Pre-race favourite Ben Goode made light of the pressure in scoring a comfortable fifteen second victory in Race 2 of the Bendigo Athletic Club cross-country season.  Bendigo schoolteacher Goode gave his opponents a lesson in combining strength speed and stamina over a 5 kilometre distance.

The event was staged over an undulating course starting and finishing at the Mandurang Cricket Ground.  Goode finished strongly to hold off Michael Preece by fifteen seconds, with Josh Sait third.  Preece took out the Bendigo Bank Fastest Time Award, recording 17:20, only three seconds ahead of Josh Sait with Kyall Britten fifteen seconds further back as third fastest.

Ben Goode also took out this week’s Bridge Hotel Open age-group category from Shepparton’s Josh Sait, while the Liz and Mark Findlay U23 Award was taken out by Michael Preece ahead of Reza Azimi, with Gabe Sait third.

First home in the Flack Advisory Veterans Award was Greg Hilson, two seconds ahead of Rick Ermel with Rhonda Schultz four seconds further adrift in third.  Rhonda however claimed top spot in the Bendigo Original Pie Shop Ladies Award from Ingrid Douglass and Gabe Sait.

Another close finish was Ava Bibby’s  two second win in the Children’s 1k Race from a fast-finishing Emma Gilligan.  Emma ran fastest time for the event, breaking four minutes for the kilometre by one second.

Bendigo Athletic Club’s next race will be the Kel Pell Handicap held on Sunday, May 3 at the No. 7 Reservoir in Kangaroo Flat. There will be a children’s 1km race at 10am, with the main race again starting at 10.30am.

Check the 'Results' page for all the details of both senior and junior races.