Melbourne University Athletics Club

MUAC leaves it all on the track

Round 5 XCR’17: Sandown Road Relays

sandown

MUAC was in the thick of the action with a record number of athletes taking to the Sandown Racetrack amongst the 450+ teams for Sandown Road Relays. The day was crowned by a very close win to the ladder leading U20 Women and a nail biting second place for the Premier Men.

The U20 Women’s team of Ciara Boyd-Squires Long, Emily French and Sarah Lloyd continue to impress, with a three second win over Knox, 35:05 to 35:08. The race see-sawed throughout the three legs with the margin never exceeding 17 seconds. The win maintains the teams imperious lead on the premiership ladder at the midway point of the season.

MUAC’s Premier Men were part of a thrilling battle with five teams having the lead over the six legs of the race, and St Stephens Harriers hanging on for their first win in the top flight since 1974. The team of Frankie Conway, Chris O’Neill, Zac Newman, Charlie Park, Jack Powell and Nick Earl were always amongst the leaders, with Earl doing a sterling job in the anchor leg, reeling in Box Hill to claim the silver and significantly tighten the race for the premiership.

A hectic start to the Premier Womens race with two MUAC athletes on the start line was quickly sorted out and the team ran well to collect 7th place, with Maddy Button stepping up from U20s and forsaking a certain medal.

Anna Louey made her debut for the club in Women’s Division 3 and along with Pippa Trevella, Alex Bull and Camilla Humphries took a strong sixth place that solidifies the team’s ladder position at the halfway mark of the XCR’17 series.

The Men’s divisions saw some last minute reshuffling with the unexpectedly unregistered Jack Hughes moving from Division 2 to Division 7. Division 7 also saw the first out of Simon Brain in an MUAC team, the first of many to come we hope. Division 5 got a welcome third, just ahead of a pack of chasers, whilst Divisions Two and Three acquitted themselves well against a passel of clubs fielding their first string teams.

The honourable 50+ gentlemen had their best result for the season so far, fourth, and will look to close the gap to the teams ahead with some savvy mid season draft moves.

MUAC is back in action this Sunday for Round 6 of XCR’17, the Albert Park Road race.

Results