BUNDOORA PARK – A TRUE WINTER TEST

XCR’26 RD 6

Cross Country @ Bundoora Park

Saturday 11 July 2026

DVAC Results:

OK, the predicted rain held off until the final race, but most runners at Bundoora Park for Round 6 of the XCR season still found plenty to contend with besides rain. There was the course design that seemed to find new angles & slopes to climb, there were numerous slippery patches, and the day was cold the windy.Not that the 47 DVAC athletes (21 Female & 26 Male) came back to the Valley tent complaining about the day. On the contrary, most were beaming with the sense of achievement in having conquered Mt Cooper for another year.

And they had plenty to beam about. The results threw up a bundle of very positive results for individuals as well as for the Valley teams.

Poppy Scot-Dalgleish (F20) finished in 6^th position in the Female U20 6km Selection Trial for the National Cross Country Championships to be held at Ballarat on Saturday 22 August. Poppy is now qualified to represent Victoria at the Nationals at Ballarat. Poppy established her position as eighth in the field early on and moved up a spot in the back half of the race. She completed the 6km in 22:43.

Heidi Kuppler (F16) confirmed her reputation as an exciting prospect in the Junior Girls distance running with a clear win in the F16 3km Cross Country race. For a good part of the race Heidi was making life difficult for a group of the M16 athletes and her winning time for the 3km of 10:23 would have placed her 7^th in the boy’s field.

Jesse Mayne (F Open) was another winner on the day, taking out first place in the F Open Short Course (6km) event in a time of 23:54. Jesse had to kick home hard to get past the race leader for most of the 6km. Jesse now leads the season points tally in the Open Female Short Course by 8 points. The DVAC team in the Short Course series has a commanding lead on the season ladder with four rounds remaining.

DVAC is fortunate to have such a strong team of athletes in the F18 division. In Round 6 the team of five, Matilda Johnson (2^nd), Rose Jarvis (8^th), Madeleine Arvaji (12^th), Isabella Napoletano (14^th) and Zoe Ryan (17^th) combined to form teams that were placed first and 5^th.The DVAC F18 team now holds a strong lead on the season ladder. Matilda Johnson completed the 6km in 22:58 and is currently placed second on the Individual season ladder.

The DVAC Female Division 2 team was placed fourth on the day but will hold onto second place on the season ladder. Mikaela Gray (42:47) led the team home, followed by Sarah Leeming (44:29), Alison Knuckey (45:03) and Kate Ryan (50:48). Alison was placed 5^th in the F45+ and Kate was placed 8^th in the same division.

The DVAC Male Division 2 team equalled their previous best result for the season with a fourth placing out of the 14 team competition at Bundoora. Caden Murray finished in 15^th place in 32:24, from a field of 325 runners that completed the 10km Cross Country course. The following five DVAC runners to complete the Division 2 team were Vincent Donnadieu (33:11), Tim Logan (34:14), Dylan Littlejohn (37:08), Blake Barnes (37:24) and Joel Imbriano (37:29).

The depth of talent in the 10km event meant that the DVAC team in Division 4 finished in 3^rd place, and the team in Division 7 was placed 3^rd.

The DVAC Open Men Short Course team will retain its position on top of the season ladder despite finishing in second place at Bundoora. The team of Ross McDonald (26:49), Martin Murray (29:50) and Jesse Littlehales (29:56) picked up 9 points to keep the DVAC team one point clear at the top.

Ross McDonald, Martin Murray & Lyal Douglas (31:39) combined to win the M60+ Short Course round at Bundoora and reduce the gap behind the season

Jett Hollingsworth (M14) had his best run for the season and placed third in the 3km race, covering the distance in 10:59.

Ethan Armstrong-Bourne (M20) finished in 16^th place in the M20 8km race, and crossed in 27:12. The DVAC team led by Ethan and including Thomas Short, Rhodri Whelan and Glen Imbriano still hold top position on the season ladder despite finishing in 5^th place at Bundoora.

Brodie Batt (M18) was 6^th runner home in the M18 6km race and finished in 20:06.

THANK YOU …

Rarely has the DVAC Tent been more appreciated than at Bundoora, especially with the walls in place to offer protection from the cold and wind. David Armstrong had the Tent in place ready for the earliest athletes to arrive. Thanks David & thanks to all those who brought along food offerings to share. The food on the table is getting better each week.

TRAVEL BUGS …

Just on a week ago young Ava Jacobson (F14) was able to climb to the mountain ridge at 2,430m to visit the 15^th Century citadel of Machu Picchu with her family. This week, Ava buckled at the slopes of Mt Cooper – obviously unwell. (Just thought the story might make some of the DVAC runners feel better.)

Jordan Rudd (MOpen) was another story of the ‘travel bug’. After competing at a Track meet on the Gold Coast the frozen slopes of Bundoora were too much for Jordan who was definitely not feeling too good.

Get better wishes to Ava & Jordan.

BINNAK BOWL CALLS:

NEXT XCR’26 EVENT:

Sun 26 July: XCR Rd 7: 10km Road Race: Albert Park

(ENTRIES IN BY WED 26 JULY)

Timetable

(Max Balchin)

XCR’26 RD 6: CROSS COUNTRY AT BUNDOORA PARK

Saturday 11 July 2026

DVAC Results:

FEMALE:

Female 10km:

10km: Mikaela Gray 42:47; Sarah Leeming 44:29; Alison Knuckey 45:03; Kate Ryan 50:48; Lily Barnes 53:30; Jo Moxon 1:00:46;

Team Results (10km):

Female Open Division 2:238(4)40, 48, 57, 93: 4^th/10 Teams: Ladder Pts: 8

Female Open Division 4: 226(2)105, 121: 5^th/9 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

Female 40+:95(3)13, 31, 51: 9^th/47 Teams: Ladder Pts: 2

Female 50+:25(1)25: 13^th/14 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Female 60+:8(1)8: 6^th/6 Teams: Ladder Pts: 5

Female Short Course: 6km

6km: Jesse Mayne 23:54; Tayla Borg 28:36; Michelle King 35:58; Sarah Papadopoulos 38:13; Elyse Littlejohn 42:11;

Team Results (6km):

Female Open (SC):25(3)1,8,16: 2^nd/12 Teams: Ladder Pts: 9

Female 40+ (SC):12(1)12: 8^th/9 Teams: Ladder Pts: 3

Female 50+ (SC):9(1)9: 7^th/8 Teams: Ladder Pts: 4

Female 60+ (SC):4(1)4: 4^th/6 Teams: Ladder Pts: 7

Female U20: 6km:

6km: Poppy Scot-Dalgleish 22:43;

Team Result:6(1)6: 7^th/13 Teams: Ladder Pts: 4

Female U18: 6km:

6km: Matilda Johnson 22:58; Rose Jarvis 23:39; Madeleine Arvaji 24:46; Isabella Napoletano 25:26; Zoey Ryan 26:55;

Team Result:(1):20(3)2,8,12: 1^st/11 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

Team Result: (2):31(2)14, 17: 5^th/11 Teams: Ladder Pts: 6

Female U16: 3km:

3km: Heidi Kuppler 10:23; Inessa Stabb 12:06; Sofia Norwood 14:48;

Team Result:30(3)1, :10, 19: 3^rd/10 Teams: Ladder Pts: 8

MALE:

Male 10km:

10km: Caden Murray 32:24; Vincent Donnadieu 33:11; Tim Logan 34:14; Dylan Littlejohn 37:08; Blake Barnes 37:24; Joel Imbriano 37:29; Charles Jacobson 39:37; Anthony Lynch 40:10; James Telford 40:32; Craig Cassidy 43:31; Rory McPhillips 44:22; Scott Barnes 45:14; Damien Clifford 52:40;

Male Open (10km) Team Results:

Male Open: Division 2: 425(6)15, 26, 47, 105, 114, 118: 4^th/14 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

Male Open: Division 4:945(5)154, 167, 173, 230: 3^rd/11 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

Male Open: Division 7:542(2)245, 297: 3^rd/8 Teams: Ladder Pts: 8

Male 40+ (1) (10km):105(3)14, 28, 63: 12^th/55 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 40+ (2) (10km):268(3)70, 79, 119: 29^th/55 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 50+ (10km):130(3)28, 37, 65: 11^th/35 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male Open 6km (Short Course):

6km: Ross McDonald 26:49; Martin Murray 29:50; Jesse Littlehales 29:56; Lyal Douglas 31:39; Craig Batt 32:39;

Male Short Course (6km) Team Results:

Male Open 6km (SC (1)):38(3)6, 14, 15: 2^nd/18 Teams: Ladder Pts: 9

Male Open 6km (SC (2)):21(1)21: 15^th/18 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 40+ 6km (SC) (1):41(3)9, 14, 18: 3^rd/18 Teams: Ladder Pts: 8

Male 40+ 6km (SC) (2):21(1)21: 15^th18 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 50+ 6km (SC):19(3)3, 6, 10: 1^st/11 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

Male 60+ 6km (SC):14(3)2, 4, 8: 1^st/8 Teams: Ladder Pts: 11

M U20 8km
8km: Ethan Armstrong-Bourne 27:12; Thomas Short 29:02; Rhodri Whelan 29:53; Glen Imbriano 32:54;

Team Result:69(3)16,25, 28: 5^th/19 Teams: Ladder Pts: 6

Team Result:32(1)32: 19^th/19 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 18
6km: Brodie Batt 20:06;

Team Result:6(1)6: 8^th/15 Teams: Ladder Pts: 3

Male 16
3km: Oskar Jacobson 11:15;

Team Result:16(1)16: 11^th/16 Teams: Ladder Pts: -

Male 14
3km: Jett Hollingsworth 10:59;

Team Result:3(1)3: 3^rd/9 Teams: Ladder Pts: 8

2026 Australian Cross Country Mixed Team Relay Championship

The 2026 Australian Cross Country Mixed Team Relay Championship will take place on Sunday, 23 August 2026 at Victoria Park in Ballarat, Victoria. The event caps off a weekend of racing as part of the 2026 Australian Athletics Cross Country Championships.

The relay is highly actionable and features specific formats depending on your group and age bracket:

• Format: The mixed relay requires teams of four (2 men and 2 women), with each athlete running one loop of the course in a Male, Female, Male, Female sequence.
• Distances: The standard relay event utilizes a 2 km loop.
• Age Groups: Events are offered across a wide variety of brackets, including Open, U12, U14, U16, U18, U20, and Masters (40+, 50+, 60+).
• Eligibility & Teams: Entries are accepted from Clubs, Training Groups, Universities, and other eligible groups.

If you are a university athlete, this event doubles as the UniSport Nationals Cross Country, which features the same mixed relay regulations and scoring.

For athletes and community runners looking to enter:

• Entries must be finalised by August 4, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
• You can register via the official 2026 Australian Athletics Cross Country Championships Registration Page.

$80 Team entry