HISTORY OF THE NSW SHORT COURSE CROSS COUNTRY

Now known as the Short Course Cross Country Championships, this race has had a diverse history, since the inaugural race was held on August 4, 1906. Note no race held in 1992 & 1993 and state titles were not held during world war one 1914 to 1918 For the first 76 years, it was conducted over a longer distance than the main NSW Cross Country Championships, now run over the universal distance of 12 km. Different event titles have included:  10 mile track championships  10 mile Team race  2nd NSW Cross Country Championship

After 59 years of being conducted over 10 miles (16km), in the 70s the distance changed to 20km, then 15km and finally 16km. The major change for the event was in 1988 when the distance dropped to 8km and it was given its current title –Short Course Since the inaugural women’s race in 1979, their distance has changed from 10km to 12km, then 6km and in 2010 to 5km.

Venues The venue for the first men’s race was the Kensington Racecourse. The race was over 10 miles and much of the race was held on the road. It was an out and back course to the La Perouse Cemetery. Amazingly, the venues for the first 59 years, until 1970, were racecourses, those being: Randwick, Victoria Park, Ascot, Gosford, Canterbury, Gosford, Rosebery. From 1971 the venues have included: , Macquarie Uni, Auburn, Springwood, HMAS Nirimba, Narrabeen, The Crest, Nowra, Galston, Campbelltown Uni, Mt Penang, Abbotsbury & Upjohn Park..

The inaugural winner was H Morgan from the Marrickville Club who clocked 58:20 for victory. Second was J Hunter (Marrickville), 50 yards behind the winner in a time of 58:30, while third was Aberline (South ) third, 300 yards behind second. East Sydney won the team’s event, each team comprising six runners, with 70 points, ahead of Marrickville Harriers (75 points) and Sydney Harriers. Other clubs competing were: Birchgrove Harriers, South Sydney, St George and Western Suburbs.

The first women’s race was held in July 1979, when Sue Muir (Sutherland) ran 37:01 to win the race over 10km at Auburn.

Many of the greats of NSW distance running have claimed titles, including: Andrew Wood, Alleyn Gainsford, Jack Sheaves, Donald and George Campbell, John Plummer, , Alan Lawrence, , , John Farrington, Rob McDonald, Lawrie Whitty, and Jamie Harrison. Women’s winners have included: Jenny Walker, Annette Dwyer, Annette Ricardo and Michelle Dillon.

In 1949, after four consecutive wins by Donald Campbell (Botany), 21-year-old John Bromley (Western Suburbs) claimed the title in a time of 55:55. Held at Randwick Racecourse Bromley beat visiting Victorian 10mile champion E Evans.

Many of the Short Course Champions have represented Australia at Olympic and level, Dave Power represented Australia 1956 &1960 Olympic Games and 1958 & 1962 Commonwealth Games.

David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW

Following the NSW state Champions from 1944, unfortunately records are not available before this date. The columns lists the year and date of the event, champion, club, time in minutes & seconds and the race venue. The men’s list is followed by the women’s champions then venue information and key to club abbreviation with present club abbreviation. 1 NSW Short Course Champions

MEN 10 MILE 1944 Aug 19th B “Silver” Doyle SOS 55:39 Victoria Park Racecourse 1945 Aug 11th Donald Campbell RK 56:37 Randwick Racecourse 1946 Aug 17th Donald Campbell RK 54:55 Victoria Park Racecourse 1947 Aug 9th Donald Campbell RK 54:35 Victoria Park Racecourse 1948 Aug 14th Donald Campbell RK 55:51 Randwick Racecourse 1949 Aug 20th John E. Bromley WS 55:55 Randwick Racecourse

1950 Aug 12th John Plummer WS 54:52 Randwick Racecourse 1951 Aug 18th John Plummer WS 54:36 Randwick Racecourse 1952 Aug 16th George Campbell RK 52:55 Randwick Racecourse 1953 Aug 1st Allan Lawrence BOT 51:46 Rosebery Racecourse 1954 Aug 21st WS 53:13 Rosebery Racecourse

1955 July 16th John H Piece WS 50:13 Randwick Racecourse 1956 June 30th Dave Power WS 49:53 Randwick Racecourse 1957 July 13th John H Piece WS 49:59 Randwick Racecourse 1958 Aug 9th Allan Lawrence BOT 50:15 Randwick Racecourse 1959 Aug 8th Bob Vagg AEA 50:07 Randwick Racecourse

1960 Sept 10th Bob Vagg AEA 49:37 Randwick Racecourse 1961 July 22nd Bob Vagg AEA 49:33 Randwick Racecourse 1962 July 14th Bob Vagg AEA 48:00 Randwick Racecourse 1963 July 13th Bob Vagg AEA 51:10 Randwick Racecourse 1964 Aug 18th Tony Manning MW 49:21 Randwick Racecourse

1965 Aug 15th Laurie Toogood NS 50:24 Randwick Racecourse 1966 July 30th Dave Power AEA 51:42 Randwick Racecourse 1967 July 1st Laurie Toogood NS 51:24 Canterbury Racecourse 1968 June 29th Alan Harrison WS 50:33 Canterbury Racecourse 1969 July 12th Dave Lotty RBH 50:07 Gosford Racecourse MEN 20 km 1970 June 20th John Farrington NS 61:20 Gosford Racecourse 1971 June 26th Alan Harrison WS 63:48 Gosford Racecourse 1972 June 17th Robert Talay AEA 63:29 Gosford Racecourse 1973 June 2nd Alan Robinson RH 61:53 Hawksbury Racecourse MEN 15 km 1974 June 1st John Farrington RH 47:48 Gosford Showground

1975 July 26th John Farrington RH 46:19 Centennial Park 1976 July 17th Dave McInnes SC 46:21 Centennial Park 1977 July 9th Lawrie Whitty STG 45:37 Centennial Park 1978 July 9th Jim Murphy WV 49:39 Macquarie University MEN 16 km 1979 July 21st Jim Murphy WV 50:20 Wyatt Park - Auburn

1980 July121th Rob McDonald SU 49:41 Newcastle Uni 1981 June 28th Lawrie Whitty BS 51:36 Macquarie Uni 1982 April 25th Lawrie Whitty BS 53:19 Macquarie Uni 1983 July 3rd Quentin Morley WS 51:52 Springwood 1984 July 22nd Andrew Lloyd ES 52:20 Macquarie Uni

1985 June 30th Quetin Morley WS 50:36 Macquarie Uni 1986 July 19th Jamie Harrison NSU 51:23 Macquarie Uni 1987 May 2nd Jamie Harrison NSU 51:12 HMAS Nirimba MEN 8km 1988 June 25th John Andrews SGD 23:57 Narrabeen 1989 July 8th Jamie Harrison NSU 26:12 Crest

1990 July 14th Paul Arthur SEC 25:37 Nowra 1991 Aug 4th Paul Arthur SEC 24:20 Crest 1992 Not Held 1993 Not Held 1994 July 23rd David Lightfoot ASW 24:43 Galston

1995 Aug 19th Paul Arthur EBB 22:57 Galston 1996 July 13th David Evans REE 24:31 Centennial Park

2 NSW Short Course Champions cont

1997 Aug 16th Kim Gillard AEA 25:44 Centennial Park 1998 June 6th Paul Arthur RBH 26:07 Nowra 1999 July 3rd D. Green NSU 25:53 Nowra

2000 Aug 15th D. Evans SGD 25:41 Nowra 2001 June 16th Daniel Green NSU 25:09 Nowra MEN 7km 2002 July 13th D. Byrne ASW 21:45 Campbelltown 2003 July 19th D. Byrne SYU 22:05 Campbelltown MEN 7.5 km 2004 July 17th Blair Martin SGD 23:35 Mt Penang 2005 July 16th Glen Guzzo SSR 23:43 Mt Penang 2006 July 15th Benjamin Trewin AEA 13:03 The Crest MEN 8.5 km 2007 July 14th Jeffrey Hunt RBH 26:57 Abbotsbury 2008 July 19th J Rolf RBH 00:00 Abbotsbury MEN 7.5 km 2009 July 19th MHA 22:19 Upjohn Park

2010 July 17th James Nipperess SYU 23:36 Upjohn Park 2011 July 30th Scott Westcott MHA 23:26 Upjohn Park 2012 July 14th Jeffrey hunt RBH 23:05 Upjohn Park 2013 Aug 3rd Ben Moreau RBH 23:17 Upjohn Park 2014.

WOMEN 10km 1979 July 21st Sue Muir SUH 37:01 1980 July 12th Therese Walsh BS 38:07 1981 June 28th Jenny Walker MW 39:47 1982 April 25th Jenny Ganzevoort BS 41:20 WOMEN 12km 1983 July 3rd Penny Just BS 47:45 1984 July 22nd Tania Adams CRH 46:54 1985 June 30th Jenny Walker MW 45:58 1986 July 19th Annette Ricardo ES 46:50 1987 May 2nd Annette Dwyer ESN 48:14 WOMEN 6km 1988 June 25th Annette Dwyer ESN 21:01 1989 July 8th Annette Dwyer ESN 22:40 1990 July 14th Annette Dwyer SEC 22:03 1991 Aug 4th Wendy Ticehurst YSS 19:59 1992 NOT HELD 1993 NOT HELD 1994 July 23rd Samantha Hall BRT 19:10

1995 Aug 19th Michelle Dilton SUH 18:51 1996 July 13th Elizabeth Miller AEA 17:39 1997 Aug 16th Liz Miller AEA 17:56 1998 June 6th Lyndal Wood SUT 22:34 1999 July 3rd M. Beardslee TUG 23:28 2000 Aug 15th E. Miller AEA 21:38 2001 June 16th Sarah Mycroft KEJ 23:45 WOMEN 5 km 2002 July 13th Liz Miller AEA 17:38 2003 July 19th E. Poppett SUT 17:44 2004 July 17th Emma Rilen SYU 18:24

2005 July 16th Elizabeth Miller RBH 18:53 2006 July 15th Belindar Wilsher SUT 17:57 2007 July 14th Lara Tamsett SYU 18:21 2008 July 19th Emma Rilen SYU 17:37 2009 July 19th M Ponton SSR 17:28

2010 July 17th Brooke Simpson SUT 18:21 2011 July 30th Milley Clark BAN 17:43 2012 July 14th Lara Tamsett SYU 17:08 2013 Aug 3rd Milly Clark SYU 17:48 3 COURSES

CENTENNIAL PARK , Sandstone Ridge Section – Foundation (Trust includes E.S. Marks Athletic Field). Host Club AEA. MACQUARIE UNI - Epping. Campus Grounds. NOWRA - Willandra, Browns Mount Road Cambewarra. (Ron & Jan Gibb Farm, ANSW Official) Host Club Nowra THE CREST - Bass Hill, Bankstown. Farmland area, Facilities built there for Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Host Club Bankstown Sports ABBOTSBURY - Greater (GWSP Trust). Host Club, Bankstown Sports ASCOT RACECOURSE, was near Ascot Ave a continuation of General Homes Drive crossing Mascot Bridge (Cooks River) – Now a small reserve Dr Darragh Reserve. With Sydney Domestic and main extension to Sydney Airport runway into Botany Bay, General Holmes Drive & Southern Cross Drive have altered the landscape somewhat. KENSINGTON RACECOURSE - Was Zetland, Now University of New South Wales Campus Kensington. RANDWICK RACECOURSE – Randwick. ROSEBERY PARK RACECOURSE - Now East Lakes and Leon Lachal Reserves and housing. VICTORIA PARK RACECOURSE - Now Victoria Park and Johnston Park MT PENANG - Central Coast, Part of the Youth Correctional Centre grounds. SPRINGWOOD – Info missing AUBURN - Wyatt Park, Host ASW Athletic Club HMAS NIRIMBA - Former Schofields Aerodrome – Now Western Education Centre (GWS Uni, TAFE, Primary & Secondary Schools. GALSTON - Fagan Park, Arcadia Road UPJOHN PARK - Rydalmere, back section Dundas. Was a Private Golf Course (Upjohn Pharmaceuticals) Host Club UTN 2009, 10, 11 West Met XC Clubs 2012, 13, 14.

CLUBS ABBREVIATION BRT – Info missing BS - Bankstown Sports BAN CRH - Cumberland Ryde Hornsby RYD EBB – Info missing ES - Eastern Suburbs AEA NS - Northern Suburbs UTN NSU - NSW Uni MW - Manly Warringah SYP RH Ryde Hornsby EPP RK - Randwick Kensington. RBH Note by late 1960’s Randwick Kensington & Botany had amalgamated thus Randwick Botany Harriers RBH SEC – Info missing SU - Sydney Uni SYU SUT - Saucony Sutherland SUT WS - Western Suburbs ASW WV- Woden Valley YSS - Yass

Issue 2 Rev 2- 21st July 2014 Sources Hand Books – Athletics NSW 1998 to 2005, West Met XC Clubs Files, SMH & Telegraph Papers, Western Suburbs 100th Year History, NSW Web Site & Gregorys Street Directory 1934 David Archbold.

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