Robinson joins rookie winners
The unprecedented run of success from first-season runners with Stawell Amateur Athletic Club continued at the weekend when Brad Robinson won a five-kilometre handicap.
He became the sixth rookie in the past eight races to break through for victory.
Robinson had intended only to support his son, Dale, in a one-kilometre sub-junior race, but was talked into running by fellow endurance specialist Matilda Iglesias who used the race as a warm up for a You Yangs trail run the next day.
“I was feeling a little under-hydrated after struggling in a nine-kilometre run during the week, but once I started the legs felt okay so I decided to have a crack,” he said.
“I didn’t give a thought to winning it, and this is a bit of a surprise because I’ve never won a race of any description. It was only my third run with the club and in the second I had to pull out with a thigh strain.”
Skirting around trail-wide puddles through the heathlands at Nuggety Hill near Stawell, Robinson surged to the lead with 800 metres run and reached the line with 12 seconds to spare.
Michelle Dunn was next with David Hunter closing strongly for third.
Son Dale couldn’t emulate his dad in sub-juniors but was a creditable fourth behind Ethan Jones, Jerome Baker and Lenny Field.
The club travels to Rupanyup on Saturday for a handicap on a user-friendly eight-kilometre course.
Tactical chat
Bandaged veteran runner Sandra Barwick rubbed shoulders with last-start winner Sue Blizzard for five of a 10-kilometre Logan Memorial Handicap at Stawell on Sunday and believes that was instrumental in her win.
Barwick hadn’t won since the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club’s season finale in 2016, but she missed all of 2017 due to a chronic knee problem and more recently has suffered severe pain from an infected chilblain on her right foot.
So well was Barwick travelling that handicapper Peter Gibson, who was on course with a camera, sent a message ahead to the timekeepers declaring Barwick would win.
They were well prepared when she crossed the line with over two minutes to spare from 658run club stalwart Jack Trounson with Chris Barwick another minute behind.
With two seconds, two thirds and a fourth from her last five starts, Barwick has shaken off the ‘bridesmaid’ tag only to pass it on to Trounson, who without winning has now finished no further back than fourth at his last 10 starts.
Her knee heavily bandaged for all of this season, Barwick goes into each race with limited preparation.
With both Blizzard and Barwick now re-handicapped after their wins, Trounson is a hot favourite to finally break through in an eight-kilometre Peter Gibson Handicap in Ararat on Sunday.