With several of our top runners unavailable, both the Box Hill men’s division 1 team and women’s division 2 team were able to finish 2nd in the Coliban relays from Harcourt to Bendigo on Saturday 20 August 2005.
In men’s division 1, Daniel Clark ran the 3rd fastest time before handing over to Adrian Vincent, 1:20 min behind the leading Glenhuntly team, but 2 minutes ahead of the Melbourne university runner. Adrian lost just a few seconds to his Glenhuntly rival, but was the second fastest division 1 runner, leaving Box Hill 1:42 behind Glenhuntly but almost 2 minutes ahead of MUAC. Then Andrew White ran a brilliant third leg running more than 2 minutes faster than Linton Gloster from Glenhuntly and putting our team into the lead. Andrew’s time of 32:19 for the undulating 9.3km was the fastest division 1 time (although Magnus Michelson of Collingwood ran 31:03 in division 2). Paul Boxshall, returning from illness was unable to keep the lead but pulled further away from the Melbourne Uni team to put us in 2nd place six minutes clear of 3rd.
David Jiminez and Chris O’Connor both lost some ground, to Harrison and Ruschena of Glenhuntly and to the Melbourne Uni team also, but Tim Renowden ran the 3rd fastest final leg to finish strongly in a clear 2nd place overall.
The women’s division 2 team started well with Jess De Bruin leading division 2 after the first leg, Amanda Harper was also the fastest division 2 runner on her leg giving the team a 2 minute lead in its division and placing the team in 3rd place overall against the division 1 teams. Rachel Johnson extended the lead to nearly 2:30 min. Jocelyn Keage running the longest leg was the second fastest division 2 runner but Kylie Dick from Doncaster ran brilliantly to make a up a lot of ground. Jocelyn held onto the lead and handed over to Kerry Putt 12 seconds ahead of Doncaster. Kerry’s training has been interrupted by injuries and illness and she was unable to hold off the fast finishing Doncaster team, but she held on to second place to help give the team a well deserved silver medal.