A MULTIPLE winner and first-time victor shared Surf ‘T’ Surf six-kilometre walk honours yesterday.
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Ballarat’s Andrew Blood claimed his fifth consecutive men’s title and Allansford’s Renae Gleeson, a long-time entrant, saluted for a breakthrough women’s triumph.
Blood’s win in 29 minutes and 54 seconds was his ninth overall.
He intends to compete again in 2016 in search of a 10th crown.
Blood, 40, said walking was a passion.
“I still enjoy it and still compete a fair bit,” he said.
“It keeps me fit so I may as well keep doing it.
“I don’t walk every day. Probably three times a week, but I run every day.”
Gleeson, 54, finished in 39.49.
She said she was “just happy to get across the line”.
The win was an added bonus.
“I have come second many, many times, so today is a bit special,” she said.
“I have been doing it since the 1980s.
“I started running and then I took to walking when I had kids.”
The Allansford and District Primary School teacher said watching her pupils compete in the 3km Lap of the Lake was more satisfying than her own win.
“Having all these kids from school here doing it, which is more exciting I think,” she said.
“We put a team in this year. A couple of the kids had the idea they’d like to do it so they all entered.”
One of her pupils, Ethan Boyd, won the male Lap of the Lake section.
Ethan, 10, finished in 16.22 and bettered his 2014 finish by 15 spots.
The Naringal East resident said he was happy with his performance.
“It was pretty tough,” Ethan said. “There were a fair few hills and when you wanted to push up the hills there was always someone catching you, so it was really challenging.”
Nerrin Nerrin’s Julia Dawes, who ran with her six-year-old daughter, was the female Lap of the Lake winner in 18.05.
Corporate challenge winners were The A Team (6km walk) and The Incredibles (6km run) and South West Healthcare Maniacs (10km run).
Nirranda Football Netball Club (6km run) and Warrnambool Umpires (10km run) were the sports club challenge winners.
Port Fairy Consolidated School won the schools challenge.
