The following are runners who registered with Geelong Professional Cross Country Club, founded in 1971. The club held two pack runs, on June 6 over 4.3 miles at Mt Duneed, won by David O’Brien, and on June 13 over two miles at Dog Rocks, won by John Barmby, before conducting its first handicap race on June 20 over 3.8 miles at Moorabool, starting near the old Moorabool railway station.
Those who took part in that historic first race, in finishing order, were Colin Silcock, Gordon Rylance, Max Stevens, Norm Rau, Ray Milley, John Scott, Sam Sallein, Len Broom, Malcolm Paull, Graeme Vincent, John Craven, Ian Leeder, Ken Miles, David Collis, Brian Clissold, Frank Adams, Dale Jennings, Bob Clinton, Chris Rhodes, Stuart Field, David Turner, Greg Stafford, Chris Bransgrove and Ian Tuddenham.
Other races in 1971:
- June 27, Ceres, 3.4 miles: 26 starters, winner Dale Jennings
- July 4, Pt Addis, 5 miles: 24 starters, winner David O’Brien
- July 11, Fyansford, 4 miles: 25 starters, winner Jim Pettigrove
- July 18, Geelong Grammar School, 25 starters, winner Reg Marriner
- July 25, Moorabool, 5.7 miles, 26 starters, winner Chris Rhodes
- August 1, Lethbridge, 5.5 miles, 25 starters, winner John Scott
- August 8, Eastern Park, 3 miles (sealed hcp), 27 starters, Chris Rhodes 1, hcp winner John Nelson
- August 15, Queens Park, 3 miles, 33 starters, winner Malcolm Paull
- August 22, Waurn Ponds, 4.9 miles, 24 starters, winner John Nelson
- August 29, Waurn Ponds, 8.5 miles, 23 starters, winner Brian Craven
- September 5, You Yangs, 5 miles (sealed hcp) , 26 starters, Ian Leeder 1, hcp winner Denis Craven
- September 12, Barwon River, 3.6 miles, 28 starters, winner Dale Jennings
- September 19, Gully Rd Ceres, 4.6 miles, 35 starters, winner John Craven
- September 26, Moorabool, 6.5 miles, 30 starters, winner Chris Bransgrove
- October 3, Steiglitz, 4 miles, 29 starters, winner Gerard OÕKane
- October 10, Leopold, 8 miles, 26 starters, winner John Nelson
- October 17, King of the Mountains, Ceres, 6.8 miles, 25 starters, winner John Craven
- October 24, Grovedale, 4 miles, 32 starters, winner Burt Webster
- October 31, Anglesea Classic, 11 miles, 58 starters, winner Graeme Vincent
Those who registered and competed with the club during 1971 are:
- Abson, Mick, 28, Bell Park
- Adams, Frank, 23, Belmont
- Barmby, John, 42, East Keilor
- Bird, Keith, East Geelong
- Bourke, Terry, 26, Herne Hill
- Bransgrove, Chris, 24, Geelong West
- Broom, Len, 35, Lethbridge
- Brunton, David, 36, Geelong West
- Cameron, Kevin, 29, Leopold
- Church, Peter, 49, Newtown
- Clinton, Bob, 27, Waurn Ponds
- Clissold, Brian, 28, Highton
- Collis, David, 19, North Geelong
- Craven, Brian, 23, Manifold Heights
- Craven, Denis, 18, Manifold Heights
- Craven, John, 24, Geelong West
- Dickson, John, 29, Herne Hill
- Dillon, Barry, 17, Clayton
- Duffin, Ray, 23, Highton
- Faulkner, Arthur, 48, Belmont
- Field, Stuart, 32, North Geelong
- Fitzgerald, Lindsay, 22, Highton
- Gawne, Ken
- Jackman, Bill, 29, Belmont
- Jackson, Bob, 24, Belmont
- Jennings, Dale, 33, North Shore
- Keddie, Rob, 28, Belmont
- Kelly, T
- Leeder, Ian, 28, Leopold
- List, Paul, 24, Newtown
- Male, Neil, 23, Geelong West
- Marriner, Reg, 38, Newcomb
- Miles, Ken, 40, Belmont
- Milley, Peter, 15, Highton
- Milley, Ray, 42, Highton
- Morris, Laury, 30, Norlane
- Nelson, John, 31, Highton
- O’Brien, David, 30, Geelong
- O’Kane, Gerard, 28, Bell Park
- Paull, Malcolm, 26, Belmont
- Perrett, Ian
- Pettigrove, Jim, 44, Highton
- Rasmus, Don, 32, North Geelong
- Rau, Norm, 32, Herne Hill
- Rhodes, Chris, 20, Belmont
- Ryan, Bernard, 25, Geelong West
- Ryan, Bill
- Rylance, Gordon, 37, Corio
- Sallein, Sam, 42, North Geelong
- Scott, John, 38, North Geelong
- Shrimpton, Keith, 41, Highton
- Silcock, Colin, 38, Herne Hill
- Silvers, J
- Simpson, Derek, 19, East Geelong
- Stafford, Greg, 31, Whittington
- Stevens, Max, 38, Highton
- Tuddenham, Ian, 25, North Geelong
- Turner, David, 25, Geelong
- Trezise, Tom
- Trzeciak, Tom, 21, Geelong West
- Uren, Bill
- Vincent, Graeme, 24, Geelong West
- Wall, Wallace, 40, Newtown
- Webster, Burt, 38, Norlane
- Wren, Bill, 35, Geelong West
Also, by invitation, from the Melbourne Professional Cross Country Club: R. Bergmeier, D. Bissett, Stuart Bradley, G. Bramich, K. Brown, George Burrow, R. Cook, Jim Fitzgerald, Fred Grubb, P. Harvey, H. Hetherington, N. Hewitt, M. Hogan, Neil Kane, Bernie Kelly, Trevor Keilar, R. Kemp, Bill Leahy, R. McKenzie, P.J. Miller, K. Noden, Bob Petrie, Jan Poelsma, K. Russell, K. Seers, A. Slonim, L. Thompson
(Compiled by Dale Jennings, August, 2005)