Finale to the 10 round series was at Carlton’s Princes Park on Saturday.

Athletes raced 3.1km relay legs.

A red-hot Bendigo team beat its nearest division five rival by five minutes.

Kye Jenkyn led off Bendigo’s charge in a time of 9.57, and was followed by Nigel Preston, 10.07; Daniel Plowright, 11.09; and Ben Stoltz, 10.40.

Team captain Ben Stoltz contested all 10 XCR events and will race in the upcoming Melbourne Marathon.

Second placing in the final round meant Bendigo captured the division seven men’s title.

Mike Bieleny raced in division seven for the first time this season and ran a lead-off leg of 10.47 as Declan Osborne, 11.43; Isaac Everett, 11.56; and Leigh Browell, 13.05; all ran strongly.

The under-18 boys team of Ned Buckell, 10.25; Matt Buckell, 10.28; and Riley Osborne, 10.37; ran superbly to be sixth overall.

The Buckell twins competed in a higher age group and were within 70 seconds of the winning relay team.

There were many highlights by Bendigo athletes in the XCR action.

Andy Buchanan won the Best Country Athlete title and was fourth overall in the men’s open.

A great year for University’s star included victory in the Athletics Australia 10km cross country championship at Wollongong.

South Bendigo clubmates Taryn Furletti and Yazmin Hayes were in top form.

Furletti was runner-up in the under-16 girls aggregate and Hayes was fourth.

Matilda Moore from Bendigo Harriers was fourth in the under-18 girls standings.

University’s Craig Green achieved a top 10 finish for the first time as he was 10th in the 45-49 years class.

Clubmate Charles Chambers was seventh in the 60-plus division.

In the Country Men’s standings, Nigel Preston was 7th, Ben Stolz 8th, and Leon Russell-Keely 10th.

Alice Wilkinson from Bendigo Harriers marked a memorable season by being 7th in the country women’s standings.

Representatives in this season’s division five premiership-winning team were Ben Stolz, Matt Hooke, Rossi Evans, Alice Wilkinson, Eric Baker (Bendigo Harriers); Daniel Plowright (South Bendigo); Nigel Preston, Craig Green, Kye Jenkyn, Andy Buchanan, Leon Russell-Keely, Mike Bieleny and Jim Russell (Bendigo University).

Athletes to race for the division seven premiers were Craig Green, Charles Chambers, David Heislers, Darren Hartland, Mike Bieleny,  (Uni.); Daniel Plowright, Leigh Browell, Adam Parker (SB); Rossi Evans, Isaac Everett and Declan Osborne (BH).

Meanwhile, Athletics Bendigo’s track and field season kicks off Sunday, October 1 when a come and try day is run at the Latrobe University Bendigo athletics complex in Retreat Road, Flora Hill from 1.30pm.