The stage is set for the Australian Athletics Cross Country Championships in Ballarat.
Despite a rainy week in the Victorian regional town, spirits are high as over 1600 athletes, their families and friends converge on Ballarat for the two-day event.
This year there are record entries for the Championships, with participation up 10 percent in both the individual events and relays.
Encouragingly in the younger female categories of U11s and U12s, participation has grown around 40 percent the past year, as well as 30 percent for boys of the same age.
Over 1600 athletes from around the country will compete over the weekend.
Australian marathon legend Steve Moneghetti said even though the conditions might be wet and cold, it still will be a great weekend of racing.
That’s all part of the fun of cross country, the unpredictability of the conditions.
“The worse part is hanging around when the race starts, but once you get going it’s a lot of fun and it doesn’t matter there might be a bit of mud,” he said.
Australian marathon record holder Haftu Strintzos (VIC, Adam Didyk) will race his first race since running 2:06.20 to win the Gold Coast Marathon in early July.
Strintzos was named this week as part of the Australian team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September.
“I wanted to race in the Cross Country to get a 10km race under my belt, to sharpen up the body, leading up to Copenhagen,” he said.
On Sunday, the Australian Athletics Junior Race Walking Championships will take place in Ballarat.
The walking events kick off at 9am, with the last race at 10.55am.
In the women’s U20, Zoe Woods (NSW, David Beacroft) will be racing under two weeks since she finished a very impressive 15th in the world at the World Athletics U20 Championships 5km walk event.
The weekend is part of the Chemist Warehouse Winter Series of athletics events.
Athletes to watch in the Australian Athletics National Cross Country Championships include:
By Luke Dennehy, Australian Athletics
Posted 21/8/2026
