Runners contest Lakeside classic

ATHLETES will race on one of Australia’s fastest street circuits in this Sunday’s running of the Lakeside ten-kilometre classic at Albert Park.

An action-packed morning of racing in South Melbourne starts with a three-kilometre event at 8.20am.

The 10-kilometre contest begins at 9am.

Bendigo Bats will aim to climb some rungs on the premier men’s division ladder in round three of the On-backed XCR series run by Athletics Victoria.

In pursuit of a premiership hat-trick in the open men’s top class, Athletics Bendigo has scored 15 points in a race led by Mentone, 19; Western, 17; and Glenhuntly, 16.

The Bats line-up is considerably strengthened by the return of gun marathon competitor Andy Buchanan.

Racing in and then recovery from the Hamburg Marathon meant Buchanan did not contest the XCR series opener at Jells Park or the next leg at Hanging Rock.

Distance is much shorter than a marathon hit-out of 42.2 kilometres, but Buchanan is likely to be at or near the front of the Albert Park classic.

Bats’ team-mates Archie Reid, Brady Threlfall and Nathan Stoate all ran strongly at Hanging Rock to be fifth, seventh and eighth at the iconic venue.

In division two women, Bendigo starts the round in fourth place on 15 points.

The race is led by Malvern, 21; Yarra Ranges, 19; and Essendon, 16.

Bendigo’s squad for Sunday’s race includes marathon champion Jill Wilkie, Rebecca Wilkinson, Tullie Rowe and Anne Buckley.

At under-20 level, Logan Tickell will be aiming for back-to-back wins after his success in the seven-kilometre duel at Hanging Rock.

The Bats have scored 13 points to be second in the under-20 men’s race led by Mentone on 22.

Highs for Bendigo include the 50-plus women’s team leading the title race on 19 points from Mentone, 16; and APS United, 15.