<01.07.08> Record Participation in Tasmanian Schools Cross Country
01 Jul 2008
Media Release
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Record Participation in Tasmanian Schools Cross Country
A record entry of 1152 young athletes from 56 schools across the State participated in today’s Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country Championships at Symmons Plains.
Athletics Tasmania President, Brian Roe, said that the Association was delighted to see so many teenage athletes taking part,
“When we compare this with all the bad vibes we get about increasing obesity, and decreasing activity, levels, this is a really good news story with record numbers of 12 to 19 years olds committing to prepare for and then take part in an event like this,” Mr Roe said.
“Whilst this event also determines the Tasmanian schools individual and team medallists in each age group, it is just as much, if not more, about participation, and the sport is really excited about the growth of the event each year.”
He said that Athletics Tasmania had acknowledged this by putting extra resources into the event, with the assistance of the venue operators, Motorsport Tasmania, other supporters such as the Northern Midlands Council and Carey Hire, and most importantly an expanded and very dedicated local organising committee and volunteer base,
“I think we also had a record number of officials and volunteers from all round the state, supported by an enthusiastic group if V.E.T students from Launceston College, all of whom helped to deliver a very successful event. The LOC group led by Andrew Willis, along with our staff, deserve a lot of credit for the improvements they have made.”
The quality of performance was also excellent with a solid benchmark set by impressive victories to Josh Harris (Launceston College) and Jayne Engwerda (Marist College) in the opening events - the under 20 boys’ 8km and girls 6km.
Tasmanian female under 18 athlete of the year, Freya Wilson (Launceston College) displayed her potential once again in taking that age group, whilst Mt Carmel’s Jessica Morey ran well to match her, recording just a tick faster in the under 17 category, with both races conducted over 4km.
Jillian Lyall (Launceston Grammar) and the improving Zoe Palmer (Oatlands) had a great battle in the under 16 division, whilst a similar contest eventuated one age group lower, with Ogilvie’s Sarah Browning eventually pegging back a bold Natalea Smith (St Patricks) to set the fastest girls’ 4km time of the day of 16mins17.
Scotch Oakburn’s Luke Geelan and Home Education student Patrick Smith led the under 18 boys to the line in their 6km event, as did Josh Stokell (St Patrick’s) and Phil McConnon (Dominic) in the under 17 division.
One of the closest races on the programme resulted in Kingston High’s Clive Reekie holding off Hutchins’ Henry West by just 6 seconds over 4km in the under 16 boys, whilst another St Patrick’s student Jordan Tyler had a clear win in the under 15 race.
Natasha Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s College) and Jacob Birtwhistle (Riverside High) were the under 14 champions over the 3km distance.
The championships continue next week with the primary division at the same venue on Wednesday. Four age groups for boys and girls from 9 years to 12 years will be contested.
Full results of today’s secondary events are available to view now at www.tasathletics.org.au.
Top Ten Results from today appear below.
For further enquiries please contact:
Richard Welsh - 0409 820 248 or
Brian Roe – 0438 604 571
End of release
Tasmanian All Schools Secondary Cross Country Championships, Symmons Plains, 1 July 2008
TOP TEN RESULTS IN EACH AGE DIVISION
Girls 6km Under 20
1, Jayne Engwerda, Marist Regional College, 25:35. 2, Ella Bourchier, Friends. 3, Stephanie Gunn, Friends. 4, Catherine Hewitt, Launceston Grammar. 5, Carla Doyle, St Brendan-Shaw. 6, Katie Daw, Scotch Oakburn. 7, Brea Pearce, Launceston Grammar.
1, Freya Wilson, Launceston College, 16:27. 2, Annabel Gibson, Launceston Grammar. 3, Hanna Ling, Launceston College 4, Lucy Galloway, Guilford Young. 5, Meg Lyall, Launceston Grammar. 6,Katherine Parish, St Patrick's. 7, Prairie Nischler, Rosny. 8, Annika Barry, Marist Regional College. 9, Eve Mure, Collegiate.10, Emma Davey, Scotch Oakburn.
1, Jessica Morey, Mount Carmel, 16:25. 2, Kate Engwerda, Marist Regional College. 3, Leah Waldhauser, Marist Regional College. 4, Siobhan Williams, St Brendan-Shaw. 5, Heather Richards, St Patrick's. 6, Jayde Richardson, Ogilvie High. 7, Claire Terry, Collegiate. 8, Allie Brelis, Mount Carmel. 9, Ciona Wilson, Launceston Grammar. 10, Kirsty Yates, Ulverstone High.
1, Jillian Lyall, Launceston Grammar, 16:47. 2, Zoe Palmer,Oatlands District. 3, Lilly Stanesby, Queechy High. 4, Sophie Bourke, St Mary's DH. 5, Ali Guy, St Patrick's. 6, Ella Fox, Marist Regional College. 7, Lily Salter, Ogilvie High. 8, Zoe Gee, Marist Regional College.9, Erin Howells, St Brendan-Shaw. 10, Hannah Geelan, Scotch Oakburn.
1, Sarah Browning, Ogilvie High, 16:17. 2, Natalea Smith, St Patrick's. 3, Katherine Whitmore, Launceston Grammar. 4, Rebecca Northrop, Riverside High. 5, Amy Rolls, Parklands High. 6, Grace Rowe - Smith, Friends. 7, Lily Horniblow, Marist Regional College. 8, Lauren Eadie, Launceston Grammar. 9, Felicity Stringer, Taroona High. 10, Miranda Allender, Collegiate.
1, Natasha Fitzpatrick, St Mary's College, 12:01. 2, Aliera Cole, Latrobe High. 3, Cara Tilyard, Mackillop College. 4, Jessie Williams, Mount Carmel. 5, Olivia Chung, Ogilvie High. 6, Esther Kerr, Mount Carmel. 7, Febey Pearce, St Patrick's. 8, Jorgia Hamilton, Tarremah Steiner. 9, Samantha Koch, Devonport High. 10, Laura Wood, Marist Regional College.
Boys 8km Under 20
1, Josh Harris, Launceston College, 27:55. 2, Nathan Morey, Guilford Young. 3, Gary Tello, Guilford Young. 4, Craig Hutchinson, Marist Regional College. 5, Lewis Willing, Guilford Young. 6, Glynn Bound, Don College. 7, Paul Luttrell, Guilford Young. 8, Douglas Hagger, Friends. 9, Andrew Dolan, St Brendan-Shaw. 10, Edward Lawler, Friends.
1, Luke Geelan, Scotch Oakburn, 21:12. 2, Patrick Smith, Home Education. 3, Nick Sproal, Launceston Grammar. 4, Noah Nischler, Elizabeth College. 5, Alex Hunt, Calvin Christian. 6, John Wilson, Hutchins. 7, Dominic Anastasio, Guilford Young. 8, Paul Matthews, Calvin Christian. 9, William Shaw, Guilford Young. 10, Finian Stronach, Friends.
Boys 6km Under 17
1, Josh Stokell, St Patrick's, 21:43. 2, Phillip McConnon, Dominic College. 3, Ben Tilyard, Mackillop College. 4, Dylan Garland, Wynyard High. 5, James Hodge, Riverside High. 6, Matthew Guy, Prospect High. 7, Jacob Malakoff, Friends. 8, Matt Bowen, Burnie High. 9, Matt Bevilacqua, St Virgil's. 10, Andrew Hagger, Friends.
Boys 4km Under 16
1, Clive Reekie, Kingston High, 14:23. 2, Henry West, Hutchins. 3. 3, Tom Goddard, Scotch Oakburn. 4, Jobi Harper, St Patrick's. 5, Simon Hamilton, Riverside High. 6, Aaron Parker, Mackill0p College. 7, Joshua Gallagher - Young, Bridgewater High. 8, Jayden Hey, Dominic College. 9, Sam Rice, Burnie High. 10, Robbie Fox, Marist Regional College.
Boys 4km Under 15
1, Jordan Tyler, St Patrick's 14:48. 2, Tom Rawlings, Devonport High. 3, James Deegan, Leighland Christian. 4, Richard Giblin, Hutchins. 5, Denver James, Hutchins. 6, Jake McMahon, Riverside High. 7, Jacob Langham, Marist Regional College. 8, Andrew Eckhardt, Friends. 9, Shaun McDonough, Riverside High. 10, Jonty Roberts, St Virgil's.
Boys 3k Under 14
1, Jacob Birtwhistle, Riverside High, 10:55. 2, Matt Hansen, Scotch Oakburn. 3, Brodie Stokell, St Patrick's. 4, Brendan Hay, Hutchins. 5, Scott Bowden, St Virgil's. 6, Robert Hunt, Calvin Christian. 7, Jordan Latham, Mackillop College. 8, Alex Pearce, Ulverstone High. 9, Alexander Frame, Friends. 10, Ben Killalea, St Patrick's.