Your guide to the 2021 Cross Country State Championships
Published Wed 18 Aug 2021
Athletics SA will host the annual Cross Country State Championships at Victoria Park on Saturday - here is your guide to the event:
*This event will be live streamed by The Advertiser. Leo James and Brett Fisk will be commentating all five races, while special guest commentators will rotate throughout the day.
Special guests include Tokyo Olympians Matthew Clarke (commentating during Race 1) and Isobel Batt-Doyle (Race 4), as well as Athletics SA CEO Shane Fuller (Race 2) and Athletics SA Statistician Paul Sutcliffe (Race 4).
When: August 21, 2021 - from 1pm.
Where: Come out to Victoria Park (Park 16/Pakapakanthi - Enter off East Terrace)
Schedule:
Race 1 – 1:00: U14, U16/18 Para M&W, Open Men & Women Para - 3km
Race 2 – 1:30: U16 Men & Women, U18 Women - 4km
Race 3 – 2:00: U20 Women, U18 Men - 6km
Race 4 – 2:45: Open Men & Women - 10km
Race 5 – 3:45: U20/O35/O50 Men, O35/O50 Women - 8km
For all event details visit the XC State Championships page on the Athletics SA website.
Paul Sutcliffe's Form Guide:
Race 1 (1pm) 3k [U14] & Para
Men [U14]: Jack Williams (Saints Athletics Club) won the U14 event last year and is heavily favoured to take line honours again, but has had some close races against Jordan Leane (Flinders). Jack won a silver medal (U14) in 800m at the National Track & Field Championships in April and won the U13 Schools Cross Country Championships in June. Jack is a talented athlete and possesses a strong finishing kick.
Women [U14]: Tessa Ebert (Port Adelaide) goes into this race as the favourite to win, while Hannah Tourneur (Flinders) and Elodie de Wit (Adelaide Harriers) are strong medal contenders. Tessa won the U14 event last year and has had a fantastic 2021 winning a silver medal (U14) in 800m at the National Track & Field Championships in April. This winter Tessa has been unbeaten, winning the U13 Schools Cross Country Championships in June and posting a sub 18 minute 5km on the Road. Tessa has the strength and speed to win again.
Para: Angus Hincksman T38 (Southern) and Timon Sideris T20 (Hills) are the athletes to watch.
Race 2 (1:30pm) 4k [U16] & U18 Women
Men [U16]: Deacon Gore (Saints) is favoured to win, with James Skelton (Mt Barker) and James McManus (Port Adelaide) athletes to likely be in the mix for the medals.
Women [U16}: Grace Deacon (Flinders) has been too strong all winter but will be challenged by Asha Lawson (Flinders) and Emma Henkel (Northern District).
Women: [U18]: This is a hard to predict, with Port Adelaide's Jessica McManus and Molly Cook, and Tiana Cetta (United Collegians) all chances for a medal.
Race 3 (2pm) 6k U18 Men & U20 Women
Men [U18]: Cael Mulholland (Adelaide Hills) has had stellar winter and should cross the line first, ahead of Jonathan Harris (Saints) and Torben Roberts (Finders).
Women [U20]: Caitlin Slobedman (Hills) has the strength and consistency to take out the women’s title, but will be challenged by Lucy Mauviel (Pembroke).
Race 4 (2:45pm) 10k Open
Men [Open]: The medals should come from Max Stevens (Hills), Daniel Canala (Hills) and Isaac Heyne (Pembroke). Tactics will be important, Max and Isaac will not want to leave it to late to avoid the Canala kick. Isaac has had success on the national stage on the track (first in the 5000m U20 2019) and in Cross Country events (first in the 8km U20 2019) and is not out of place in senior fields. Isaac likes to run hard so it will be great to see how he runs this year after coming seventh last year. 10k cross country is tough, too hard to predict a winner. Two younger athletes to watch are Harrison Bagley (Adelaide Harriers) and Bailey Dyer (Flinders).
Women [Open]: With Caitlin Adams (Hills) now not running in this event, Brooke Hines (Saints) is now the favourite to win.
Race 5 (3:45pm) U20/O35/O50 Men & O35/O50 Women
Men [U20]: This will be a highly contested race with Adam Goddard (Saints), the Adelaide Harriers trio of Thomas Dowd, Arron Nitschke and Cooper Giles, along with Marco Els (Flinders) battling for the win.
Men [O35]: Michael Nitschke (Adelaide Harriers) won last year but might have competition from Jordan Harvey (Flinders) this year.
Men [O50]: Tony Jarrett (Adelaide Harriers) will be tough to beat in this race.
Women [O35]: Lisa Davis (Hills) is favourite to take out the O35 Women's title, ahead of Megan Palmer (FLN).
Women [O50]: Patricia Laird (AH) should win.