MIKAELA SPRINTS TO VICTORY AT YELLOW GUM
After 10 seconds when Mikaela Gray appeared on the final hill in the lead over the Open Hertz Handicap field at Yellow Gum Park, Dylan Littlejohn came into view and made it clear that he was chasing to hoist the massive Hertz Handicap Trophy if only he could catch Mikaela. Mikaela sensed the threat to her first club victory and launched a sprint home that was fast enough to extend her lead and see her cross the line as the John Hertz Handicap winner. Mikaela won the award for the Female Fastest Time with a total run time of 29:54. Dylan Littlejohn finished in 27:58 and crossed the line 14 seconds behind Mikaela.
The award for Male Fastest Time in the 6.88km event was taken out by Caden Murray who finished the 6.88km in 24:31. Caden ran the four laps around the tough hills of Yellow Gum Park at a consistent pace, notching up laps of 6:03, 6:04, 6:10 and 6:08.
Caden crossed in third place less than one minute behind the handicap winner.
Winners of the Masters Trophies were: Dylan Littlejohn (1st), Jo Moxon (2nd) and Sarah Papadopoulos (3rd) with Dylan Littlejohn and Debbie McKenzie recording the Fastest Times for the Masters Male & Female.
Winner of the Junior 3.44km Handicap, Brodie Batt, set off with a margin of 23 seconds ahead of Ethan Armstrong-Bourne and he was able to hold Ethan off by a mere 8 seconds when he crossed the finish line. Brodie covered the two laps in 12:42 while Ethan came storming home in the Fastest Time of 12:33. Ethan’s first lap of 5:57 was the fastest single lap for the day.
Holly Gregory finished third in the junior Handicap running the 3.44km in 18:27.
Heidi Kuppler won the Female Fastest Time award with a finishing time of 14:01.
A total of 17 DVAC athletes raced at Yellow Gum with 8 Open athletes and 9 Junior athletes. Conditions at the Park were very good although the strong, cold winds tested the resilience of all who attended. It was great to have John Hertz on hand to hand out Trophies to all of the winners of the John Hertz Handicap.
There was a strong band of helpers to support the athletes.
Timekeepers: Paul Schofield, Greg Luck, Lyn Davis
Course Set-up: David Armstrong, Max Balchin, Fieke Van Der Kamp
Course Pack-up: David Armstrong, Caden Murray, Mikaela Gray
Handicappers: Greg Luck, Caden Murray.
Trophies: Maryann Murray
DVAC 2025 JOHN HERTZ HANDICAP
Yellow Gum Park, Plenty Gorge,
Saturday 19 July 2025
Results:
2 Laps of Blue Lake (3.44km):
|
ATHLETE
|
HANDICAP
|
LAP 1
|
LAP 2
|
NET TIME
|
PLACE
|
|
Brodie Batt
|
5:27
|
6:19
|
6:21
|
12:42/ 18:09
|
1st
|
|
Ethan Armstrong-Bourne
|
5:50
|
5:57
|
6:36
|
12:33/ 18:17
|
2nd
|
|
Holly Gregory
|
0:00
|
9:34
|
8:53
|
18:27/ 18:27
|
3rd
|
|
Rhodri Whelan
|
5:16
|
6:33
|
7:00
|
13:33/ 18:49
|
4th
|
|
Jordan Rudd
|
3:54
|
7:38
|
7:22
|
15:00/ 18:54
|
5th
|
|
Jack Daley
|
2:59
|
7:51
|
8:06
|
15:00/ 18:56
|
6th
|
|
Heidi Kuppler
|
4:30
|
7:25
|
7:36
|
14:01/ 19:01
|
7th
|
|
Feike Van Der Kamp
|
4:00
|
7:37
|
7:54
|
15:31/ 19:31
|
8th
|
|
Glen Imbriano
|
5:33
|
6:54
|
7:05
|
13:59/ 19:32
|
9th
|
|
Elyse Littlejohn
|
-5:00
|
13:37
|
14:13
|
27:50/ 27:50
|
10th
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 Laps of Blue Lake (6.88km):
|
ATHLETE
|
HANDICAP
|
LAP 1
|
LAP 2
|
LAP 3
|
LAP 4
|
TIME
|
PLACE
|
|
Mikaela Gray
|
17:19
|
7:20
|
7:34
|
7:38
|
7:22
|
29:54/ 47:13
|
1st
|
|
Dylan Littlejohn
|
19:29
|
6:39
|
6:59
|
7:15
|
7:05
|
27:58/
47:27
|
2nd
|
|
Caden Murray
|
23:23
|
5:59
|
6:10
|
6:17
|
6:05
|
24:31/
47:54
|
3rd
|
|
Jo Moxon
|
4:20
|
11:01
|
11:16
|
11:18
|
10:36
|
44:11/
48:41
|
4th
|
|
Sarah Papadopoulos
|
2:09
|
11:28
|
12:30
|
12:23
|
13:24
|
49:45/
50:54
|
5th
|
|
Debbie McKenzie
|
10:28
|
10:15
|
10:20
|
10:23
|
10:07
|
41:05/
51:33
|
6th
|
|
Andrew McKenzie
|
13:54
|
9:40
|
9:36
|
9:36
|
9:32
|
38:24/
52:10
|
7th
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
