2017 was a stella year for Westbourne Cross Country.  The team swept all before them and for the first time in the school’s history won the ACS Cross Country Carnival.  Backing up from 2017 and replicating that success was always going to be a challenge.  Major carnivals are hard to win.  One Cross Country Carnival success in twenty-one attempts is testament to that.

The 2018 Cross Country Squad was however ready for the challenge.  Training started back in the second week of June and over the two and a half months that followed a large group of committed and enthusiastic students had been braving the cold morning and early starts to get along to training.  The numbers at training, the spirit at training and most importantly the willingness from each individual who turned up to training to work hard reached new standards.

Race day was Friday 24 August an in contrast to the constant drizzle and mud of 2017 a fine and sunny late winter’s day presented a well prepared and 130 strong member team.  The day again turned out to be an overwhelming success.

In terms of Individual results Westbourne had twelve students finish on the victory dais.  Zachary Murphy (7D), Sophie Meath (10M) and Jack Harrison (12S) finished first.  Lily Tamblyn (7H), Liana Tarola (8M), Robert Weitsz (11M) and Ingrid Freeman (11S) finished second and Will Snelling (10F), Will Stomann (11P) and Kate Spiteri (12M).  A school record, 34 students finished in the top ten of their respective race.

Cross country is however a team event.  A successful team cannot just rely on the contribution of its stars.  Yes each runner runs as an individual but he/she also runs as part of a team and it is in the team results that the carnival can be viewed as such a success.  In total, as a school Westbourne teams won eight year level pennants, the successful teams were:

• Year 7 Girls
• Year 7 Boys
• Year 7 Combined Aggregate
• Year 9 Girls
• Year 9 Combined Aggregate
• Year 10 Girls
• Year 10 Boys
• Year 10 Combined Aggregate