Athletes chase Frenzy glory

A NEW Bendigo 5km Frenzy men’s elite champion will be crowned when the classic is run on Friday, 10 February at the Flora Hill track.

Athletics Bendigo Region was to the fore in last year’s 5km Frenzy race as Nathan Stoate was third in the 12-and-a-half lap contest in 14:27 and South Bendigo’s Archie Reid was fourth in 14:33.

Both represented Bendigo Bats in their run to winning premier division of last season’s Athletics Victoria’s cross-country action.

Reid’s racing in 2022 included victory in the Lucerne half-marathon (21.1km) in Switzerland, and fourth in the under-23 category of the Valencia half-marathon.

Some of the funds he received as the Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund recipient in Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year award across 2020 and ’21 went towards his European campaign.

The Echuca athlete had looked at more overseas racing in February, but has opted to stay home and compete in the 5km Frenzy, and next month’s Bendigo Ford Fun Run.

Reid won the 10-kilometre in last year’s event which is a fundraiser for Bendigo Health.

Athletes who raced in the elite division of last year’s 5km Frenzy and likely contenders for race three are Bendigo Harriers’ Brady Threlfall and Jamie Cook, and the Buckell twins, Matt and Ned from Bendigo University.

A year ago Frankston’s Sarah Klein charged to victory in the women’s elite race.

The 5km Frenzy meet starts at 5pm and includes 1000-metre races for the under-8, 11 and 15 age groups.

Spectators will be able to line up along lane four to get close to the action.

Registration closes on Friday, 3 February via Athletics Bendigo’s website.