Wise-Findlay Race Report by Christine Williams
ANZAC Day carries a weight, a solemnity, and a deep sense of gratitude, and it felt fitting that we gathered as a club to run, support, and honour those who served.
The weather was glorious, the course beautiful, and the atmosphere so uplifting that a few runners even went beyond their intended distance… partly due to enthusiasm, partly due to the course markings.
Our APSOC officials served with the grit of a frontline logistics platoon — directing runners, keeping the clocks honest, and maintaining order at HQ. They’ve already promised clearer signage and fewer opportunities for accidental reconnaissance next year. Marg Fitzgerald was part of the finish‑line fort, receiving timing‑system training like a newly enlisted recruit.
OXAC fielded a strong and brave Mini-Marathon battalion, even with several of our usual runners competing the next day at Run the Tan and the Ballarat Marathon. Despite missing some of our regulars, OXAC still secured three of the six winning medals on offer — a testament to the courage, grit, and spirit of our runners.
The camaraderie before the race was wonderful — people comparing distances, checking maps, adjusting watch bands, and warming up in little clusters of nerves and excitement. With four staggered starts across the distances, the finish line became a joyful, noisy, emotional gathering point.
I rolled my ankle during the week, so instead of running I spent the morning cheering like a lunatic and taking finish‑line photos of every OX runner. Honestly, it was a privilege.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to step forward anyway.”
On ANZAC Day, we honour the courage, sacrifice, service, and mateship of those who fought for the freedoms we enjoy.
The Wise‑Findlay ceremony at the end of the race was deeply moving — a reminder of the APSOC athletes of the past who not only shaped our sport and our clubs but also served their country with bravery and dedication.
Some gave their lives. Their legacy is the reason we can gather in peace, run freely, and celebrate community.
And in their spirit, our OXAC runners showed:
- courage in choosing their distance
- endurance in the heat
- commitment to their teammates
- service in supporting one another
- mateship in every cheer, every high‑five, every shared breath
It was a day where running felt like remembrance.
🥇 Top OX Performances
- Simon Holt — OUTRIGHT WINNER of the Half Marathon (1st M40)
- Di Guiney 💋 — 1st Female in the 10km (1st W50)
- Zac Taylor — 1st Male in the 5km (1st M23)
These three wins gave OXAC half of all medals available across the three distances — a remarkable achievement.
🦁 OXAC Results — 5km
- Zac Taylor – OUTRIGHT WINNER – 1st M23 (15:53)
- Christos Tsorlinis — 3rd M23 (17:55)
- Pablo Campillos — 4th M50 (21:52)
- Claudia Haeger — 3rd W40 (23:09)
- Jeremy Cass — 5th M50 (23:26)
- Marina Scarff — 1st W50 (23:50)
- Amelie Lague — 1st W23 (25:04)
- Lucy Permezel — 2nd W50 (25:06)
- Clara Campillos — 2nd W23 (25:32)
- Michael Tsorlinis — (26:19)
- Silvia Warren — 3rd W50 (27:22)
- Callum Ragazzon — 5th M23 (29:19)
- Margaret Cass — 4th W50 (35:32)
🏃♀️🏃♂️ OXAC Results — 10km
- Di Guiney — 1st W50 (45:11)
- Belinda Lucy Blackburn — 2nd W50 (48:25)
- Neda Jamshidi — 1st W40 (51:03)
- Gus Llano — 4th M50 (54:41)
- Richard Dickmann — 3rd M60 (55:11)
- Alex O’Callaghan — (55:19)
- Elisse Gately — 2nd W40 (56:56)
- Hannah Stagoll — 3rd W50 (58:28)
🏅 OXAC Results — Half Marathon
- Simon Holt — 1st (1:24:26)
- Davide Peano — 1:35:42
- Craig Stagoll — 2nd M50 (1:51:25)
On ANZAC Day, we honour those who served. Today, OXAC honoured them not just with silence, but with spirit — with courage, commitment, and mateship.
Thank you to every runner, every supporter, every volunteer, and every person who shared the day with us.
