SCHEYVILLE National Park will prove a challenging course for cross country runners and road walkers from Kurrajong-Bilpin Little Athletics Club and other clubs from across the state this weekend.
The club will host the State Cross Country and Road Walk Championships for the third time on Sunday.
At least 750 people registered for the event according to Kurrajong-Bilpin Little Athletic Club secretary Susan Ferrier.
Mrs Ferrier said the club would have 16 participants enter into either the cross country run or the road walk.
‘‘In terms of little athletics, this is the big event of the year,’’ she said.
‘‘Apart from state championships on track, if you are into cross country this is your big event.’’
Mrs Ferrier said the location of the event meant the course was very difficult for the runners and walkers from under sevens to under-17s.
‘‘There are hills and uneven ground with pot holes and obviously gets quite muddy when it is wet so it is quite a challenging course,’’ she said.
Mrs Ferrier’s 12-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, and 10-year-old-son, Cameron, will both compete in the cross country for their age group.
Caitlyn said she was very keen about cross country running and always looked forward to the state championships.
‘‘There are people from all over NSW that come to compete,’’ she said.
‘‘It is great to see where you finish out of the whole state, and to catch up with friends from other clubs.’’
Cameron said he would do both the cross country and road walking, but preferred cross country running.
‘‘I have done it here before and it is a tough course, but I like that because it is more challenging than just running around a track,’’ he said.
Siblings, Renee Hardy, 12, and Aiden, 9, both compete in the road walking. Aiden said he was excited for the event after performing well last year.
‘‘It’s a state wide event and it’s very competitive. Last year I won a bronze medal so I’m looking forward to see what I can do this year,’’ he said.
His sister, Renee, said she had been race walking for eight years.
She said she loved the social side of things, and had made many friends through it. Mrs Ferrier said the event always drew a large crowd.
