Border Striders

News 2016

November 2016

November 6 saw our triathletes scoop a full set of medals in the Queensland All-Schools at Lake Kawana. Unheralded GWEN WATSON broke through for her maiden state mini-aquathon title; national runner/swimmer MJ LOWE starred with a silver in the primary boys aquathon; and ADELE PHILLIPS made a claim for selection to the Nationals with bronze in the junior triathlon.

Breakout runs by ELLE RUTHERFORD, ANNA JONES, CAITLIN BOYLE and AMY PARTRIGE highlighted our 9-podium blitz at the UQ 1500m Classic on November.

We had four in the Women’s Classic with LUCINDA CROUCH driving the pace against Commonwealth Games runner Brittany McGowan, taking second place in a near-PB 4.29. ELLE RUTHERFORD flashed home in an amazing PB 4.29 while LEAH SIMPSON lowered her best to 4.39.

ANNA JONES stunned older runners with a come-from-behind close in Schoolgirls Race #1, recording a monster PB 4.37 (and aced the Livestream interview after).

CAITLIN BOYLE went from under-the-radar in SG Race #2 to legitimate national-class, winning in an almost unbelievable 4.42.

AMY PARTRIGE’s 4.53 national qualifier in Primary #1 was equally impressive.

FIRSTS  Anna Jones  SS#1  4.37  NQ/PB, 

              Caitlin Boyle  SS#2  4.42  NQ/PB

RUNNERS-UP  Lucinda Crouch  Classic  4.29  NQ

             Trent Darbyshire  SS#3  4.24  PB

             Bronte Thompson  SS#3  5.00

             Ruby Hughes  PS#2  5.12  PB

THIRDS  Elle Rutherford  Classic  4.29  NQ/PB

             Amy Partrige  PS#1  4.53  PB/NQ

             Kyah Anderson  PS#2  5.14  PB

National Qualifiers also to Callum Davies, Lara Crouch, Jack Salcedo and Oscar Rutherford.

NB Congratulations to JAYDA ANDERSON who broke the State Little Athletics record in the 1500m walk (7.22).

October 2016

Good luck to our 66 runners at forthcoming State Schools Track Championships. The breakdown is 15 at Qld. Primary, 46 at Qld. Secondary and 5 at NSW Champ’s. 

August 2016

Newcomer SHANTEAL HANSEN (20.41) and CAITLIN MORSE (20.58) are headed for stardom following their 1 – 2 finish in the U13 division in the Bridge to Brisbane on August 28. 

JAMES TURNER earned $400 for his runner-up performance at the Sunshine Coast Half-Marathon (PB 1hr 13mins) while junior YASMIN DOHERTY broke through for her first road race victory in the 5km (20.52).

KYAH ANDERSON won the Brisbane Marathon junior 2km (8.30) while TRISTA HOCKEY prepared for National Cross with victory at the North Lakes 2km (7.45).

HARRY BRIGGS enjoyed a nice payday winning the 4.2km Kalinga Dash (14.33) while TAMARA CARVOLTH (8km/29.15) and AEYSHA GRANZIEN (3km/12.57) dominated female divisions at Rail Trail.

CHLOE McLENNAN triumphed at the Sunco Uni 5km (18.02) 

The State Duathlon (Run-bike-run) Championships at Springfield on August 31 saw four of our runners on the podium after they completed a cross-country preparation with us.  ELLIOTT GRAY (14-15yr sprint) and SOPHIE BURGER (10-11yrs) won gold while ADELE PHILLIPS (12-13yrs) and TRISTA HOCKEY (10-11yrs) notched silvers.

July 2016

CALLUM DAVIES launched his international career with double gold in the Melanesian Games at Suva, Fiji, on July 9-10. Davies overcame humidity and gusty seaside winds to win gold in the U/18yrs 3000m (8.57) before repeating the dose in the U/18 1500m. LACHLAN COWLEY was equally impressive in the U/18yrs 800m prevailing in 1.57 before returning to nab silver in the 1500m. LUCINDA CROUCH kept her unbeaten international record intact with victory in the 1500m (4.36) while INDIA WILLIAMS put an injury-plagued three months behind her with silver in the U/18 800m (2.23). Live stream video of the races is available.

GOOD LUCK to our 98 runners at the Queensland (81 running at Maryborough) and NSW (17 at Eastern Creek) Schools Cross Country Championships over the next fortnight.

JAXON PATERSON-WRIGHT and MATTHEW (MJ) LOWE  scooped both boys titles at the Gold Coast Marathon Junior Dashes on July 2. Jaxon clocked the second-fastest time (12mins 39secs) ever in the 4km to turn back a national-class field by almost a full minute. MJ, still only 9, was  similarly impressive in the 2km with his winning time (6.55) behind only our KOBI RUTHERFORD (6.43/REC) and CASEY O’BRIEN (6.51) on the All-time list. KYAH ANDERSON also secured a podium when third in the 2km (7.20) with her time fast enough to win every edition except for the Katrina Robinson and Imogen Stewart victory years. Also noted BLAKE TURNER (runner-up in the 2km) sporting the Border Striders singlet.  All are in great form for the coming State Cross-Country Champ’s.

May 2016

AA has selected four of our runners in its junior team to contest the Oceania Melanesian regional championships in Suva, Fiji, July 7-9. LACHLAN COWLEY (800m, 1500m), INDIA WILLIAMS  (800m,1500m) and CALLUM DAVIES (3000m) will make their debut in Green and Gold, while LUCINDA CROUCH (1500m) will try to repeat her World Interschool Cross Country heroics. Congratulations

April 2016

Initial reactions of our runners after winning the World Schools Cross-Country team title as members of St Margarets. Race distance was 3.4km.

LUCINDA CROUCH (GOLD, 11.00mins) “It spread out at the start with no packs. Lara was with me early on. I decided to just hang on to the lead. The Turkish girl challenged near the last bend but I held her off. It was a fun race, very scenic”.

LARA CROUCH (BRONZE, 11.08) “I was level with Lucinda for awhile but I was aiming for a top 20 and not evn sure about that. So the outcome was a pleasant surprise. With 100m to go I knew they couldn’t catch me”.

ISABELLA BURDON (5th, 11.15) I felt good early but the second lap (1700m) was hard. I felt faster on the way back and I wish I’d caught the fourth girl. My voice has gone so that means I ran hard”.

BRIANNA CAMPTON (28th, 12.06) “I felt dead early but then better the further it went.  My finish was actually quite good. I ran in waffles”.

ALEX CLEMENTS (65th, 12.59) “I probably went out too hard for too long. I can’t even remember the middle of the race at all. Once we left the gravel and got onto the grass I sprinted and towards the end I passed five”. 

March 2016

At the huge Intraining Twilight festival, JAMES TURNER placed 3rd behind two Africans in the Half Marathon (1.17) while LUCINDA CROUCH was also 3rd in the 10km (40.13). LARA CROUCH (18.44) and CARA FEAIN-RYAN (19.37) went 2-3 in the 5km while CAITLYN MORSE PB’d the junior 1000m  (3.20) for 2nd.

The Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival saw CHLOE McLENNAN take out the 5km Fun Run (18.14) while BEN COOK won the Olympic Distance Triathlon.

KYAH ANDERSON (U/9, 2.52) and newcomer RUBY HUGHES (U/10, 2.51) starred at the Little Athletics Junior Carnival with 800m victories while AMALI MOORE broke through for her first win in the Run GC Junior 1000m at Kurrawa.

Congratulations to our AMELIA SCHOFIELD (1500M walk) and LARA PERT (400m, Relay) for making the hardest team of all – the State team to contest the Australian Little Athletics Championships in Adelaide, April 24. Well done also to Amelia’s walk coach, Robyn Wales, and to whoever is looking after Lara’s track work. 

TAYLA BEHR warmed up for the Junior Nationals by winning Under 16 honours in a field of 10,000 at the International Women’s Day Run in Brisbane on March 6. Taylah’s time was 19mins 09seconds and she finished an impressive 8th overall.  DAKOTA FARRELLTHOMAS (19.13) was third junior and an amazing 10th overall while new rising star STELLA GRACEY (22.47) was second U12.

February 2016

LUCINDA CROUCH became the equal-youngest winner of the Queensland Open 1500m title for at least a quarter of a century with her 4.32 good for gold. She’s just turned 16! ELIN WALTERS netted a silver in the open women’s 3000m steeplechase  (12.00) at the tender age of 14!  LARA CROUCH went within an ace of being history’s youngest Qld 1500m champion clocking 4.33 for bronze. Congrat’s girls and good luck in Perth. 

January 2016

We kick off the year with mention of significant performances that escaped into cyberspace in 2015. Sorry folks.

2015 Gold Coast Marathon: CAITLYN MORSE enjoyed a breakout victory in the 2km Junior Dash with her 7.30 edging teammate TRISTA HOCKEY by 3seconds. FINLEY NEYLAN (6.59) was an impressive runner up in the boys. MACKENZEY ORMISTON (14.11) was second again in the 4km Junior Dash with JAXON PATERSONWRIGHT (13.18) third in the boys. BRODIE  MODINI (17.45) prevailed in the 5.7km Peoples’ Race with MORGAN MATHEWS  (20.57) and SARAH CHAMPLEY (21.20) going 2-3 in the girls. LACHLAN COOK (30.47) took silver in the State 10km Road title also held with the GCM.

2015 Bridge to Brisbane: LACHLAN COOK (15.03)and LILLI BURDON (16.12) won the 5km races, each banking $1000 in the process. BEN COOK (31.40) was runner-up in the 10km with TAMARA CARVOLTH (37.08) third female.