Athletics Victoria's XCR19 series success for Athletics Bendigo

Bendigo fielded four teams across various divisions Athletics Victoria's XCR19 series.

Under the Ekiden format, teams of six, four or three ran a cross-country leg of various distances in relay style.

Bendigo won the men's division two event as it completed the 42.3km showdown in 2 hours 26.58 minutes and finished 19 seconds in front of APS United as Box Hill was third.

Brady Threlfall from Bendigo Harriers led off the charge as he ran the opening 9.2km leg in 31.03.

Less than two weeks after qualifying for the Kona Ironman in Hawaii, gun triathlete Nathan Meade represented Bendigo in his second XCR hit-out.

Meade completed the 8.6km leg in 30.48 as he was the first of University athletes to run.

From there it was an all-University line-up as Kye Jenkyn ran the 7.2km trek in 25.13.

Next up was Nigel Preston, 22.41 for the 6.4km leg, and Stephen Van Rees, 20.25 for the 5.7km journey.

A week after winning the Victorian All Schools under-15 4km cross-country title at Bundoora, Jayden Padgham ran the 4.6km leg at Anglesa in 16.48.

It was a superb effort as number one runner Andy Buchanan rested ahead of Tuesday's 5000m at the Oceania Region track and field titles in Townsville.

Bendigo was fourth in the men's division five showdown as it clocked an overall time of 2:40.26 as Ivanhoe Harriers reigned supreme from Richmond Harriers and Mentone.

Ben Stolz ran the 9.2km leg in 35.40, and Jayson Carter clocked 45.24 for the 8.6km distance.

Next to run were Darren Hartland, 31.23 for 7.2km, and Matthew Heislers, 22.59 for the 5.7km run.

Bendigo's division four women's team was 10th in 2:25.29.

Anne Buckley from Bendigo Harriers ran the 8.6km leg, clubmate Juliet Heah the 7.2km, and South Bendigo's Debby Kirne the 5.7km to complete a gruelling test.

In the men's 50-plus class, Bendigo clocked 1:41.18 to be sixth.

Runners were David Heislers, 43.11 for 9.2km; Mike Bieleny, 28.21 for 7.4km; Antony Langdon, 29.46 for 5.8km.