Home » News and Media » News » 2009 » August » Perrett, Geraghty the best at Nowra
31.08.2009
Contested over the uniquely hilly Willandra course and in wet and slippery conditions, the race more than lived up to its reputation as a tough day out.
In the women’s event the lead runners maintained a hold on the race over most of the 8km course, early leader Tamara Carvolth (QLD) just ahead of Geraghty, Fiona Nash (VIC) and Angela Leadbeatter (NSW), whose late entry to the starting line-up caused some confusion.
"I rang Athletics NSW on Thursday to get a late entry,’’ said Leadbeatter, better known by her maiden name of Sheean. In 2001 Leadbeatter placed second at the national championships and was rated a genuine chance to medal at Nowra this weekend.
By the second lap Geraghty had taken the lead but Carvolth, Nash and Leadbeatter remained in touch.
Over the next 2km, in a section of the course that featured the infamous Nowra hill, Nash then Leadbeatter moved past Carvolth with Leadbeatter pushing on strongly to almost catch Geraghty, Nash crossing the line in third.
"I felt Angela on me,’’ said Geraghty, under threat from Leadbeatter’s fast finish.
"For a while I was thinking second was a fine achievement."
But Geraghty responded strongly to Leadbeatter’s challenge.
"I don’t know where it came from, I just brought it home,’’ she said.
Geraghty, who returned home to Queensland to race in Brisbane on Sunday, had not previously taken on the Nowra course.
"I hadn’t seen the course until I looked at it on YouTube but a cross country course is a cross country course,’’ she said.
In a classic showdown in the men's event the three race favourites - Liam Adams, Jeff Hunt and Clint Perrett - were always in the mix but took a while to emerge from the pack.
The early leader over the 12km course was Daniel Green, followed by a large pack that included Nathan Hartigan (VIC), Courtney Carter (WA), Adams (VIC), Hunt (NSW), Perrett (VIC), Tim Rowe (NSW), Chris Hamer (VIC), Kane Willie (VIC), Duer Yoa (VIC) and Shaun Krawitz (VIC).
By the 3km-mark a pack led by Adams, Hunt and Perrett had caught the runaway leader and Hunt, the 2007 champion, started to feel the pinch.
"I was not feeling good and I hoped they were feeling worse. I had to put on a poker face,’’ he said.
Running conservatively in the pack was Perrett, who placed third in Sydney's City to Surf earlier this month.
"I was feeling comfortable. The hills were not taking too much out of me,’’ Perrett said.
At the 5km-mark, the 10-man pack remained intact but over the next kilometre, which included the back hill, the race was blown apart as Adams, Hunt and Perrett broke away.
The trio continued to run side-by-side from the 6km-mark through to 10.5km, where the action ramped up on the back hill.
"Jeff put in a bit of a surge,’’ Perrett said, and as Hunt took water, the Victorian stole a break.
"I leaned into the downhill,’’ he said.
"I had a 10-15m break and thought, 'I won’t get this chance again.' I drove it home after that.’’
Over the final 1500m the athletes maintained their positions, Perrett leading Hunt with Adams in third.
Perrett crossed the line in 39:13.00, 14 seconds ahead of Hunt (39:26.49), with Adams (39:55.23) a further 29 seconds behind.
The win was the result of a meticulous preparation by Perrett and coach Mark Gorski.
"This was the goal,’’ Perrett said.
"The squad trained on hills which put me in good stead.’’
The win marks Perrett’s first Australian title in 16 years since taking out his age category at the national primary schools championships as a junior.
On a dominant day out, Victoria comfortably claimed both the men’s and women’s open teams titles.
In the U20 men’s event, Sydney’s Harry Summers (NSW) dominated the race from the gun. The 19-year-old led home four fellow NSW athletes, each among the final top six Australians in the race.
In the women’s U20 race Victorian Grace Thek started conservatively but eventually took the lead and ran away with the race to win by a comfortable 38 seconds.
For a full list of results from the 2009 national cross country championships, click here
With David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW
News
Perrett, Geraghty the best at Nowra
Victoria’s Clint Perrett and Queensland’s Clare Geraghty have been crowned national cross country champions for 2009 after taking out line honours in Nowra at the weekend.Contested over the uniquely hilly Willandra course and in wet and slippery conditions, the race more than lived up to its reputation as a tough day out.
In the women’s event the lead runners maintained a hold on the race over most of the 8km course, early leader Tamara Carvolth (QLD) just ahead of Geraghty, Fiona Nash (VIC) and Angela Leadbeatter (NSW), whose late entry to the starting line-up caused some confusion.
"I rang Athletics NSW on Thursday to get a late entry,’’ said Leadbeatter, better known by her maiden name of Sheean. In 2001 Leadbeatter placed second at the national championships and was rated a genuine chance to medal at Nowra this weekend.
By the second lap Geraghty had taken the lead but Carvolth, Nash and Leadbeatter remained in touch.
Over the next 2km, in a section of the course that featured the infamous Nowra hill, Nash then Leadbeatter moved past Carvolth with Leadbeatter pushing on strongly to almost catch Geraghty, Nash crossing the line in third.
"I felt Angela on me,’’ said Geraghty, under threat from Leadbeatter’s fast finish.
"For a while I was thinking second was a fine achievement."
But Geraghty responded strongly to Leadbeatter’s challenge.
"I don’t know where it came from, I just brought it home,’’ she said.
Geraghty, who returned home to Queensland to race in Brisbane on Sunday, had not previously taken on the Nowra course.
"I hadn’t seen the course until I looked at it on YouTube but a cross country course is a cross country course,’’ she said.
In a classic showdown in the men's event the three race favourites - Liam Adams, Jeff Hunt and Clint Perrett - were always in the mix but took a while to emerge from the pack.
The early leader over the 12km course was Daniel Green, followed by a large pack that included Nathan Hartigan (VIC), Courtney Carter (WA), Adams (VIC), Hunt (NSW), Perrett (VIC), Tim Rowe (NSW), Chris Hamer (VIC), Kane Willie (VIC), Duer Yoa (VIC) and Shaun Krawitz (VIC).
By the 3km-mark a pack led by Adams, Hunt and Perrett had caught the runaway leader and Hunt, the 2007 champion, started to feel the pinch.
"I was not feeling good and I hoped they were feeling worse. I had to put on a poker face,’’ he said.
Running conservatively in the pack was Perrett, who placed third in Sydney's City to Surf earlier this month.
"I was feeling comfortable. The hills were not taking too much out of me,’’ Perrett said.
At the 5km-mark, the 10-man pack remained intact but over the next kilometre, which included the back hill, the race was blown apart as Adams, Hunt and Perrett broke away.
The trio continued to run side-by-side from the 6km-mark through to 10.5km, where the action ramped up on the back hill.
"Jeff put in a bit of a surge,’’ Perrett said, and as Hunt took water, the Victorian stole a break.
"I leaned into the downhill,’’ he said.
"I had a 10-15m break and thought, 'I won’t get this chance again.' I drove it home after that.’’
Over the final 1500m the athletes maintained their positions, Perrett leading Hunt with Adams in third.
Perrett crossed the line in 39:13.00, 14 seconds ahead of Hunt (39:26.49), with Adams (39:55.23) a further 29 seconds behind.
The win was the result of a meticulous preparation by Perrett and coach Mark Gorski.
"This was the goal,’’ Perrett said.
"The squad trained on hills which put me in good stead.’’
The win marks Perrett’s first Australian title in 16 years since taking out his age category at the national primary schools championships as a junior.
On a dominant day out, Victoria comfortably claimed both the men’s and women’s open teams titles.
In the U20 men’s event, Sydney’s Harry Summers (NSW) dominated the race from the gun. The 19-year-old led home four fellow NSW athletes, each among the final top six Australians in the race.
In the women’s U20 race Victorian Grace Thek started conservatively but eventually took the lead and ran away with the race to win by a comfortable 38 seconds.
For a full list of results from the 2009 national cross country championships, click here
With David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW
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