Wendy Minato and Jamie Ross took first and second in the long course after having rarely been within sight of the front end of a race last competition, with average placings of 26th and 37^th respectively.

Close behind, Reid Burley took third in his first run on the hill.

Joggers may have recognised Burley from the Bacchus, where he finished a commendable 10th overall and was also the first junior home in the enduro event.

Rodney Savage (4th) and Adam Johnson (5th) had good races and vied for the fastest time.

That honour eventually went to Johnson, who clocked 24min 19sec for the 6.1km course.

Back in the middle of the field, Isabella Salmon claimed the fastest women's time with 32.39.

In the short run, Mason Salvestro returned from what seemed like retirement to claim the win in race one from Luca Piva and Tamara Minato.

Good runs also came from Niahm Wood (4th) and Abby Favell (5th).

Favell set the fastest time for the 3.5km course with 16.02, which shaved two seconds off the course record she set this time last year.

Just out of the top 10, Jackson Hassan –  in his first outing on the hill – set the fastest men's time after stopping the clock at 17.50.

It's a time that is sure to fall in coming weeks, though it is not expected that the record of 12.34 set by Adam Rudgley in 2008 will be broken just yet.

The winter competition is a 10-race program that leads into the depths of winter, with options of 3.5km or 6.1km. Currently, the running conditions are excellent.

Planning is also well under way for the next running of the open invitation Griffith Half on the Hill on June 28, which includes an individual half marathon or a two-person relay.

The Griffith Joggers run every Saturday at 4.30pm from the water tower at Scenic Hill.

Please arrive early to register.