Athletics Victoria has released the 2026-27 summer calendar, and the date that matters most to Sandy is Saturday 17 October: AVSL Round 1.
The Athletics Victoria Shield League is the club's summer competition. More than 50 clubs across five divisions, ten rounds of track and field, and a season that runs from October through to February, with promotion and relegation decided at the end of it. If you have spent the winter running cross country, this is where the speed goes.
AVSL 2026-27: the ten rounds
| Round | Date |
|---|
| 1 | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| 2 | Saturday 24 October 2026 |
| 3 | Saturday 31 October 2026 |
| 4 | Saturday 7 November 2026 |
| 5 | Saturday 14 November 2026 |
| 6 | Saturday 21 November 2026 |
| 7 | Saturday 28 November 2026 |
| 8 | Saturday 9 January 2027 |
| 9 | Saturday 16 January 2027 |
| 10 | Saturday 6 February 2027 |
Seven rounds before Christmas, then a break, then three rounds in the new year. Venues vary round by round and will be confirmed closer to the date.
What's new this season
- School athletics moves to the front. September and early October are given over to school competition, so students can prioritise those meets before AVSL begins. The Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships shift to the start of October.
- The major track and field state championships are all at Lakeside. Athletics Victoria says that for the first time in recent years the Victorian 5,000m, the Track Relays, Zatopek:10, the Combined Events and the Victorian Track & Field Championships will all be held at Lakeside Stadium.
- Ballarat hosts the Country Championships at its new athletics facility in January, with Geelong to follow in 2028.
The full calendar
September 2026
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Wed 2 | UNCLOUD Victorian All Schools Track Relays | Lakeside |
| Thu 10 | UNCLOUD Victorian All Schools Challenge | Lakeside |
October 2026
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Thu 1 to Sun 4 | UNCLOUD Vic All Schools Track & Field Champs | Various |
| Sat 17 | AVSL Round 1 | Various |
| Sat 24 | AVSL Round 2 | Various |
| Sat 31 | AVSL Round 3 | Various |
November 2026
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Sat 7 | AVSL Round 4 | Various |
| Sat 14 | AVSL Round 5 | Various |
| Thu 19 | Victorian 5,000m Championships | Lakeside |
| Sat 21 | AVSL Round 6 | Various |
| Sat 28 | AVSL Round 7 | Various |
December 2026
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Fri 4 to Sun 6 | National All Schools Track & Field Championships | Perth |
| Mon 7 | National Schools Team Challenge | Perth |
| Fri 11 | Zatopek:10 | Lakeside |
| Sat 12 to Sun 13 | Victorian Track & Field Relay Championships | Lakeside |
| Sat 12 to Sun 13 | LAVic State Relay Championships | Lakeside |
January 2027
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Sat 9 | AVSL Round 8 | Various |
| Sat 16 | AVSL Round 9 | Various |
| Fri 22 to Sun 24 | Victorian Country Championships | Ballarat |
| Sat 30 | National Short Track Championships | Lakeside |
February 2027
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Sat 6 | AVSL Round 10 | Various |
| Thu 11 to Sun 14 | Victorian Junior Track & Field Championships | Lakeside |
| Sat 20 to Sun 21 | Victorian Combined Event Championships | Lakeside |
March 2027
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|
| Sat 6 to Sun 7 | LAVic State Track & Field Championships | Lakeside |
| Thu 11 to Sun 14 | Victorian Track & Field Championships (U20, Open and Overage) | Lakeside |
Specialist and club meet dates are still to come from Athletics Victoria.
Before all that
The XCR season is not finished. Three rounds remain: the Half Marathon and 6km at Lake Wendouree on Sunday 9 August, the R:15 at Burnley on 6 September, and the Tan Relays on 12 September. Sandy lead both Premier Division ladders.
Interested in AVSL?
Get in touch at sandyaths@gmail.com and we'll point you to the right person. You do not need to be a track specialist to take part: AVSL needs athletes across every event, and the club is always short of bodies in the field events.
Source: Athletics Victoria, 2026-27 summer season and the AVSL page.
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