Veteran athlete and multiple Club Champion Rick Ermel has triumphed in the Bendigo Athletic Club’s most recent event, The Rising Sun Hotel 3200 Metres non penalty held at No. 7 Reservoir Kangaroo Flat. Although there were no points to be gained towards any of the aggregate awards there was plenty of excitement not to mention a sash and $250 first prize on offer. Adding to the anticipation was the fact that previous race winners had some of their winning penalty returned to give everyone a chance at success. With no clear favourite there were many athletes licking their lips at the prospect of tasting more success and for others it was trying to break through for their first win.
In what was a rapid fire race due mainly to the drop in distance it was recent place getter Kane Ellis who was looking the goods for a long way. However the challengers were coming thick and fast none more so than from Josh Sait who was blistering his way through the field from the back mark along with Michael Preece. Both Grant Findlay and John Bailey were running good races too but it soon became clear that Rick Ermel was looming as a massive chance. After getting past Findlay and Bailey in the last few hundred metres Ermel had just Ellis in front of him to take the victory, his first for a number of years. However just as Ermel went past Ellis with only about 150 metres to go, Ermel took a wrong turn before a noble Ellis yelled out to return him to the correct course. In what was a great act of sportsmanship Ellis enabled Ermel to win the race that he was going to win at the cost of his of own success. This means Ellis finished the year with three consecutive second placings without a win, making the sporting gesture all the more significant! As for Ermel the win was very much deserved as he has been improving all year after being hampered by injury.
Although officially no points were allocated category bragging rights are always worth defending and none more so than the Bendigo Bank fastest time. In a race with lots of quick times it was Michael Preece who took the honours clocking an impressive 10.10 minutes for the 3.2km course ahead of Josh Sait 10.34 minutes and Adam Parker 11.02 minutes.
Michael Preece was also first home for the U23 award sponsored by Liz & Mark Findlay edging out young Reza Azimi and Gab Sait.
As well as the $250 first prize and the all important sash, Rick Ermel also was in top spot for the Flack Advisory Veterans Award. Next in were Kane Ellis and Grant Findlay.
In the Bridge Hotel Open Award it was Josh Sait who claimed top spot in front of Adam Parker and Ben Goode.
While in the Bendigo Original Pie Shop Ladies Award we saw Gab Sait coming out on top ahead of the ever consistent Rhonda Schultz.