2026 XCR: Round 1 – Lakeside:5

Click here for what to do on the day.

Coming Soon

Access the Athletics Victoria Entry Portal (members.athsvic.org.au) and complete the online entry form by close of entry date. As per 2025, XCR & Max Package purchasers will need to enter each individual event throughout the season – entries will be free of charge – this will assist in planning for all events. Open athletes will also be able to enter the Early Starters and Masters athletes to enter the Short Course events when held.

Individual Entries

*Any competing athlete who is neither a member of an Athletics Victoria club or recreational running club.

Lakeside:5 will be a World Athletics and AIMS Certified Course in 2026.

Click here for a link to the map.

Course Map 

We will have signage at the start line to allow athletes to self-seed based on their anticipated finish time. Please look out for these signs and start the event in the zone that best represents where you think you will finish up.

This allows everyone to have a stress-free start and run the entire 5km with athletes of similar ability.

New members and non-members can skip the queue and collect their race day bibs early.

Athletics Victoria will offer a bib collection service between the hours of TBC.

Bib collection will be at the Cathy Freeman room at Lakeside Stadium: Ground Floor, 31 Aughtie Drive Albert Park 3206.

We’ll put some signs out to direct you from the main carpark, or you can follow this link for specific directions.

Car parking is available in the areas surrounding Lakeside Stadium. Please note that parking fees may apply.

There are a limited number of parking machines for large crowds at Lakeside Stadium, and there may be a line or longer than expected wait for tickets at parking machines. Please factor this in when planning your trip.

Athletics Victoria accepts no responsibility for parking infringements and/or incidents that may occur at Lakeside5.

Thinking of taking public transport? Lakeside Stadium is easily accessible via tram. The Number 12 tram begins from Victoria Gardens, through the CBD via Collins Street, then travels through Clarendon Street in South Melbourne.

This tram stops on the corner of Clarendon Street and Albert Road – directly opposite Lakeside Stadium. Trams number 1 and 96 will get you close to the start line as well. A map of the metropolitan tram network can be found here.

In the 2026/27 season, there will be no cloth bibs issued. We are committed to reducing our footprint on the environments we use. Your new timing bibs are now made from hardier material, designed to last the whole season – XCR and track! So please ensure you care for your bibs, e.g. do not machine wash, do not fold. Lost or damaged bibs will incur a new bib fee.

All registered athletes are required to wear the approved uniform of their athletics club, or its heritage variant. Non-Athlete AV members are to wear appropriate athletic clothing.

All athletes must wear their allocated 2025/26 AV Membership on their front and back, the smaller bib with the timing chip (foam sticker on the back) to be worn on the front. Non-compliance with the above may see disqualification.

Recreational Runner or Non-Member Bibs & Uniform

If you are a Recreational Runner or Non-Member of Athletics Victoria you are to wear your assigned temporary bibs during the race, if these are not worn you may not receive a finishing time or may be removed from the course.

These are to be collected on the morning from Administration. With large numbers expected, arrive early to be prepared for the race!

In regards to uniform, we encourage members of recreational clubs to wear your recreational running club uniform or alternatively if you do not have a club uniform, or are not part of a recreational running club, you are to wear appropriate athletic attire to compete at the event.

Replacement Bibs

If you have lost or forgotten your bibs, please see the staff at administration, where you will be able to purchase a temporary or full replacement set.

Please note that bib sales at this event will be cashless. Only card payments will be taken.

Clubs must provide helpers in accordance with the duty roster.

Any club who fails to supply Club Helpers may face disqualification for an XCR’26 event and/or lose team points for a particular competition.

‘Net’ times as well as ‘gun’ times will be available for this event.

Due to the popularity of Lakeside:5 the athlete times will be taken from the time the starter fires the starting gun, as well as from when the athlete crosses the starting line at the beginning of the race. These will be available from Results Hub.

There will be a bag drop tent adjoining the administration/admin tent at the Gate 1 entrance. Patrons will need to provide their bib number for identification, and also to pick up their belongings.

Athletes are not to warm up on any part of the track. Please do not cross the track while an event is in process.

Presentations will be carried out following the verification of results for each event.

If you have finished in the top three in any of the following events please ensure that you are available for presentation – located adjacent to the finish area.

Female: Open, U20, U18, U16, U14, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60+

Male: Open, U20, U18, U16, U14, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60+

Please take any rubbish you have with you. In particular we ask that you keep public roads (Lakeside Drive, Albert Road Drive) clear of energy gel waste.

Lakeside Cafe will open for coffee and light refreshments at 7am. The cafe is located just inside Gate 1 and does not accept cash payments.

The Boatshed Cafe will be open on Sunday morning for coffee and light meals. Situated on Albert Park lake on the warm up track side of Lakeside Stadium, the Boatshed Cafe provides great views and a relaxing post race atmosphere.

Toilets will be located inside Lakeside Stadium, in both grandstands. There are a small number of toilets in the Albert Park grounds, near Gate 1 and on the lake edge between the Lakeside carpark and Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

A map of toilets within Lakeside Stadium can be found here.

Results, including live results, XCR Team Championship ladders and XCR Individual Championship ladders will be published through out the XCR season on the Athletics Victoria ResultsHub webpage – https://athsvic.resultshub.com.au/

Colmed will be on site throughout the day. They will be situated at the start/finish line, and also situated out on the track during the event. If anyone needs first aid, please ask an official/club helper to radio through and first aid will be out to help.

Athletics Victoria has an Unfavourable Weather Policy in place for the upcoming 2026 On XCR season. Please note we will let athletes and team managers know any information regarding this before the day or make announcements on the morning of the event. Please listen out for these throughout the day for any extreme weather announcements.