discussing the ups and downs of the race in the
presentation area afterwards. |
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The Pot Luck Pairs day was the last outing of the season to be held at the Timberhills course. All runners in the Club have enjoyed the runs at Timberhills immensely and would like to sincerely thank Ron and Ruth McKinnon for making their family property such a wonderful place to experience cross country running. In other running news an overflowing bus of Nowra runners travelled to Sydney to take part in the City to Surf on Sunday – congratulations to all. In the Television coverage several Club runners were seen making the most of the event, naturally the Nowra runners were way out in front!
This Saturday will be the last round of the Nowra
Toyota Winter Pointscore and the final opportunity for runners to
improve their standing in the competition. Please be aware that
there has been a change of venue and Saturdays’ cross country
running will now be held at Willandra. |
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This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. The first event starts at approximately 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 4446 0226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, upcoming events and results please visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Cross Country It was another great week in the world of athletics with runners from the Nowra Athletics Club competing in Ultra Marathons while some of our younger members competed with distinction in the All Schools Cross Country Championships. Local distance runners Damian Smith and Sabina Hamaty took part in the annual Bush Capital Bush Marathon held in Canberra on Saturday 25 July, both athletes entered in the Ultra Marathon 60km event. Damian and Sabina are no strangers to long events - as most would know they were the first Nowra Athletics Club runner’s home in the recently held 2009 Shoalhaven King of the Mountain. They also compete every Saturday in the Clubs Nowra Toyota Cross Country Long Course events and feature regularly in the top three placings. Sabina was up against some of the best female distance runners in the country and finished the arduous event in 4th place. Afterwards she said the whole racing experience, which took in the beautiful bush scenery, was well worth the effort. The Men’s race was hotly contested and saw Damian Smith racing with many of the same runners he ran against at The North Face 100km endurance race held in May. Maintaining a consistent pace for most of the race, Damian edged ahead of the whole field bar one and finished the event in 4hrs 56min for 2nd place. Well done! Eastern Creek, Sydney was the location for the NSW All Schools Cross Country Championships on Friday. Many of the Club’s younger athletes took part and competed with distinction giving all they had. Locals Tarni Cunningham, Tori Jones, Yolanda Van Arkel and Brigitte Fenske were members of Bomaderry High Schools’ winning 14 year girl’s team – congratulations! Club member Michalea Quinn (Bomaderry High School) was so fast in her 14yr event that she was selected as first reserve for the States 16yrs Girls team – great effort! On the international front Cambewarra runner and Club member Alex Pitkethly returned home from a running trip to New Zealand. He competed in several New Zealand Championship carnivals and also trained/raced with some of that country’s best middle distance and Cross Country runners. He no doubt gained some invaluable experience and tuition during that time. Word has it that once he got over the local language difficulties things went a lot smoother for him. On Saturday Club runners and their families had a fantastic afternoon of racing at the Longreach course. The near perfect conditions seemed to suit the Club’s speedier runners in the handicap events especially in the Medium and Long Course races. As the Club’s Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore draws to a close, runners should try and make the most of the remaining rounds. The Pointscore competition finishes on Saturday 15th however there will be an End of Season event and short presentation at Willandra on the 22nd of August. (Stay tuned for further details) Next week’s competition will be held at the Timberhills Course. The afternoon’s events will feature the Club’s Annual “Pot Luck Pairs”. All runners will be teamed up as pairs with handicaps and will compete as a team. It should be a great afternoon of fun - make sure you’re there! Again this Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at “Timberhills”, McKinnons Farm, Kell’s Road, Tomerong. To find Timberhills, simply drive South down the Princes Hwy and look for a right hand turn (Kell’s Road) marked with X-Country signs on the Tomerong by-pass. Travel up Kell’s Road for about 1.5km till you reach Timberhills on the right hand side. The first event starts at approximately 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 4446 0226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, upcoming events and results please visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Timberhills Cross
Country Runners from the Club Athletics Nowra had the time of their lives running in reverse at Hillstimber on Saturday (once you start doing things the wrong way round it’s pretty hard to stop). Running the Timberhills course in the reverse direction certainly put a new angle on all the hills. Who would have thought something so familiar could be so different? |
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There was certainly nothing
different about the results this week - effort and hard work paid
dividends again. Standout runners in the 2009 Nowra Toyota Winter
Pointscore Competition (Long Course) Walter Stannard and Tori Jones
were the fastest male and female competitors in the Long event. Both
young runners have consistently returned the fastest times week in
week out in their events – well done keep up the good work! The Medium Course event was
dominated by female competitors this week. Anne-Maree Schofield and
Maxine Gernyi were the winners in the Divisions while Cristine
Suffolk, Maureen Cox and Helen Redenbach got the placings. The only
male in the winner’s circle Mitchell Brown had a great run finishing
2nd in the handicap and also posted the 2nd
fastest time. |
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events showed this to
be true with family names popping up all over the place. As usual there was no shortage of runners in the 2km event, Saturdays’ race saw four Divisions at the starting line. Winners this week included Jade Mustapic, Mark Jones and Zac Hale (Division 1) while Donna Johnson, Murray Schofield and Ella Pratt claimed honours in Division 2. In Division 3 and 4 Tara Mustapic, Kyla Davidson, Ethan Havadjia, Alastair Urquhart, Lucas Johnson and Sophie Fletcher were first across the line. Great effort! After the four events were over there were no complaints, everyone had a fantastic run - enjoying the great outdoors in the company of family and friends. In other running news several Club members ventured to the Gold Coast a few weeks ago to run in the Gold Coast Marathon and Half Marathon. By all accounts a good race was had by all with some runners posting career best times (Eric and Glenn). Word has it that many have booked flights for next year. Hopefully the organisers of the Gold Coast event in 2010 will have the common sense not to double book with the world famous Shoalhaven King of the Mountain. This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Longreach course, Longreach Road, Longreach. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 4446 0226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, upcoming events and results please visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Cross Country Report A beautiful sunny afternoon at the Timberhills course on Saturday saw Nowra Athletics Club cross country runners and their families enjoying another round of the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore. There was plenty action in all the events none more so than in the Division 1, 2km race where Hayden Strand managed to hold on to the lead for first despite a late challenge down the straight from Layne Jones and Sam Morris. This week’s Division 2 big guns where Annika Janos, Donna Johnson and Luke Robinson who all raced superbly to finish in the top three. |
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The 3km race had it all - speed, skill, determination and plenty of variety with athletes from every age group competing across the two divisions. Jye Edwards, Jed Frank and Gus Frank were the best in the Division 1 contest while Mark Jones, Bill Seary and Helen Lucas where first across the line in Division 2. The Medium Course event had some of the Club’s most experienced racers in the field and it certainly showed. There were some pretty quick times returned on Saturday and not just from the winners of the two Divisions - many of the competitors posted their best times of the season. Back markers Jon Schol, Paul Davidson and Tarni Cunningham claimed the line honours in Division 1 while Terry Bailey, Claire Pitkethly and Helen Redenbach were first home in Division 2. It was good to see
Hamish Gorman return to the Club for a run in the Long Course event
on Saturday. Hamish was first across the line in Division 1 while
the fit Steve McCullagh came second and the evergreen Bill Broughton
was third. |
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In Division 2 Angela
Bond took advantage of an early opportunity and set sail for a win.
Alison Strand and Gary Bowen both ran strongly too and finished a
short time later for the placings. Young runners Michaela Quinn and Jordan Wallace represented the area with distinction both competing well and finishing in credible positions in very strong fields – great effort! Congratulations to Club athletes Milton Cox (55-59yr) and Cristine Suffolk(35-39yr) who won Bronze medals in their 5km events. Further to the recent NSW Road Relay Championships – during the week the full results were released showing individual athletes times. Several of the Club’s young athletes are up there with the best in the State. Angus Pryde(U/12), Brendan Kellett(U/14) and Mitchell Brown all posted the 3rd fastest times in their races. Club girls Jill Smith and Michaela Quinn had fantastic runs in their races both finishing with the second fastest time of the day while Tori Jones (running in a much shorter than normal distance) finished in 4th place. Well done gang! There are no more State events planned for this season other than the NSW Half Marathon (Bankstown) on 16th August. However the 16km City to Surf is set down for Sunday 9th August which usually sees a number of people from the Club travel by bus to run. If you’re interested in running and would like to avoid any traffic hassles - travelling by bus give Graham Smith a call at Infinity Surf Shop on 4421 4088 for further details. Due to a number of issues no further cross country running events will be held at the Forest Course this season. Therefore this Saturday’s Cross Country running will be held at the Timberhills Course, Kell’s Road Tomerong - administration and registration will be from 2.00pm. The first handicap event (2km) will start at approximately 2.30pm followed by the 3km, medium and long course events. New members are always welcome for further enquiries contact Club Secretary Jan Gibb on 4446 0226 or simply come along on Saturday. More information can be found at the Nowra Athletics Club website(www.nowraathletics.org.au).
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State Road
Relays Report |
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There was a great sense of camaraderie and team spirit there which helped everyone do their best out on the track. P.B’s were being surpassed on a regular basis throughout the day - Anne-Marie Schofield, Bridgett Kellett, Claire Pitkethly and Alison Strand to name a few. |
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Nowra Athletics Club runners who compete in the cross country competition on Saturdays are accustomed to climbing hills when racing so it was quite a surprise to be running on some straight flat sections. None the less the Nowra runners faced the challenges of the day head on and came out on top. Leading the medal count once again was the
55+ Women’s team (Eva Moeller-Duhme, Maureen Cox, Jill Smith and
Helen Redenbach) who won Gold in a close finish against old rivals
Bankstown Sports. |
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Whilst not every team won a medal everyone who ran had a fantastic day. Doing your best, competing and having a good time with your friends - what more could you want! At the local scene cross country running in the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore saw runners having a go at some fun relay racing at the Longreach course on Saturday. The events were run on the 2km and 3km courses with each team consisting of three runners. With team prestige on the line all runners attacked the course from the start and gave little thought to the uphill return leg. Consequently there were plenty of out of breath runners (with smiling faces) - crossing the finish line. For anyone interested in seeing the complete list of results from Saturdays Fun Relays visit the Club website at www.nowraathletics.org.au. This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at "Timberhills", McKinnons Farm, Kell’s Road, Tomerong. To find Timberhills, simply drive South down the Princes Hwy and look for a right hand turn (Kell’s Road) marked with X-Country signs on the Tomerong by-pass. Travel up Kell’s Road for about 1.5km till you reach Timberhills on the right hand side. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, upcoming events and results please visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Nowra Athletics Club Report 6th July,2009 The Nowra Athletic Club’s annual endurance race “The Shoalhaven King of the Mountain” was held on Sunday morning. Conditions were a little cool and runners were faced with a fairly stiff westerly headwind while making their way along Illaroo Road. As the morning progressed the wind dropped and made for almost perfect racing conditions. Club runners featured prominently in the field of nearly 150 competitors and were well represented at the presentation afterwards. The first Nowra Athletic Club runners home were Sabina Hamaty and Damian Smith. Both received trophies and a prize generously donated by local sponsors Eyecare Plus Peter Rose Optometrists and Adidas. |
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 Perry Strand and Damian Smith(background) were the first two Nowra Athletic Club runners home in the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain on Sunday. |
Other runners with noteable performances included Greame Pepper, Bill Boughton, Steve McCullagh, Bill Stahlhut, Gerald Buckley and Rob Pickard. All the individual successes of the day were only made possible by the combined efforts of a committed team of workers, helpers and friends of the Nowra Athletics Club. Thank you for your support and assistance in the lead up to the day and the day itself – another big win folks! Perry Strand and Scott Martin had fabulous runs and chased the leader pack throughout the event - both finished in the top 20. Local women Alison Stand, Karan Kenny and Angela Bond showed plenty of courage climbing up Mt Scanzi again all finishing yet another King of the Mountain. Other runners with noteable
performances included Greame Pepper, Bill Boughton, Steve McCullagh,
Bill Stahlhut, Gerald Buckley and Rob Pickard. |
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All the individual successes of the day were only made possible by the combined efforts of a committed team of workers, helpers and friends of the Nowra Athletics Club. Thank you for your support and assistance in the lead up to the day and the day itself – another big win folks! Big supporters of The Shoalhaven King of the Mountain included local businesses Nowra Toyota, Shoalhaven Spring Water, Kennedy’s Bus & Coaches and Eyecare Plus Peter Rose Optometrists. Invaluable assistance came from Cambewarra Public School, Kangaroo Valley Public School P&C, Shoalhaven Community Transport and St John’s Ambulance Service. Also as on the weekend, Cross Country running in the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore saw competitors make the most of the bush fire trails at the forest Course, Tomerong State Forest on Saturday. The afternoon’s events were organised with sealed handicaps which meant all participants started from the ‘Go’ mark giving each an equal opportunity for line honours. As a result there were some interesting discussions prior to the races and very spirited running during the events. In other athletic news Club runners are reminded that the NSW State Road Run Relays are on Saturday 11th July in Wollongong. Most teams have been selected and will be posted on the Club’s website. (In some age groups there are still places available for committed team runners) If you are unable to attend the NSW State Road Relays on Saturday please contact Club Secretary Jan Gibb(44460226) as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made. This coming Saturday cross country running in the Nowra Toyota winter pointscore competition will be held at the Longreach course. Members and visitors should note that dogs are not permitted to run with their masters (or anyone else for that matter) in any of the events. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, upcoming events and results please visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Longreach Cross Country Report Saturday, 27th June, 2009 It was a great day for a Winters’ run at the Longreach course on Saturday. With recent successes at the Willandra Country Classic and the Cross Country Relays at Miranda club members were very keen to give the challenging Longreach courses another go. The handicap system was working well on the weekend with very close finishes in all but a few of the Divisions. In the Medium course event back markers (runners with the biggest handicaps) finished in the top five positions. Both Divisions of the Long course races had plenty of the Club’s high achievers in the top positions also. |
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The Division 2 race saw Angus Lowbridge, Allie Sims and Murray Schofield competing at their best to finish in the top three. In Division 3 Melinda Mustapic, Kyla Davidson and Leanne Janos showed plenty of determination and skill to finish in front – well done girls! Saturday’s 3km runners took
full advantage of the ideal conditions to post impressive times. Jed
Frank, Jordan Janos, Mitchell Stahlhut, Maggie Frawley, Zoe Witenden
and Toni Mudditt were the top finishers. Other runners making the
most of Saturday included Sharna Boughton, Dimi Havadjia, Helen
Lucas, Stephen Lucas, Ava Jeffrey and David Schofield. |
 Alex Pitkethly showing good form on Saturday in his final outing before competing in the New Zealand National Cross Country Championships. |
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In the Division 2 contest Deb Clarke showed no signs of her long standing calf injury with a final sprint up the straight to finish well ahead for first place. Runner Paul Coombes came in next for a well earned second while evergreen Jill Smith cruised home for third. Alex Pitkethly in his final race before heading off to New Zealand to compete in the New Zealand National Cross Country Championships, showed all class working his way through the field to finish in second place. First place in the Division 1 race went to Scott Foggo while seasoned campaigner Bill Broughton came home strongly for third. In Division 2 Ed Egan toughed out a great victory for first place points just ahead of “in form” runners Darren Morris and Annette Sampson. In other athletic news Club runners are reminded that the NSW State Road Run Relays are on Saturday 11th July in Wollongong. If you would like to compete in one of the Club teams please contact Club Secretary Jan Gibb as soon as possible to put your name forward for selection. This Sunday the 35th Shoalhaven King of the Mountain will be on. All Club members are urged to support this great local endurance race in anyway you can. Help is needed in several of the work locations please contact Terry Bailey on 44216065 or Kevyn Davis 4447 8309 if you can spare an hour or two on Sunday. Shoalhaven King of the Mountain entry forms etc can found online (www.kingofthemountainnowra.org.au) or by contact Doug Jeffrey on 0407 441 889. This coming Saturday cross country running in the Nowra Toyota winter pointscore competition will be held at the Forest course. To make the day a little more interesting all runners will be starting off the Go mark in a sealed handicap race. So make sure you arrive before the scheduled starting time! The Forest course is at the Tomerong State Forest, Jervis Bay Road, Woolamia. To find the Forest - drive approximately 5km down Jervis Bay Road (off the Princes Hwy) watch for the signs and turn right in to the Tomerong State Forest. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, results and upcoming events visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au) |
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NSW State Cross Country at Willandra 20th JUNE, 2009 The NSW State Cross Country Championships held
at Willandra on Saturday bought out the best in people from the
Nowra Athletics Club. There were some terrific athletic performances
with many of the Club’s runners winning medals and achieving
personal best results. The 2009 NSW State Cross Country Championships was by all measures a resounding success for the Club – well done people! |
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There were plenty of medals handed out to Club members on Saturday. Notably Jill Smith and Bill Broughton retained their State Championship titles both winning their respective age categories again. The Women’s 35+ team of Alison Strand, Cathy Head, Karen Jones and Cristine Suffolk were all very pleased after winning gold for the first time. Bill Stahlhut was over the moon after being awarded a bronze medal in the 44-49yr age category. Maureen Cox picked up another State medal coming second in her age category. Several teams in ages from Under 12 through to the 55+ teams won medals which were given in the official ceremonies by Club Patron/Athletics NSW official Rod Gibb. Although nice to receive medals aren’t the only
indicator of success at athletics/cross country meets. Seeing
athletes doing their best and making the most of each race is a
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The Management Committee of the Nowra Athletics Club would like to thank all members, relatives of members and friends of the club for their help and assistance. Thank you also goes to local sponsors Nowra Sportspower, The Manildra Group and Kel Campbell P/L for their continued support. Another upcoming event run by the Nowra Athletics Club is the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain which is on Sunday 5th July commencing at 9.00am. The “King” is a 32km endurance race which runs from Cambewarra Village to the Kangaroo Valley Showground via Mt Scanzi. For entry forms and further inquiries contact Doug Jeffrey 0407 441 889 or visit the website at www.kingofthemountainnowra.org.au. Back to the local cross country scene - this Saturday’s Cross Country running in the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore will be at the Longreach course, Longreach Road, Longreach commencing at 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, results and upcoming events visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au)
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Nowra Athletics Club Report STATE CROSS COUNTRY AT WILLANDRA ON SATURDAY Nowra Athletics club members will have a busy day next Saturday when the annual Cross country Gala day will be conducted at the Willandra course, Browns Mountain Road Cambewarra. This annual ‘Country Classic’ features the Athletics NSW Championships for all age groups from under 12yrs. to veterans 65yrs. plus as well as two Fun Runs. Club members should note that starting times are different from the normal weekly cross country events. The first event starts at 12.15 pm, this is the under 12yrs. 2 k Championship, the last event will be the open male 12 k Championship at 3 pm. In between the various age events the two fun runs will be conducted, certainly a great afternoon of running. Fun runs are open to anyone who is interested and may wish to test themselves on the Willandra course. To compete in the Championship events, competitors have to be Athletics Club Members and have been issued with official Registration competition numbers. Following the great turn out by Club members at the recent Cross Country Relays, hopes are high for another good showing. The home ground advantage could be a factor for some teams in the various events where the teams championships are decided on by the finishing order of the Club runners. Club members should note the starting times of the events and are reminded that they must enter well before the starting time so ….. BE EARLY. Another matter to note is a difference to the normal car parking, please follow the signs. A gentle reminder to all good cooks, donations of cakes & slice will be appreciated for selling in the canteen – after the wonderful array of cakes etc at the recent XC Relay canteen our reputation is at stake ! BILL McKINNON MEMORIAL RUN – was conducted last Saturday at the Timberhills course, Tomerong. Division 1 of the long course was the selected event. Jyle Smith was the winner, improving his best time by 2 minutes from the old fox Bill Broughton who had to improve for 2nd place, and finally, Alex Pitkethly who overcame an 11 minutes 30 handicap to get through to 3rd. spot. It was great to see Steve McKinnon take part in the long course event and it was noted that his 6th place after a 6 minute handicap, indicates that while we have not seen much of him lately he is in good running form. Not to be outdone by great performances in Division 1, competitors in Division 2 certainly achieved some great improvements. It was good to see Ming Leung overcoming an injury and gaining 1st place honors with back markers Peter Khourey & Darren Morris getting thru’ the field for 2nd & 3rd place. Judging by the high class running over all the distances there should be more great performances at Willandra on Saturday. Any Club members who have not received the brochure concerning Saturday’s competition, please contact Jan Gibb on 44 460 226 Thanks to all volunteers for Saturday, Contact will be made with you via your email or phone shortly.
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Nowra Athletics Club was well represented at the NSW State Cross Country Relay Championships held at Miranda on the weekend. Several of the Club’s teams won medals while many of the other teams came very close achieving fantastic personal results in trying conditions. |
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Despite the adversities the Nowra team spirit came through time and again. Club team members and their supporters took up vantage points cheering and encouraging our athletes on to great things. Congratulations to the Under 12 Girls team (Bridgett Kellet, Layne Jones, Jade Mustapic and Emily Cornell) who won Bronze medals in their 4 x 2km relay event. Another fantastic result came from the Under 12 Boys team (Jenson Barker, Nathan Ford, Harry Taylor and Wade Garin) who also won Bronze medals. The Men’s 55+ team of Bill Broughton, Milton Cox, Eric Moeller-Duhme and Kevyn Davis made a hard job look easy and came away with Bronze medals – great effort boys. Not to be outdone the Women’s 55+ team consisting of Maureen Cox, Eva Moeller-Duhme, Jill Smith and Ros Parker took on the State’s best and won Bronze too. While everyone who was there gave their absolute best, notable performances came from the Under 16 Girls team, the Under 18 Boys and the 35+ Women’s team. These three teams will definitely be in contention for medals at upcoming State events such as the Country Classic at Willandra on 20th June and the State Road Relays in July. A big thank you goes out to Club officials and workers who put together such a good team and made the day run so smoothly. Talking of smooth Team Captain Peter Dooley ironed out many pre-race wrinkles and ensured that team members were focused and motivated for the job at hand – well done. It was great to see so many of the Club’s newer members enjoying competing and having a go at a State event. While we’re on the subject there are several State events that the Club will be competing in the next couple of months. Any members and their families wishing to run for the Club at a State event need to have an Athletics NSW registration number. This can be easily organised by talking to Club Secretary Jan Gibb (44460226) or any Committee Member at Cross Country on the weekend. If you’re worried about missing out on points in the regular cross country competition (Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore) then have no fear. Any Club member who runs or assists at a State event automatically receives maximum points for that days competition. Not a bad result I’d say! This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. Looking forward to seeing you there! For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, results and upcoming events visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au).
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CROSS COUNTRY and more…… A couple of weekends ago Nowra Athletics Club runners and their families had a fantastic time in Canberra with all the runners enjoying the 40th Canberra Half Marathon. Many of the Club’s runners
had been in training for several months in the lead up to the event
and were in great shape. |
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Congratulations to Colleen Stahlhut, Perry Strand, Lauren Carroll, Paul Cumming, Peter Khourey and Sky Martin who all achieved their goals at the distance - finishing their first half marathons in style. Michelle Cumming and Bill Stahlhut were the first Nowra Athletic Club runners home both had fabulous runs and deserved a nice cup of tea at the finish. Not far behind Bill a determined group of Nowra male runners including Glenn Samson, Patrick Ozolins, Scott Martin, Perry Strand and Scott Foggo posted impressive times also. Tammy Jones and Alison Strand turned up for another go this year and made the most of the beautiful conditions and friendly atmosphere. Both girls kept the spirits of the first timers up with encouraging words and helpful racing advice. |
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Behind every great runner (code for every runner) is an even greater support crew who’s assistance and patience is required on a regular basis. Thanks Gail, Andrew, Sean, Bronwyn, Samantha, Madeleine, Ava and Erin. The next Club outing on the representative agenda is the NSW Cross Country Relay Championships which is on this Saturday at Miranda Park, Miranda. Many of the Club’s keenest runners have put their hands up for the chance to compete in the State event and will certainly do us all proud. Teams from the U/12’s right through to the 55+ categories will be competing. In fact the Club will be entering two teams in several of the age groups. The State Relay Championships should be seen as an outstanding opportunity for athletes to hone their racing skills, whilst at the same time being part of a team has enormous benefits too. The sense of accomplishment at the end of your leg (pardon the pun) and the satisfaction that comes from helping your mates do their best is absolutely priceless. You’ll never forget the experience and you’ll want to do it again and again for as long as you’re able. Best of luck to all team members on Saturday and may all you’re hills seem like little bumps in the road. Cross country running on Saturday was held at the magnificent Timberhills course. Runners and their families turned up in droves to compete in another round of the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore competition. There was plenty of action in every event with some great running from many of the Club’s running families. A picturesque day and beautifully prepared courses all made for a splendid afternoons racing. This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be held at the Longreach Course, Longreach Road, Longreach. Registration and administration will be from 2.00pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. New runners or members should ensure that any registration or administration requirements are attended to before 2.15pm. For additional enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. Looking forward to seeing you there! For comprehensive information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions, results and upcoming events visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au).
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Nowra Athletics Club Report Round 8 of the Nowra Toyota winter pointscore was conducted at the Willandra course last Saturday in very strong wind which seemed to blow many to their best times so far this season. Despite the wind and a large contingent of
distance runners being away in Canberra for the annual half marathon
numbers were still up. One of the announcements possibly missed or possibly not heard was to do with the NSW Cross Country Relays at Miranda on May 30th. Squads have been selected and those in these squads have been advised by Email. Club members are reminded that a quick response as to your availability is needed without delay so that teams can be finalized. Please contact Secretary Jan Gibb to let her know your availability. The Cross Country Relays and the Road Relays later in the season are always worth supporting, the friendly interclub action is great to be part of. In between the two relay events Club members have the Willandra Country Classic – the annual NSW Cross Country Championships which will be at Willandra of course on June 20. More details will be available next Saturday. STOP PRESS NEWS It has just been announced that the 2009 Athletics Australia and School Sport Australia Cross Country Championships will be coming to the Shoalhaven instead of Camden where the event was originally planned. Because problems arose with the original course and attempts to find an alternate venue were not successful, Athletics NSW approached the owners of Willandra seeking use of this venue. The Nowra Athletics Club was host to the Australian Championships last in 2004 with Cross Country and Race Walking Championships being conducted. It is not known at this stage if Road Walks events will be conducted but a full program of Cross Country Championships will be conducted on Saturday August 29 followed by Cross Country Relays for schools on Monday 31st. If Road Walks are to be conducted they would be on Sunday 30th August. This will be a busy time for Nowra Club Officials at the end of an already busy season. More details later.
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LONGREACH CROSS COUNTRY Nowra Athletics Club runners and their families ventured out to the Longreach Cross Country Course on Saturday to compete in Round 7 of the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon for a run - sunny with a temperature of around twenty degrees and not a breath of wind. |
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The results on Saturday proved rather interesting with many of the Club’s running families featuring prominently in the line honours. Galen and Pat Davitt stormed home for first and second in Division 2 of the Medium course. Family members Casey and Donna Johnson achieved the same result in Division 3 of the 2km race. Brothers Angus Lowbridge and Callum Lowbridge scored top points being first home in the Division 2, 2km event and Division 2 of the 3km run. In the Long Course event
Division 2 winner Ming Leung was no doubt proud of Jaspers’ good
performance in the Division 4, 2km race. Likewise, second place
getter in the Long Course, Division 2 - Sabina Hamaty, would have
been equally proud with daughter Megans’ great result in the 2km
event. |
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In the 3km racing Angus Pryde showed plenty after the race and so he should beating home one of the Club’s fastest Peter Dooley who came in second while Niamh Frawley had a good run for third. In Division 2 of the 3km event Bill Seary showed some good form for second while Julie Harrison was hot on his heals for third. In the longer races familiar names just keep coming up week after week. Gabby Brennan, Cristine Suffolk and Yolanda Van Arkel were far too good for anyone else to have a chance in Division 1 of the Medium course event – great racing girls! In the Long Course event Perry Strand got away early and kept going and going and going, eventually finishing well ahead. Other Division 1 runners Jyle Smith and Scott Martin also know how to apply the pressure when racing finishing in second and third places. Alison Strand showed the benefits of some extra training and came home strongly for third in the Division 2 event. In other running news a team of well trained and highly skilled athletes from the Nowra Athletics Club will be off to Canberra on the weekend to run in the Canberra Half Marathon. Best of luck to all! This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. Registration and administration will be from 2.15pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For further results or information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au).
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NOWRA ATHLETICS 2009 AGM
The Nowra Athletics Club finished off another great season of athletics at its annual AGM and Presentation evening held at the Illaroo Road Public School Auditorium on Saturday night. It was fantastic to see so many of the Club’s athletes and their families enjoying the presentation and the stories from the past year. |
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The evening started with the Club’s AGM which saw the presentation of reports, the election of office bearers and committee persons. A huge thank you goes out to the executive/committee members, workers and volunteers who all helped in making the three competitions conducted by the Club in 2008/09 so successful. President Kevyn Davis, Secretary Jan Gibb and Patron Rod Gibb paid tribute to outgoing committee member Dean Bryce for his enormous contribution to the Club. Hopefully he’ll be able to use his short-cutting skills to have more time at the athletics track and cross country courses this year. Congratulations to all incoming executive and committee persons with a warm welcome to new committee member Paul Jennings. Following on from the
official part of the evening, MC Rod Gibb got the ball rolling
announcing winners in the various Categories and Divisions for the
2008/09 Athletics season. There was plenty of applause, cheers and
laughter with the impromptu “athlete interviews” where Rod asked the
tough questions - the athletes gave the tougher answers. |
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To keep the troops amused a small army of the Club’s technically minded and creative athletes put together some brilliantly entertaining video pieces. The videos summarised most of the Club’s activities/outings over the year and in a light-hearted way paid tribute to some of the characters, athletes and officials of the Nowra Athletics Club. The final presentations of
the evening were announced with fanfare and drum roles. The Club
Person of the year went to Sean Carroll for all his hard work,
support and assistance through out the year. Zoe Whittenden received
the coveted “John Morris Encouragement Award” for Junior Athletes
while Jyle Smith was awarded the “Ian Henry Encouragement Award for
Cross Country”. Cristine Suffolk received the “Neville Markham Long Distance Award” for her outstanding Long Distance achievements at Masters Athletics Championships over 2008/09. The Nowra Athletics Club’s longest running award for athletic performance, the “Frank McCaffery Shield for Performance of the Year” went to NSW State Champion Linda Weatherill. In the 2008/09 Athletic season Linda outperformed the States best in three different events to claim State titles (State Cross Country Champion – Short and Long Course and 1500m Champion). A fantastic effort and a well deserved winner. Congratulations to all who made the effort to compete and all those lucky enough to receive awards. The evening came to a close with Kevyn Davis thanking everyone and inviting all present to stay for supper, refreshments and a friendly chat. With the Cross Country Season well under way many of the Club’s runners are in full training mode for the competition. Also with the Canberra Half Marathon (17th May), Willandra Country Classic (20th June) and Shoalhaven King of the Mountain (5th July) coming up soon the Club’s long distance runners are keen to be in top shape. Over the next few months expect to see Nowra Athletics Club runners out on the streets and bush trails enjoying the delights of the local area. This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Longreach course, Longreach Road, Longreach. Registration and administration will be from 2.15pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. For further results or information about the Nowra Athletics Club’s competitions visit our website at (www.nowraathletics.org.au).
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Cross Country Report Nowra Athletics Club members and their families are invited to the Club’s AGM and presentation evening at the Illaroo Road Public School Hall, Illaroo Road North Nowra at 7.30 pm this Saturday. The evening starts off with the Club’s Annual General Meeting where financial accounts and other reports are presented followed by the election of office bearers and committee members for the next twelve months. The official part of the evening is generally short and straight to the ponit - which leaves plenty of time for the presentations and the social side of the event. This year awards will be given in the Club’s three competitions – 2008/2009 Summer Athletics, 2008/2009 Summer Road Runs and the 2008 Cross Country Competition. All club members receiving awards in the various grades and divisions have been notified and are urged to attend in order to receive their trophies. The Nowra Athletics Club has a number of special awards for outstanding athletic achievements, encouragement awards and also recognises those who have made a significant contribution to the Club and sport throughout the year. These awards are announced on the presentation night and are always received with plenty of smiles. During the presentation Club members will be entertained with an audio visual extravaganza showing the various competitions and outings undertaken by Club members throughout the year. A running commentary with interviews from local athletic legends is also in production and is expected to provide some interesting facts and a few laughs. Following the presentation all club members, family and friends are invited to enjoy a light supper generously provided by our gifted and talented culinary members. Looking forward to seeing you there! This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at “Timberhills”, McKinnons Farm, Kell’s Road, Tomerong. To find Timberhills, simply drive South down the Princes Hwy and look for a right hand turn (Kell’s Road) marked with X-Country signs on the Tomerong by-pass. Travel up Kell’s Road for about 1.5km till you reach Timberhills on the right hand side. Registration and administration will be from 2.15pm with the first event starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. Another upcoming event run by the Nowra Athletics Club is the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain (Sunday 5th July). For entry forms and further inquiries go to www.kingofthemountainnowra.org.au or contact Doug Jeffrey on 0407 441 889. |
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Longreach Cross Country
Report Cross country runners and their families were introduced to the rigours and the delights of the Longreach courses in the Nowra Toyota Cross Country Pointscore on Saturday afternoon. Once again a very large contingent of runners made the effort and enjoyed the experience. In fact one of the Club’s newest members was so enthusiastic that in the hustle and bustle of the 3km race he ran past the turn around point and continued on to complete the medium course (5.6KM) in the reverse direction. A fantastic effort that showed great courage – well done! Club officials were very pleased with the level of participation in the Medium and Long course events on Saturday. It was also good to see so many of the Club’s long standing members out there enjoying another cross country season and giving the benefit of their experiences to so many new runners in the longer races. In regard to handicaps in the pointscore - runners may notice changes to their handicaps over the coming weeks. This is due to the fact that times have been posted at the courses for most of the runners. What this means is that the Club Handicapper now has a guide to each individuals’ ability in relation to the other runners in their Division. The handicap can also change from week to week depending on the runners weekly results balanced against the other runners. Generally, as runners improve through the season their handicaps change to reflect those improvements. The reverse situation occurs if a runner’s times don’t improve or get worse. The objective of the handicap is to make each event fun and interesting for all by giving each competitor an equal opportunity to win no matter what their ability. Usually the people that end up at the top of the pointscore by season end are the runners that turn up and do their best every week. Sometimes they’re the fastest sometimes not. The point is 90% of success is just turning up! A full table of Saturday’s results is available in the Sporting Results section of this publication or online at the club’s website (www.nowraathletics.org.au). This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. Registration and administration will be from around 2.15pm with the first event (2km) starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday.
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Timberhills Cross
Country Report Cross country runners had the best of everything competing in the Nowra Toyota Cross Country Pointscore at the Timberhills course Tomerong on Saturday. It was great weather for a run, the courses were perfect and the very large crowd of runners and families were in the highest of spirits. |
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Ron and Ruth have been fantastic supporters of the Nowra Athletics Club and Cross Country Running in general for many years now. Continually making their property available for the Club’s regular competition and preparing the courses to a world class standard. All races on Saturday had
close to record numbers in each division which made for some very
competitive running for those interested in speed work and very
enjoyable for those wanting some fun with their exercise. |
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In the 2km event this week James Batson, Kye Jones and Colin Pryde were first home in Division 1. While in Division 2 the girls were well ahead with Leonie Foggo, Tara Mustapic and Briony Munro crossing the line first. The Division 3 and 4 front runners included Leith Goodwin, Melinda Mustapic, Ethan Havadjia, Alyssa Head, Sophie Fletcher and Anabelle Dallas. While the 2km event is predominately (but not exclusively) attended by younger runners the 3km race sees a wide array of competitors in terms of age and ability. All of which makes for some interesting work for the Club handicapper and race officials on Saturdays. Ashley Hale, Zac Havadjia, Niamh Frawley, Abigail Manning, Brinley Goodwin and Paul Goodwin were all in good form finishing in front across the two Divisions. However, the “old master” Peter Dooley still managed to post the fastest time (male) and finish in fifth place in Division 1. Sharna Broughton flexed her racing muscles and finished the tough 3km course in less than thirteen minutes to be the fastest female. The Medium and Long course events saw almost one hundred runners climbing all those back hills together and jogging down through the beautifully wooded rainforest sections of the running track with smiles on their faces. In the Long course race Damian Smith ran like a man possessed catching most of the early starters in the Handicap by the end of the first lap. Later consolidating his lead to finish the race in just over thirty six minutes! Not to be outdone, Eric Moeller-Duhme, Scott Martin, Karen Jones and Grace Dawson all had magnificent runs in Division 1 as well. In Division 2 Long course newcomer Peter Khourey continued with his good form finishing in first place while Ming Leung and Jo Warren were not far away claiming second and third positions. A full table of results is available in the Sporting Results section of this publication or online at the club’s website (www.nowraathletics.org.au). This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Longreach course, Longreach Road, Longreach. A 2009 Cross Country Season programme is available for all newcomers and members at the administration area or online at www.nowraathletics.org.au. Registration and administration will be from around 2.00pm with the first event (2km) starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. Other events to note on the Runners’ Calendar for 2009 are the Willandra “Country Classic” – Cross Country Gala and State Championships on Saturday 20th June and the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain 32km endurance event on Sunday 5th July. Further information about the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain - including a course map, entry form etc can found online (www.kingofthemountainnowra.org.au) or by contacting Doug Jeffrey on 0407 441 889.
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SOFT TRACK FOR
CROSS COUNTRY Nowra Athletics Club conducted Round 2 of the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore last Saturday at the Willandra course in summery weather but on a muddy track due to recent rain. A very big attendance was recorded and many new runners were welcomed. Some important administration items for all to note include the starting time for events which is 2.30 pm for the first run, 3.00pm for 3k and long course and 3.20pm for the medium distance course. No matter which venue is in use these are the times. Administration is between 1.30 and 2.30pm when Club officials will be on hand to sort out any matter that needs sorting. The results will show divisions in the various
distances raced. All groups should consult the notice board next week to not only check on their handicap but to see if their division has been changed. Now to other news and we note the sad passing of Mrs Denise Baker a former Committee member, Treasurer and Life Member of the Club. Denise was an active member of the Club in the exciting ‘Eighties’ when the Club enjoyed much success. We express our sympathy to the family. On the National scene at the Australian Under 20 and 23 Championships in Adelaide,our steeplechase exponent, Alex Pitkethly ran well for a bronze Medal in the 3000 metres ‘chase. Well done Alex in your first outing at National level. Next Saturday the action is at the Timberhills course at Tomerong. Our hosts will be Ron and Ruth Mc Kinnon and the pleasures of Timberhills await all runners. The course is located on Kells Road which is off the Highway through Tomerong, watch for direction signs. Administration from 1.30pm first race 2.30pm.
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Cross Country Report On Saturday afternoon Round 1 of the Nowra
Toyota Winter Pointscore competition saw a whole host of new members
and their families taking full advantage of the beautiful sunny
conditions to run the Willandra course. |
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The two most popular events of the day were the 2km and 3km events - both races saw record numbers of entrants. In the medium course event Patrick Ozolins took to the lead early and held out challenges from Glen Sansom and several younger new club runners to take the line honours. In the Long Course event many a new face was seen experiencing the back hills for the first time and then again for the second lap. It doesn’t get any easier no matter how many times you do it! For all those new to cross
country running - the regular Saturday cross country competition is
known as the Nowra Toyota Winter Pointscore and has been a regular
feature of the Nowra Athletics Club Cross Country Calendar for
several years. |
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Winners in each division are recognised at the end of the season with winner’s certificates and followed-up with trophies at the Clubs’ AGM and Presentation evening. This year’s AGM and presentation evening will be on the 2nd May at 7.30pm at the Illaroo Road Public School assembly hall. Awards and trophies from the 2008 Cross Country season and the 2008 – 2009 Summer Athletics Competition will be presented. Other events to note on the Runners’ Calendar for 2009 are the Willandra “Country Classic” – Cross Country Gala and State Championships on Saturday 20th June and the Shoalhaven King of the Mountain 32 km endurance event on Sunday 5th July. Club officials look forward to another successful and enjoyable season and urge all members and their families to enjoy the courses, events and the friendly people from the Nowra Athletics Club. In other club news Lynda Douglass and Bernie Condon were in the medals again at a NSW Masters Championship last weekend. Lynda picked up silver in the 60m event and bronze in the 100m while Bernie took three silver medals for second place in the 60, 100 and 200m events. Fantastic effort! This Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. A 2009 Cross Country Season programme with information outlining dates, courses etc’ is available for all newcomers and members at the administration area. New members are most welcome please check out the Club website (www.nowraathletics.org.au or just Google Nowra Athletics Club) for information, results, photographs and upcoming events. Registration and administration will return to the normal time of 1.30pm with the first event (2km) starting at around 2.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday.
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Cross Country Opener A beautiful sunny day, cross country courses lush with green grass and a stunning mountain backdrop. What more could you want to start off another cross country season. Cross country runners turned out in good numbers for the beginning of the Nowra Athletics Club’s Nowra Toyota Cross Country Pointscore Competition for 2009 at Willandra, Cambewarra on Saturday afternoon. A warm welcome and a few
announcements from Club Patron Rod Gibb and Club President Kevyn
Davis preceded the start of the first event. Runners and their
families were also made aware of the temporary changes to the
courses and the later starting times. |
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For the next few weeks while the weather is still hot and daylight savings is with us - the first event (2km) will commence at 3.30pm. Administration and registration is available in the administration area from around 2.30pm. The 2km event had plenty of starters with many first time families running in small groups until they past the first bend where the temporary course changes came into play. There were no mistakes from runners at the left turn and most enjoyed the opportunity of an early down hill section. As usual for the season opener, the younger legs seemed a little more enthusiastic and willing to go all out. The first ten or so runners home in the 2km and 3km events were all 12 and 13 year old girls and boys. |
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As usual for the season opener, the younger legs seemed a little more enthusiastic and willing to go all out. The first ten or so runners home in the 2km and 3km events were all 12 and 13 year old girls and boys. In the longer events the ability to keep a cool head in the trying conditions was a contributing factor in the results. Naturally most runners were trying to keep a low profile for handicapping purposes and will no doubt be improving over the coming weeks as their fitness levels increase. All in all another fantastic cross country experience was had by everyone. This Saturday’s Cross Country running will again be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. The 2009 Cross Country Season programme with information outlining dates, courses etc’ is available for all newcomers and members at the administration area. Registration and administration will be from 2.30pm with the first event starting at around 3.30pm. New members are most welcome please check out the Club website (www.nowraathletics.org.au or just Google Nowra Athletics Club) for information, results, photographs and upcoming events. Further enquiries can be made by contacting club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday.
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Cross Country Begins On your mark, set and go - the Nowra Athletics Club’s winter season and Cross Country Competition for 2009 is up and running from this Saturday and everyone’s invited! On Saturday, follow the signs to Willandra, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra where registration and administration is from 2.30 pm with the first event starting at around 3.30 pm. |
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From Saturday 21st
March through to Saturday August 22nd the Nowra Athletics
Club will be conducting a handicap competition of cross country
running. The competition features two shorter distance events of 2
and 3 kilometres, a medium distance event of 4 to 6 kilometres and a
long distance event of 8 to 12 kilometres. |
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The various grades and handicap system make the competition interesting and fair, enabling all athletes to compete and enjoy the cross country experience. The four beautiful courses of Willandra, Timberhills, Longreach and “The Forest” offer a variety of conditions each with their own set of challenges. The Willandra course has testing tracks and a number of hills and slopes designed to challenge the spirit of the middle and long distance runners. The shorter courses (2km and 3km) are ideal for the young, the young at heart and new comers to the sport. Willandra has ample parking, amenities blocks, covered areas while the “Country Canteen” serves light refreshments with a choice of hot or cold drinks. The Timberhills course (McKinnon’s Farm, Kell’s Road, Tomerong) offers scenic bush courses with rainforest like wooded sections, creeks and open field running. While at Longreach and “The Forest” runners are treated to varying conditions with fast flat sections, bushy areas and one or two hills for the longer course runners. Cross country running is the ideal family sport where everyone can have a go. On Saturday pack a few drinks, a picnic rug and wear your running shoes. That’s all you’ll need to have a fantastic family afternoon. As mentioned this Saturday’s Cross Country running will be at the Willandra course, Brown’s Mountain Road, Cambewarra. Registration and administration will be from 2.30pm with the first event starting at around 3.30pm. For further enquiries contact club Secretary Jan Gibb on 44460226 or simply come along on Saturday. Looking forward to seeing you there! For more information on results, upcoming events, course conditions and or cancellations visit the Club website (www.nowraathletics.org.au or just Google Nowra Athletics Club).
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