Flying Fenn a winner again

Three-time Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club champion Paul Fenn made an error in Sunday’s five-kilometre handicap that nearly cost him his first win since 2016.

With a kilometre to run, Fenn thought he had the race in his keeping when he swept past a battling Julie Hertz, who finished third.

At the 400-metre mark, he spotted another yellow-shirted runner up ahead. At the post-race presentation Fenn admitted he had, ‘forgotten’ endurance specialist Sue Blizzard was in the race.

The one-time Olympic hopeful raced past the leader and reached the timekeepers with 18 seconds to spare, with plenty of daylight between them and Hertz.

Fenn, 38, had a forced absence from competition with a high grade plantar fasciitis injury which was so severe he could barely walk.

“I virtually had to go back to basics and retrain myself to run again,” he said.

Stawell Amateur Athletic Club’s Rebecca Hurley broke through for her first win in any sort of foot race in Saturday’s five-kilometre Stan and Karen Watson Handicap, narrowly out-gunning in-form veteran Bob Freeland and fast-finishing Simon Bond. Kade Santuccione emulated the deeds of his sister Sienna a week earlier by winning the one-kilometre sub juniors race from nearest chasers Kayla Membrey and Charlie Dunn.

Stawell Amateur Athletic Club returns to the Ironbarks on Saturday for the five-kilometre Stephen Baird Handicap. Fun runners are invited to meet at the North Park clubrooms from 9.30am.

Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club faces the challenge of One Tree Hill in Ararat on Sunday, more than half of which includes a 1700-metre ascent to the lookout. Fun runners are welcome.