Home » News and Media » News » 2009 » August » Nowra to crown national cross country champions
28.08.2009
With just one of the top 10 place-getters in last year's women's event returning to the action in 2009, the field is wide open for a new champion to etch her name into the history books at the finish line of the 8km course.
City to Surf winner Melinda Vernon, who placed seventh in 2008, returns for another shot at the national crown but will take to the start line feeling the effects of a huge few weeks on the road.
"I pulled up with muscle soreness due to racing two major races within a week,’’ said Vernon, who won the Oceania/New Zealand cross country title just a week before taking out Sydney's City to Surf.
Third in Sydney was Queensland’s Clare Geraghty, who will be very competitive in Nowra this weekend.
Geraghty's goal is simple: "Finish in the top five and make Australian selection for world cross country.’’
Canberra teenager Emily Brichacek will also be in the mix, the young runner placing 21st in the junior event at last year's world cross country championships.
The Victorian challenge will be led by state 8km champion Fiona Nash.
West Australia’s Lauren Shelley, temporarily living in New South Wales, is out for a top-six finish tomorrow after placing third in the New South Wales cross country championships.
"I'm hoping to run faster than in the state cross country in June,’’ said Shelley, who at that time was in training for the Gold Coast marathon.
"I’m fit in a different way. Hopefully I have more speed now but the endurance isn’t there. It will be an interesting comparison."
Shelley's knowledge of the hilly Nowra course will no doubt benefit the West Australian, with the course set to challenge many competitors this weekend.
"I love the course, hate the hill," said Shelley, whose coach Jackie Fairweather placed sixth in the 1992 championships at Nowra.
"I prefer a challenging course. A tough course that slows everybody else down should play in my favour."
Shelley, who represented Australia in the marathon at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, said the field's young runners would be the ones to watch this weekend.
"There’s a great group of young up-and-coming runners to watch out for so it will be interesting to see how they handle the open distance, along with the challenging course," she said.
In the absence of reigning title-holder Martin Dent, who placed 21st in the marathon at the world championships in Berlin last weekend (2:16.05), 2009 will also give rise to a new men's champion, the 12km race set to be a showdown between 2007 Australian champion Jeff Hunt (NSW) and Victorian state 12km champion Liam Adams.
"My preparation has been great,’’ Adams said.
"It's been the best preparation I’ve ever had for a national cross country championship. I feel as if I’ve maintained my fitness from the World University Games but in a more specific way to 12km cross country running."
After his 10th placing in the final of the men's 5000m at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, in July (14:12.86), Adams arrives in Nowra looking for his first national open cross country medal.
“My goal is to get a better result then my previous best (fourth) at an open national championship," he said.
“It will be a tough race though, lots of the guys are coming off great performances at the City to Surf and Jeff Hunt this year ran the fastest time recorded at the Nowra venue since Mark Thompson won the 2002 national championship.
“It will make my goal more challenging but I still think I’m in with a good chance of getting my first open national medal and hopefully I'll be up there challenging for the win.
Hunt, who will represent Australia at the world half marathon championships in October, took out the New South Wales long course cross country championships at Nowra in June.
"My preparation has been very good with lots of training and lots of rest,’’ Hunt said.
"It’s been good over the last six weeks to just focus on staying healthy and putting in the work.
"I feel much stronger and fitter than I have ever been and with two extra months of training under my belt since winning the state long course championships, I am quietly confident.’’
The New South Welshman has been in good form this year, adding a breakthrough victory at the Gold Coast half marathon in July to his state long course cross country win.
“I really want to win the race and get my second national cross title," he said.
“The race will be tough but I believe I am ready for whatever happens on race day. I’ve won the race before, so that really helps with the confidence and I would really like it if NSW was to come away with the team title as well this year."
Adams, who is coached by Gregor Gojrzewski and will be joined by a number of his training partners at the championships, is not unfamiliar with the Nowra course.
“I ran on the Nowra course in the U18 6km event and actually won my first national title there," he said.
"I would love to say the course will suit me but I’ve never done that dreaded hill out the back. From what I hear it's quite challenging and sorts people out, so it's going to be very interesting doing it three times but I’m looking forward to it."
Hunt, although reasonably familiar with the course, is the first to admit it's a "tough" run.
“Nowra is one of those courses where if you are super fit, you can really run on strong on that third lap and open up big gaps," he said.
“It’s a course where it's very hard to get into a rhythm because your stride and pace is constantly changing and you kind of fartlek the race.
“It is a great course to run on when you run well, but can be a nightmare if you have a bad day."
Third place-getter in the recent City to Surf, Clint Perrett, will also be in the mix.
“I've been preparing well with some good road races including the City to Surf, Launceston 10km as well as specific cross country sessions in the lead-up to this weekend,” Perrett said.
“I would like to run a perfect race, and if all goes to plan should be able to challenge in the later stages of the race.
My preparation has been going well and I'm feeling 100 per cent fit, so I'm ready for a strong performance.
“I would love to improve on my best result in a senior national cross country event of fourth."
With David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW
Re-live the history of the national cross country championships here
News
Nowra to crown national cross country champions
The stage is set for tomorrow's Australian cross country championships in Nowra, New South Wales.With just one of the top 10 place-getters in last year's women's event returning to the action in 2009, the field is wide open for a new champion to etch her name into the history books at the finish line of the 8km course.
City to Surf winner Melinda Vernon, who placed seventh in 2008, returns for another shot at the national crown but will take to the start line feeling the effects of a huge few weeks on the road.
"I pulled up with muscle soreness due to racing two major races within a week,’’ said Vernon, who won the Oceania/New Zealand cross country title just a week before taking out Sydney's City to Surf.
Third in Sydney was Queensland’s Clare Geraghty, who will be very competitive in Nowra this weekend.
Geraghty's goal is simple: "Finish in the top five and make Australian selection for world cross country.’’
Canberra teenager Emily Brichacek will also be in the mix, the young runner placing 21st in the junior event at last year's world cross country championships.
The Victorian challenge will be led by state 8km champion Fiona Nash.
West Australia’s Lauren Shelley, temporarily living in New South Wales, is out for a top-six finish tomorrow after placing third in the New South Wales cross country championships.
"I'm hoping to run faster than in the state cross country in June,’’ said Shelley, who at that time was in training for the Gold Coast marathon.
"I’m fit in a different way. Hopefully I have more speed now but the endurance isn’t there. It will be an interesting comparison."
Shelley's knowledge of the hilly Nowra course will no doubt benefit the West Australian, with the course set to challenge many competitors this weekend.
"I love the course, hate the hill," said Shelley, whose coach Jackie Fairweather placed sixth in the 1992 championships at Nowra.
"I prefer a challenging course. A tough course that slows everybody else down should play in my favour."
Shelley, who represented Australia in the marathon at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, said the field's young runners would be the ones to watch this weekend.
"There’s a great group of young up-and-coming runners to watch out for so it will be interesting to see how they handle the open distance, along with the challenging course," she said.
In the absence of reigning title-holder Martin Dent, who placed 21st in the marathon at the world championships in Berlin last weekend (2:16.05), 2009 will also give rise to a new men's champion, the 12km race set to be a showdown between 2007 Australian champion Jeff Hunt (NSW) and Victorian state 12km champion Liam Adams.
"My preparation has been great,’’ Adams said.
"It's been the best preparation I’ve ever had for a national cross country championship. I feel as if I’ve maintained my fitness from the World University Games but in a more specific way to 12km cross country running."
After his 10th placing in the final of the men's 5000m at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, in July (14:12.86), Adams arrives in Nowra looking for his first national open cross country medal.
“My goal is to get a better result then my previous best (fourth) at an open national championship," he said.
“It will be a tough race though, lots of the guys are coming off great performances at the City to Surf and Jeff Hunt this year ran the fastest time recorded at the Nowra venue since Mark Thompson won the 2002 national championship.
“It will make my goal more challenging but I still think I’m in with a good chance of getting my first open national medal and hopefully I'll be up there challenging for the win.
Hunt, who will represent Australia at the world half marathon championships in October, took out the New South Wales long course cross country championships at Nowra in June.
"My preparation has been very good with lots of training and lots of rest,’’ Hunt said.
"It’s been good over the last six weeks to just focus on staying healthy and putting in the work.
"I feel much stronger and fitter than I have ever been and with two extra months of training under my belt since winning the state long course championships, I am quietly confident.’’
The New South Welshman has been in good form this year, adding a breakthrough victory at the Gold Coast half marathon in July to his state long course cross country win.
“I really want to win the race and get my second national cross title," he said.
“The race will be tough but I believe I am ready for whatever happens on race day. I’ve won the race before, so that really helps with the confidence and I would really like it if NSW was to come away with the team title as well this year."
Adams, who is coached by Gregor Gojrzewski and will be joined by a number of his training partners at the championships, is not unfamiliar with the Nowra course.
“I ran on the Nowra course in the U18 6km event and actually won my first national title there," he said.
"I would love to say the course will suit me but I’ve never done that dreaded hill out the back. From what I hear it's quite challenging and sorts people out, so it's going to be very interesting doing it three times but I’m looking forward to it."
Hunt, although reasonably familiar with the course, is the first to admit it's a "tough" run.
“Nowra is one of those courses where if you are super fit, you can really run on strong on that third lap and open up big gaps," he said.
“It’s a course where it's very hard to get into a rhythm because your stride and pace is constantly changing and you kind of fartlek the race.
“It is a great course to run on when you run well, but can be a nightmare if you have a bad day."
Third place-getter in the recent City to Surf, Clint Perrett, will also be in the mix.
“I've been preparing well with some good road races including the City to Surf, Launceston 10km as well as specific cross country sessions in the lead-up to this weekend,” Perrett said.
“I would like to run a perfect race, and if all goes to plan should be able to challenge in the later stages of the race.
My preparation has been going well and I'm feeling 100 per cent fit, so I'm ready for a strong performance.
“I would love to improve on my best result in a senior national cross country event of fourth."
With David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW
Re-live the history of the national cross country championships here
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