Australian Cross Country Championships | Men's and Women's Open 10km Preview

This weekend, the 84th edition of the Chemist Warehouse Australian Cross Country Championships head to Symmons Plains Raceway, just outside Launceston in Tasmania. 

After little wet weather in the area for months, rain has soaked the region this week and we can expect a muddy, choppy, wet course for the record 1224 athletes competing. The course is described as technical, with short sharp hills and turns.

Saturday’s program is individual championship events from ages under-11 to masters, over distances from 2km to 10km, while on Sunday morning the Australian Cross Country Relay Championships are held. The event returns to the Apple Isle for the time in 11 years, last held at the same venue in 2013.

WOMEN OPEN 10KM

The women’s open 10km Cross Country Championship features Canberra’s Leanne Pompeani who ran so brilliantly at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst 18 months ago. Heading for a top-20, she would place 22nd just behind teammate Ellie Pashley (19th) who passed her within metres of the finish line. The pair achieved the best places for 15-years by Australian women. 

Although she would place second 12 months ago at the National cross country, it was in the middle of a difficult patch for Pompeani.

“2023 brought a lot of challenges with injury and it pretty much stopped me in my tracks for the last five months of the year,” Pompeani reflected this week.

 The missed training added up and left her underdone for the first half of 2024 in races both domestically and internationally.

“Coming home after a little trip to Europe earlier this year, I was really disappointed with my race results and was lacking a lot confidence.”

But over the last two months she has turned the corner with three superb performances. The ‘old Leanne’ was back in early July at the Gold Coast Half Marathon, winning in 69:20 minutes and defeating Olympics-bound Jess Stenson by 48 seconds. This was followed by two brilliant wining performances in Sydney - the Sydney Harbour 10km in 32:01 and then the City to Surf where she was 85 seconds ahead of her competition.

“Gold Coast Half Marathon was my first race back on home soil and I felt relaxed, the pressure was off and I just wanted to enjoy being back racing on the roads. Sydney Harbour 10km and City2Surf gave me even more confidence, I feel like they were solid performances and hopefully I can keep the momentum going.”

Competitive across all surfaces, the past Zatopek winner on the track, and strong performer on the roads, for Pompeani, a 3-time runner-up of the National cross country, the event remains special.

“National XC will always have a place on my calendar. We have such depth these days in both women and men’s, even with some of our recent Olympians not competing this weekend, the races will still be exciting.”

Dual Olympian, Jenny Blundell; Paige Campbell with a 29th and 31st at her only World Cross Country appearances and cross country specialist Caitlin Adams, who was 28th in the Bathurst race, all have podium potential. But could the major threat be Holly Campbell? Fifth in the epic 2023 World XC trial and has run 31:44 for 10,000m on the track this year.

 Others to watch are Victorian champion Melissa Duncan, steeplechaser Brielle Erbacher, last years under-20 champion Poppy Austin and Tasmania Ruby Smee who ran at the NCAA cross country in 2023.

 MEN OPEN 10KM

The men’s event should be a continuing battle between Victorians Haftu Strintzos and Ed Marks, with Adelaide’s Isaac Heynes a major threat.

 Strintzos and Marks have clearly been the two best Australian cross country runners in 2024. Just one place separated them at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade in March as both were given the same time. They finished comfortably ahead of our Paris marathoners Liam Adams and Pat Tiernan, who both have quality cross country credentials.

 Mid-year Strintzos and Marks claimed strong wins over XC specialist Andy Buchanan - Marks at the Victorian State 8km XC in June, while Strintzos at the Victorian State 10km XC in July.

 A NCAA XC top-10 finisher, Strintzos has a definite goal for Launceston this weekend.

“I will be aiming for the top spot at national cross in Tasmania,” he said.

“I had a fantastic experience at my first World XC, but it would’ve been nice to finish in the top 20.“

This winter was the first time Strintzos was back in Victoria after studying in America since his teens.

“It was nice to be back on home turf at Bundoora for the State XC Championships and I was very happy to win my first open State XC title.”

 Similarly Marks had good memories of the World Cross Country and reflected this week with pride, of his debut in the green and gold.

“Running for Australia in the World Cross Country was an honour, and something that I had wanted to do for a long time,” he said. “I was very pleased with my performance because I didn't go out too hard at the start and was able to work my way up the field as the race went on.”

 He has a realistic ambition for the Ausralian Cross Country Championships this weekend.

“The goal at nationals is always going to be trying to win, but beyond that I would like to be proud of my performance when I cross the line.  I want to be able to look back and feel that I ran to the best of my abilities on the day.”

Another form athlete domestically in 2024 has been South Australian Isaac Heyne. After placing second to Andy Buchanan at the Gold Coast Half Marathon in an impressive 62:27, he won the City to Surf by 77 seconds from Ed Goddard.

“I've run well on the roads recently,” Heyne said, but he was more interested in the bigger picture for himself.

“More importantly, I've enjoyed lining up on the start line and competing. I have high expectations of myself and haven't always met them - this has gotten in the way of my enjoyment. Now I try to place the focus on enjoyment first, expectations second.”

 But to be a threat…can Heyne transfer that form from the road?

“History suggests that cross country is not my strength, so the national championships offer a unique opportunity for me to develop into a more well-rounded athlete.”

Heyne, who has siblings living in Tasmania, is looking forward to racing in front of them and seeing them in the crowd.

 Home ground advantage is expected to see Sam Clifford, 22, in the chase for the medals. The Tasmania who lives just outside of Launceston has set two PBs this year - winning the Sydney 10 in 29:02, then fourth in the Launceston 10 with 28:56. He also has ability in cross country and is remembered for his remarkable 30th place in the under-20 World Cross Country race in 2019 as a 17-year-old. An individual medal in the men’s race for Tasmania would be historic as just two athletes, Stewart McSweyn and David Thomas, has placed in the event in the last 56-years.

 Others to watch are 2-time winner and Paris Olympian Liam Adams, 3-time medallist Ed Goddard, 61:43-minute half marathoner Tim Vincent and 2022 champion Seth O'Donnell.

 Tasmania have been regular placegetters in the team event when they have hosted the championships and again in 2024 they have a strong team led by Sam Clifford and including James Hansen and Nick Earl.

The Chemist Warehouse Australian Cross Country Championships is proudly supported by the Tasmanian Governmeny, with the State's Minister for Sport and Events Nic Street saying:

"The Tasmanian Government is a proud supporter of the Australian Cross Country Championships and we look forward to welcoming over 2000 participants to Tasmania for the first time in 11 years," he said.

"As Minister for Sport and Events, I am thrilled to see an event of this calibre in our home State in what is sure to be a thrilling championship for competitors and spectators alike. Welcome to Tasmania and good luck to all those who are competing in the event."

The Chemist Warehouse Australian Cross Country Championships takes place over two days from August 31 - September 1, with more information available at HERE.

By David Tarbotton, Athletics Australia
Posted: 28/8/2024