May 2016

A beautiful sunny day greeted members of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania when they rolled up at the Stanley Football Ground for the WT House Betta Home Living “Steve Hanson Memorial” 8 kilometre handicap on Sunday.

The race is affectionately known as the Ace of the Green Hills because it follows a course across the Green Hills before returning to run through the main street and finishing again at the football ground.

An excellent field of 96 heard the starter’s gun fire at 10:30. John Lucas led the field away but soon John Purton and Louise Morse had taken over in front. A large group of middle markers was in hot pursuit, however and as the town was approached with 2 kilometres to run, Pat McMahon took the lead from Kerrie Murchie, Anna Murton and Kim Denwer. Despite tiring, McMahon held on to defeat the fast finishing Rydge Cooper and Paul Birch.

The veteran, McMahon, was thrilled with the win having grown up in Stanley. A top runner when younger, McMahon is a four time winner at Stawell – the pinnacle of professional running in Australia. He still manages to run 60 to 70 kilometres in training each week and the win was a just reward for effort. He had been sixth in this race last year.

Fastest man was Thomas Murton with the fastest woman being Rebecca O’Garey.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Mackenzie Troughton, Robyn Luttrell, Kelsey Anderson and Isabelle Murchie.

Race 12 2016 Actual

Race 12 2016 Fastest to Slowest

The “Railton Rocket”, Gerard Lowry, was a popular winner of the Professional Cross Country Club’s High-on-Penguin “King of the Mountains” race on Sunday. The tough 16.5km run begins at Burnie Park and makes its way to Ridgley via Brickport, Mooreville and West Mooreville Roads.

Lowry had previously won this race in 2008 and eight years later, at the age of 57, he still ran less than two minutes slower than his previous winning time.

He has since won the prestigious Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race (in 2012) which was his last win. On Sunday he had a tremendous tussle with the second and third placegetters, Mark Saint-John and newcomer to the club, Owen Britt, before beating Saint-John by 2 seconds in a sprint to the line.

Lowry starts from a tough mark and, allowing for age, it could be argued he is the best runner in the club.

Frontmarker John Purton led for much of the race before being overtaken with about 4 kilometres to go by Pat McMahon who then looked like the winner until Ridgley was in sight when the fast-finishing backmarkers swarmed past. McMahon looks very close to a win.

Club champion, Thomas Murton, stormed through the field to finish fourth and record the fastest time. Other backmarkers, Ben Hoare and Greg Smith were the next to finish.

The battle among the women for fastest time was intriguing. Eventually Rebecca de Groot took out that honour as Sally Haynes faded late.

Earlier in the day, the nominated time event winners were Kathryn Greenhill, Ben Saint-John and Mackenzie Troughton.

Race 11 2016 Actual

Race 11 2016 Fastest to Slowest

Devonport runner Keegan Powell’s increase in training intensity has paid big dividends allowing him to record his second win for 2016 in the MA and LJ Bates Plumbing 10 kilometre handicap at Stowport on Sunday.

It follows on from his win a couple of weeks ago in the 10 kilometre City of Devonport handicap. On a harder course and in much tougher conditions, Powell ran 2:25 faster on Sunday to overcome the stiff re-handicapping he had been given.

The excellent field of 79 runners had to contend with a cool, strong breeze and squally showers as well as the hills on Stowport and Glance Creek Roads but some very good performances were recorded.

The first 4 kilometres up Stowport Road are undulating with much more “up” than “down” however, as the turn into Glance Creek Road was reached, the frontmarkers Louise Morse, John Purton and Dale Lancaster were still leading. However they were soon to be overtaken by Aileen Powell, running a very strong race, Anna Murton and David Murton with Ron Chequer also making good headway.

As the field hit the last couple of kilometres, Aileen Powell was still leading with Andrew Lucas and co-markers Matthew Greenhill and Sally Haynes looking threatening. But it was Keegan Powell who eventually caught his mother, Aileen, at the bottom of the last hill and held on for a narrow win.

Sally Haynes was second with Matthew Greenhill third. The fastest man and woman were Thomas Murton and Sally Haynes.

Earlier in the day, Jan Purton, Carla Ward and Will van Rooyen took out the placings in the nominated time events.

Race 10 2016 Actual

Race 10 2016 Fastest to Slowest

Following a series of excellent runs recently, Kate Hawley started favourite for the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Renaessance 5km handicap at Penguin and didn’t disappoint.

Hawley (17) began competing with the Coastal Running Club over summer and when that season wrapped up joined the PCCCT to continue her running. Training four or five times a week, including one long run, had got her very fit and she needed to be for the course with which she was confronted on Sunday.

A new course for the Club, it commenced at the Penguin Motocross track with a large loop in the surrounding bush followed by a 1.2km run down Dial Road before returning to the track. With the recent rain, the bush loop was very wet and slippery, which was both challenging and fun.

This was the first in a series of trail runs spread over the season and many runners were happy to be able to get off sealed surfaces.

Running strongly from her mark, Hawley set off after the frontmarkers. Aileen Powell, John Purton and Ron Chequer proved hard to catch but Hawley took the lead with just over a kilometre to run and then had to hold off Keegan Powell, who backed up well from his win last week, and fast finishers Joshua Williams and Russell Horton.

Are large group of backmarkers, including Thomas Murton, Thomas Wilson and Dallas van Rooyen were close up, the tough course suiting the stronger runners.

Another youngster in Andrew Aichberger (16) sneaked into 9^th placing in a very promising run.

Thomas Murton was the fastest of the men with Sally Haynes the quickest woman.

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Race 9 2016 Actual

Race 9 2016 Fastest to Slowest