Frank Dyson Memorial Relay

Saturday 21st May 2022

Last Saturday we had another fabulous afternoon of racing and fun with the Frank Dyson Memorial Relay at the Tan. It was great to see another large turnout by the Old Xavarians team to take on the second premiership race of the season and what a race it was. For the first time we had batons for the event and at 2.30pm the first runners set off down the hill from Kings Domain to take on the Tan. Throughout the afternoon there was a great amount of cheering from the Old Xavs family and friends cheer squad as one by one our runners finished their Tan laps and passed the baton to the next team member.

In the men’s race a very quick Adam Pyke (11:34) from the Old Wesley team was the first runner to finish the first lap, followed shortly after by the first runner from Old Scotch. A loud cheer then erupted as Peter Chappell (12:14), the first runner for the Old Xavs team, came through the change-over area to pass the baton in 3^rd place. Next came the first runner from Old Caulfield Grammar followed by Matt Gibney (13:02), the first runner for the Old Xavs second team.

In the second lap John Kuol (12:14) made up some ground for the OX1 team against OS and overtaking the second OW1 runner so that OW1 then dropped back to 3^rd place. With Tom Bowers clocking the fastest leg of the day (11:22) for a little while Old Scotch were able to increase their lead on OX1 despite another solid run from men’s captain Aidan Jackson (12:18). Ben Haseler (12:20) ran fourth for the OX1 team, passing the fourth OS runner and putting our men’s first team into first place. The fabulous efforts by the 2 remaining runners for OX1 (Brad Johnson 13:08 and Aidan Biggar 13:00) allowed the OX men to hold onto the lead and take out first place and the trophy in the Men’s Division 1.

The Old Wesley women were also the first team around the Tan at the end of the first lap with Anna Kasapis passing her baton first. To a great cheer Annabelle Colman (14:28) came through to pass the baton in second place for our first Women’s team. A great second leg by Lauren Mosbey (14:51) allowed our women’s first team to pass Old Wesley and seat themselves in first place and with a decent buffer on the other women’s teams. Hannah Cossins (15:03) increased the gap for the women in the 3^rd leg and a superb last leg from Aleisha McConnell (15:35) held off the efforts from the fast last runners of the St Kevin’s and Old Wesley women’s teams to seal another well earned victory for the Xaverinas.

All up the Old Xavarians had 13 teams competing. In the Men’s Division 1 our 3 teams of 6 men placed 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th showing the great depth in our men’s team; 10 of our men were placed in the top 20 times of the day. The Division 2 men’s teams also did well with 2^nd, 4^th and 12^th place.  Our women showed their strength in this competition with 4 teams in 1^st, 5^th, 6^th and 9^th place and 8 of the top 20 times for female competitors. It was a highlight for me to see 2 junior teams of some super enthusiastic and very talented young runners (Harry Cole, Darcy Sherman, Henry Kelly, Zachary Taylor, Millie Hinckfuss and Max Sukdara).

Welcome and well done to the other members who ran their first APSOC race with Old Xavs (Georgia Guiney, Lexi Giney, Lauren Mosbey, Matt Mahon, Michael Kondro, Nathan Broeren and Sebastian Cass). Congratulations to the 15 runners whose leg times placed in their age categories (Peter Chappell 4^th Open, Aidan Jackson 5^th Open, Ben Haseler 6^th Open, Annabelle Colman 1^st W23, Georgia Guiney 2^nd W23, Georgia Powning 3^rd W23, Lauren Mosbey 3^rd W40, Sue Hinckfuss 6^th W40, Beth Redman 3^rd W50, Steve McDonald 4^th M50, Matt Mahon 4^th M50, Margaret Fitzgerald 1^st W60, Christine Williams 1^st W60 and Sebastian Harvey 5^th M60). Full results are available here.

Old Xavs wouldn’t be the great club it is without the friends and family associated with it. A huge thank-you to everyone who came along and helped with the timing of our teams on Saturday, for the great support you provided on the day and for helping create a great atmosphere for what was a very family friendly afternoon. I hope that we continue to see the junior members running in some of the cross country races throughout the season.

This coming Saturday we head to Bendigo for the second round of the AV cross country season; hopefully the gorgeous weather will continue so we can enjoy another Saturday afternoon spent doing what we love.

Sue Hinckfuss (OXAC Women’s Winter Captain)