Willandra Cross Country Course to host 30th State Championship

12 June 2022

Willandra Cross Country Course to host 30th State Championship

Next Saturday the iconic cross country venue, Willandra - the Gibb family farm at Tapitallee, near Nowra, will host its 30th NSW Cross Country Championship, stretching back 32 years. The first championship held there was the 1990 NSW Short Course XC and over the three decades they have hosted 22 NSW Cross Country titles, five Short Course XC and three XC Relays.

The most prolific individual winners, Liz Miller, with five titles and Paul Arthur, with four, reflected on the Willandra cross country venue. They will both line-up again this Saturday.

LIZ MILLER

Willandra XC course wins – NSW State XC 1994, 1996, 2002, 2004 and Short Course XC 2000

Liz Miller is one of NSW’s best ever distance runners. She competed at three World Cross Country Championships and won Australian Championships in three different decades, her first in 1989 as a junior and 2002 as a senior. She won 18 senior Australian Championship medals, including six National titles.

It is no surprise when Rod Gibb had a vision for a cross country course, he sort the input from Liz.

“Rod Gibb invited me down as a guest at Nowra Athletic club presentation evening more than 30 years ago,” reflected Liz this week.

“I was there for the weekend with Rod taking me around on his tractor on a proposed XC course he thought would be a great venue for NSW XC events and potentially a National Championship event. So you could say I was there from the beginning.”

“It was wonderful to watch Rod’s vision become a reality. It is a unique course. Challenging but for me personally my most successful XC Course.”

The course is certainly the hilliest of any regular cross country course in Australia.

“The dreaded heartbreak hill is always the biggest talking point amongst athletes. Willandra has a bit of everything, uphills, downhills and tight twists and turns. It’s also a great viewing course for spectators.

“All in all a brilliant course and wonderful events have been held at Willandra. I’ve competed in a number of World Cross Country Championships, but none have come close to Willandra in its challenges and scenery.

“Rod and Jan Gibb have been and still are incredibly generous. I always look forward to seeing them and catching up at the Willandra XC.”

PAUL ARTHUR

Willandra XC course wins – NSW State XC 1995 & 1996 and Short Course XC 1990 & 1998

Paul Arthur was one of the most successful NSW distance runners in the ‘90s and like Liz Miller, won national titles in three decades ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s. He won 11 National championship distance running medals, including two titles, and competed at the 1992 World Cross Country Championships.

He still competes at every cross country event. He reflected on Willandra.

“I have great memories of racing at Willandra. I was lucky enough to win the NSW championships four times on this course, plus another four times on different venues. Cross country running was always my favourite event, and Willandra was my favourite course. I love coming back to Nowra, as I know how hard Rod Gibb works to have the course in top order for the day, it’s just a great day of distance running.”

Paul certainly knows how tough the course is.

“I think Willandra is the toughest course we have run our NSW championship on, since we stopped using Lansdowne in the 1980s, and probably the toughest I have raced a National championship on. A good XC course is a course where you can wear spikes over the entire course, and take advantage of the variations in the course to maximise your strengths.

“Cross Country running is different to track and road. I like the format of the laps, arriving early and warming up around the course, and planning places where I want to surge to take advantage of my strength, which is hill running.”

Australian distance running legends like Steve Moneghetti, Rob de Castella, Kerryn McCann, Craig Mottram, Stewart McSweyn, Shaun Creighton, Ben St Lawrence and Suzy Walsham made their debut in the green and gold of Australia through cross country at the World Cross Country Championships.

“I really think cross country running is a good foundation for development as a runner, and for established runners to take their racing to the next level. The challenge of running the uphills, and running a good downhill, is a skill to develop. Willandra is a course where it’s very important not to bring the red light on too early – it’s important to start a little bit conservatively and keep a bit in reserve.”

Paul also had a tip for a possible surprise winner of the men’s open event this year, the son of two former NSW winter champions Brendon Hince and Lorraine Davis.

“I’m looking forward to watching the open men’s especially Luke Hince, after his run in the XC relays last Saturday.”

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Images: Paul Arthur and Liz Miller (courtesy of David Tarbotton)

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KEY FACTS

Event name: 124th NSW Cross Country Championships

What: 2 to 10km cross country races

Competitors: Events for ages U12 to Masters, including a Fun Run

Date: Saturday 18 June 2022

Where: Willandra Cross Country Course, Browns Mountain Road, Tapitallee (near Nowra)

EVENTS/TIMETABLE

First event: 11:20

Last starts: 14:35

Distances from 2 to 10km

ENTRIES

Entries close 10am, Wednesday 15th June. Late entries are guaranteed to be accepted until 3:00pm, Thursday 16th June. After this time, entries will only be accepted where they can be accommodated in the final timetable.

MORE INFORMATION

Full timetable, distances, course map etc https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events/136682/