Rod Viney

The PCCCT – Running Club headed to the Tasmanian Arboretum at Eugenana for race twenty-three of the season on Sunday – the LifeVantage (Susan Moodie) five-kilometre handicap.

The spectacular scenery made up for the toughness of the two-lap course, which incorporated a grassy hill and several switchbacks as well as a run around the lake.

A little drizzle cleared away and the sun came out as the starter sent away the gomarker, Ken Williams, who was giving 15:30 to backmarker, Jason Fehlberg.

Young gun, Yolla teenager Oscar Young, broke the tape in his first run with the Club despite having a tough mark, as all first starters do. In doing so, he relegated his father, Ben, into fourth place even though he conceded him a thirty-second start. Splitting the pair were Jean-Christophe Bonneville and pre-race favourite, Alison Ridderhoff.

Young does little running training during the week but keeps very fit by riding his mountain bike with his family. However, his running is good enough for him to have won his age-group in the recent North-West Inter-High Cross Country, while he has also had great results in recent trail races.

Good runs were returned again by Jason Scott and Aaron Robertson with both looking to take a victory before season’s end.

Fastest male was Andrew Winkel (20:32) with Rhian Miles (23:43) fastest female.

Nominated time winners were Tracey Turner, Libby Crispin and Emma Turner.

The AJL Yamaha and Lifestyle Half-Marathon Handicap and the Salty and Stevo Teams’ Half-Marathon Handicap were conducted on Sunday morning. The conditions were conducive to fast times, with misty drizzle but very light winds.

The course took runners from the Turners Beach Football Ground to West Ulverstone and return utilising the cycle/walk tracks in the area for most of the race.

The main event – the Half-Marathon Handicap – had a quality field with the competitors looking to test themselves over the classic distance.

It was won by Devonport athlete Troy Donald, who started one of the favourites for the event. Starting from one of the back marks, Donald ran right up to his recent promising form to record a narrow victory.

This is Donald’s second year with the Club and he was thrilled to obtain his first victory. Although he has enjoyed taking part in the Triple Top event at Sheffield each year, he has taken running more seriously since retiring from football three years ago. He was encouraged to join the PCCCT by his workmate, Andrew Lucas, who ironically finished second to him on Sunday.

Completing the placings were Daniel Yaxley, Jordan Matthews and David Murton.

Hayden Bishop was fastest man in a slick 1:16:16 with Narelle Jacobs fastest woman (1:55:34).

In the teams’ event, Lancaster Bombers (Dale Lancaster and David Wright) started from the front mark and couldn’t be caught. They took the victory from Deirfiúracha (Dale Bennett-Moyle and Rhian Miles) with Meercroft A (Cameron Bissett and Bryan Tuit) in third.

Race 21 of the PCCCT – Running Club’s season, the Zenith Wealth 5.3-kilometre handicap, was conducted at Penguin on Sunday in cool, fine weather. Starting at the Dial Regional Sports Complex, the race had a variety of underfoot conditions – paths, sealed roads, grass, gravel and bush tracks.

The bush track part was about one and a half kilometres of the Dial Range mountain-bike park and this section, though challenging and mainly uphill, was enjoyed by the competitors.

Being a shorter race, the field was compacted and so at various stages several runners appeared to be the likely winner.

Ultimately, it was Ulverstone athlete, Howard Crispin, who came out on top.

This was Crispin’s second win with the Club, having won a 5-kilometre race at Ulverstone last year. Since that victory, he has had to deal with a leg injury and then, in February, shoulder damage caused by a fall while mountain-biking. These meant he had to take quite a chunk of time away from running but since May he has been both running and cycling consistently. The results of this were evident as he raced away to defeat Jordan Mathews and Alison Ridderhof.

Jean-Christophe Bonneville turned in a promising effort for fourth just in front of Ben Young with Aaron Robertson and Josh Febey also running very well.

The fastest times were recorded by David Ridderhof (21:38) and Lyn Saint-John (24:18) for the men and women respectively.

Nominated time winners were Brian Paine, Tracey Butler and Chad Burr.

Race twenty of the season, the “Kevin Burn Memorial” Brown Family/Pathway Therapies 13.5km handicap was run at Gunns Plains on Sunday.

Perfect running conditions – intermittent light drizzle and no wind – greeted competitors many of whom relished the mostly flat, and very scenic, course.

Run as a circuit taking in both sides of the Leven River, the race started and commenced at Wings Wildlife Park.

The race was a triumph for one of the pre-race favourites, Ulverstone runner, Nick Young who was thrilled to finally taste success in his favourite Club event.

Young ran a close second over this course in 2019 and set himself to go one better this year.

This was his fourth Club win, the others being over shorter distances – two at 5km and one at 7km.

However, he gave up running for a while earlier in the year when he found he was struggling with a medical issue. Some different medication and a change of diet saw him right back to his best and victory on Sunday.

In second and third were two runners who have had numerous placings this year without breaking through – Andrew Lucas and Steve Tammens – and both must surely win soon.

Next to finish were Chris Talbot and David Murton while Jean-Christophe Bonneville and Alison Riddderhof put in promising performances.

The nominated time winners were Malcolm Nutting, Florence and Clementine Dutton and Libby Crispin.

The PCCCT – Running Club held its first stand-alone relay race on Sunday with the running of the MA & LJ Bates Plumbing Teams 4 x 5km Handicap

The course utilised a section of the newly constructed Coastal Pathway at Preservation Bay with the start, finish and changeovers at the Penguin Surf Lifesaving Club. This provided great viewing for spectators and team members and there was a great atmosphere as competitors were encouraged and their efforts recognised.

Twenty-six teams entered meaning a total of 104 competitors were involved. The race itself proved to be an exciting one with only twenty-two seconds between the first two teams and only 1:23 separating the first five. The top three teams started from a middle-mark, a front-mark and a back-mark respectively, further indicating the good work done by the handicappers.

Despite some early morning rain, the weather was perfect for the event with light winds and a mild temperature allowing all competitors to run good times.

The victorious team was the Bonneville Consulting Trail running Team whose members were John-Christophe Bonneviille, Dereck Van Staaveren, Callum Wagner and David Ridderhoff narrowly in front of Girls Gone Rogue (Michelle Green, Kristie Wilson, Jodie Watson and Terri Webb).

The top five was completed by Bluff Buddies (Grant McCormack, Steve Dell, Jeff Green and Darren Hardinig), Randoms (Allyssa Shields, Tim Dowling, Emma Howard and John Badcock), and Pacemakers (Christopher Talbot, Michael Taylor, Roselyn Hendriks and Cherie Lowe).

To round out the morning, the Club supplied a barbecue after the race.