A smallish field of 49 assembled for the time honoured Newgrove Benchtops Eliminator at the Canoe Club on Sunday with an increasing wind affecting exposed parts of the river path. All entrants had to complete both the 4 km and 3 km events with the best performed twenty qualifying for the 2 km final.
For the first time in ages, it was a backmarker who took home the prized trophy. Pat Hagan spotted the limit markers six minutes start and only reached the lead in the last fifty metres when he overtook Coral Bridgland with Navid Rashid a close third. It was Hagan’s first club win and he has wrapped up this season’s club championship with a string of fastest times. Madeline Crawford was the fastest female in the final.
Top 10 Placings
P. Hagan 6.03, C. Bridgland 11.56, N.Rashid 8.19, S. Curtain 7.20, L. Haines 6.57, S. Beaulac 8.18, C. Rose 7.33, E. Kelly 6.59, A.Jenkins 9.11, M. Crawford 8.22.
The next club event is the Dawn Buster at the Carousel at 7 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.
