CLASSIC NIGHT AT WILLINDA

Five races, five strong fields, a team of AV officials and a strong team of willing volunteers to help deliver a quality night of racing at Willinda Park. The 2025 edition of the Willinda Classic was certainly a success on all fronts. Led by Event Manager, Shania Murray, this year’s Willinda Classic welcomed new faces to the Greensborough track as well as giving local members a chance to leap into the opening event on the 2025/2026 Summer calendar. For added interest in the racing there was the generous sponsorship by James Telford of Physiolife and Peter Russell of Leo Russell Sports.

A total of 79 athletes participated in the five races with 52 males and 27 females.

The eventual winner of the 3000m (Heat 1), Callum White, led the field out at great pace and opened up a big lead from the outset. The chasing pack of Brodie Batt, Nicholas Tomkins, Myles Boyle and Rhodri Whelan worked away to slowly reduce the gap that Callum had opened. In the finish it was Callum who crossed in 9:06.4 to Brodie in 9:07.6 and Nicholas in 9:12.6. Myles Boyle came through in 9:35.7 to share the Leo Russell Sports prizemoney for the Male Under 18 with Brodie and Nicholas.

Heidi Kuppler, 10:05.4, won the Female Under 18 Leo Russell Sports prizemoney for first place, with Isabella Napoletano second in 11:49.0 and Bella Davey third in 12:42.6.

Ally Brooks posted a qualifier for the FU20 3000m at this year’s Zatopek:10 with her time of 9:50.4.

Jordan Rudd took the field on in the 3000m race (Heat 2), setting a cracking pace for the first four laps before the chasing peloton led by Jarryd Cripps and Leon Davis slowly reeled Jordan back. Jarryd Cripps was first over the line in 10:29.3, with Leon Davis, second in 10:37.7, and Jordan Rudd in third position in a pb time of 10:47.7. Katrina Castles, 11:17.9, Jesse Mayne, 11:29.6 and Isabella Napoletano, 11:49.0, were the first three in the female field to finish.

Prizemoney for the Physiolife 10,000m races was $500 for 1^st place, $300m for 2^nd place and $100 for third with an extra $100 on offer should the Meet records of 36:30.1 for females (set by Shania Murray in 2023) and 30:34.7 for males (set by Caden Murray in 2023) be broken.

The winner of the women’s 2025 Willinda Classic was Stella Radford who set a new Meet record of 34:33.0. In second place was Vanessa Wilson, 35:33.6, and in third place was Mikaela Gray, 39:25.8.

Caden Murray led the field in Heat 1 of the 10,000m event from start to finish, although Campbell Brooks shadowed Caden for much of the first half of the race. After 25 laps of the track, Caden crossed the finish line in 30:43.9 with Campbell coming through in 31:29.2. Third place was taken out by Max Savill-Bentley in a time of 31:52.9.

William Quigley, 15, set DVAC club records for the 10,000m track race in the MU16, MU17, and MU18 age groups with his run of 34:28.9.

The 1000m Race proved to be a highlight of the evening with a field of 12 athletes attacking the event with plenty of spirit. Thomas Short, 2:41.9, prevailed after a battle with Leonardo Donarelli, 2:46, over the first 600m. Oskar Jacobson, 3:09.1 was the third male to cross the finish line.

Amber Louw was first female to complete the 1000m with a time of 3:05.4. Poppy Scot-Dalgleish, 3:20.7 and Anabelle McCleary, 3:44.6, filled second and third placings.

THANK YOU AV OFFICIALS: Thanks go to the following AV Officials who made sure that the 2025 Willinda Classic was conducted in accordance with the proper guidelines:

Paul Schofield, Rick Clarke, Kevin Wigmore, Tony Williams, John Gilbert and Brendan Ferrari

AND THE TRACK LIGHTS UP, LIGHTS UP

With the Track Lighting at Willinda Park almost defunct, something had to be done to save the Willinda Classic. Enter Scott Barnes … Scott arranged and took care of providing Mobile Light Towers through Green Power Solutions. These were delivered and returned by Blake Barnes, David Armstrong, Paul Schofield and Craig Batt. Huge thanks!

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

No one at the Willinda Classic went hungry thanks to the planning and endeavours of the following: Maryann Murray, Michelle King, Sarah Gittins, Tanya Oldfield and Alexia Moxon.

LAP AFTER LAP …

It’s all very well to run 25 laps but unless you have someone willing to keep tally and record the times, it’s all for nothing!Lyn Davis organised a large band of DVAC supporters to Timekeep keep for the five races. These generous people included the following: Darren Rudd, Brooke Rudd, Jamie Hollingsworth, Karen Quinn, Jeff Young, Craig Cassidy, Christina Daley, Susan Armstrong, Jane Lacock, Elyse Littlejohn, Jane Boyle, Lucy Johns, Matilda L’Estrange, Rosie Morgan, Grant Morgan, Natalie Toohey, Jeff Young, Catherine Toohey, Rose Jarvis, Bec Quigley, Chris Whelan, Jack (Mayne)

SMILE …

Photographic evidence of the 2025 Willinda Classic has well and truly been recorded thanks to the efforts of the following: Cathy Tomkins, Annalise Jones & Aaron Bourne

2025 WILLINDA CLASSIC

Thursday 25 September 2025

Willinda Park

Race Results:

10,000m A Race: PHYSIOLIFE 10,000m

10,000m B Race

3000m A Race: LEO RUSSELL SPORTS U18 3000m

3000m B Race

1000m Race

CLASSIC NIGHT AT WILLINDA_2025 Willinda Classic.pdf