BRETT Robinson has ensured the Noosa Bolt title retains a Ballarat flavour.
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Robinson took out the 5km event on Saturday.
The 23-year-old follows in the footsteps of Ballarat Project training partner Collis Birmingham at Noosa.
Birmingham, who is continuing rehabilitation after a hamstring problem, is a six-time winner of the Bolt - the latest last year.
"Collis has finally given someone else a chance," Robinson quipped.
"It was a bit easier (without him)."
The Bolt provided an unusual finish, with Robinson crossing the line hand-in-hand with Dutch women Susan Kuijken.
"It's not often you get to cross the line with a girl when you win so it's good," he said.
"It added another (dimension) to the race.
"I broke away from the men and then I could focus on trying to catch Susan and (runner-up) Kate Spencer."
He caught them in the last 500m.
"I couldn't get away from her. I was a bit worried at the end, I thought she was going to outkick me and then I waited up for her in the last 50."
Robinson, who finished 15th in the 5000m at last year's Moscow world titles, finished in 14 minutes, 10 seconds.
The win continues Robinson's strong form.
His Noosa performance follows a second to another Ballarat-based training partner and Olympian David McNeill in the Burnie 10.
Robinson, who is originally from Canberra, is doing most of training with the Victorian Institute of Sport in the Melbourne.
He plans to do more regular sessions back in Ballarat once Birmingham gets back into full training.
Robinson said his main focus at the moment was building up fitness ahead of the Australian track season, with his first major target the Zatopek meet in Melbourne on Thursday, December 11.
Before then, he will join McNeill and Ballarat's Duer Yoa in the Australian team to contest the .Chiba Ekiden in Japan on November 24.