Team Yarra Ranges retain annual Hills Challenge trophy

Adele making it to a check point.

By Jamie Strudley

Team Yarra Ranges travelled to Cockatoo on Saturday morning for the annual Hills Challenge hosted by Cockatoo Little Athletics Club. Some tough, definitely hilly and fun courses were on offer for our talented team of junior and senior athletes retain the perpetual trophy.

Athletes could run 1km, 2km or 3km races and those up for the challenge could run all three. The more you ran the more points for our club! Well done to those who medaled in the individual placings today.

U6/U7 Boys 1st Finley Malcher

U6/U7 Girls 2nd Lola Farmilo

U8/U9 Boys 3rd Riley Yorke

U8/U9 Girls 1st Milly Hall, 2nd Amelia Sketchley, 3rd Indi Budin

U10/U11 Boys 2nd Archie Budin

U10/U11 Girls 1st Pippa Congreve, 2nd Holly Yorke, 3rd Lexi Aders

U12/U13 Boys 2nd Jay Burke, 3rd Tobyn Harris

U12/U13 Girls 1st Adele Ellis, 2nd Lily Clarke

U14+ Boys 1st Bradley McMeeken

Open Mens 1st Bryan Ackerly

Full results will be on socials and club website as soon as they are available.

Sunday morning was the Athletics victoria 20km Race Walk Championships. YRA athlete, Carolyn Rosenbrock, continued her outstanding form by taking out the bronze medal. Carolyn also recorded a new club record and PB of 2 hours 3 minutes 44 seconds.

We had a number of club athletes competing at the School Sport Victoria State Cross Country Championships on Thursday. Held on a windy Yarra Glen Racecourse our members were in outstanding form. Congratulations to medalists Bradley McMeeken (silver) and Maddie Laven (Bronze) in their respective grades. Other results that we know of are:

11 girls 3km Pippa Congreve 55th 15:00

9-10 boys 2km Archie Budin 17th 8:41

MC 9-10 boys 2km Micah Friend 15:08

MC 15-16 boys 3km Bradley McMeeken 2nd 18:31

14 girls 3km Zoe Clarke 4th 13:17

15 girls 3km Kristina Nackovski 28th 14:36

17-20 girls 3km Maddie Laven 3rd 12.20

17-20 Boys 5km Ky Harris 35th 119.08

Good luck to all our club athletes competing at Victorian Cross Country Championships and Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships this coming Saturday at Bundoora.

Saturday morning cross country continues this weekend as we return to Morrison Reserve. Please arrive by 8.45am and put your name on the helper list.

Training continues for all club members on Tuesday from 5.30pm at Morrison Reserve and Thursday evenings from 5.30pm at Victoria Road Primary School gym. Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability.

If you, or someone you know, wants to join in the fun of cross country email info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au for information about events and registration.

For information on training, how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit the website at yarrarangesathletics.org.au or check us out on Facebook. Run, Jump, Throw…too easy!