July 2018

The Anvers Confectionery ten kilometre handicap at Railton was run in pouring rain. However a hardy band of thirty-five competitors – the smallest field for a long-time – gathered in Pioneer Park to hear the starter’s orders.

The course started with some unsealed roads, which were complete with large puddles, before heading up a tough hill and continuing to complete a circuit.

Burnie runner, Ken Troughton, showed his love for this circuit by winning the event for a second time. His previous victory, and only other one with the club, came in 2016. He had been in great form and started as one of the favourites for the event.

Dale Lancaster led the field away but was overtaken by Stephen Dutton and Ken Williams as the hill was approached at the four kilometre mark. On the tough climb, Troughton made his move with David Murton and Alan Bakes in pursuit.

Strong backmarkers, Gerard Lowry and Aaron Robertson were making good progress and further back Troy Atkins was moving strongly.

However, Troughton managed to hold them all at bay and won from Troy Atkins, who also took out fastest time, and Mollie Powell, having her first run with the club for some time.

The Club is a family affair for Troughton, with his wife also competing and his children often doing the nominated time events.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John.

The nominated time winners were Will and Lucy van Rooyen, and Brian Paine.

Race20 Line Position Railton Anvers 10km

Race20 Fastest Railton Anvers 10km

Competitors had perfect conditions for race 19 of the season – the AJL  Yamaha and Lifestyle half-marathon.

Light drizzle fell for most of the event and there was no wind, meaning runners could record good times and many personal bests were clocked up.

The course takes competitors from West Ulverstone to Turners Beach and return and is mostly flat, which is also conducive to fast running.

After looking the winner in so many races this year but not breaking through, finally Karina Mason was able to breast the tape for her third victory and first for five years. Coincidentally, her previous win was also in the half-marathon, albeit on a slightly different course.

On paper the race had looked like it would go to one of the backmarkers. Mason didn’t let this concern her, however, and after taking the lead from the very front marker, Dale Lancaster, with about seven kilometres covered, led for the remainder of the event.

Backmarkers did well though, with Hayden Bishop, Ben Brockman, Bryan Tuit, Evan Brett and Brad Taylor filling five of the next eight placings.

Middle markers to perform strongly included race favourite Ellen Elphinstone and Nick Young who were sixth and seventh respectively.

Unfortunately for Rick Ferguson, he went slightly off course in a momentary lapse of concentration and disqualified himself by deciding not to run through the finish. This incident probably cost him third placing.

The nominated time winners were Emma Aichberger, Will van Rooyen, Sarah Lakeland  and Hannah Elphinstone.

Race19 Line Position Half Marathon

Race19 Fastest Half Marathon

A good field gathered to hear the starter’s orders for the Spreyton Cider Company five kilometre handicap at Spreyton. This was the third race in the popular trail run series and there was plenty of mud and puddles for competitors to enjoy as they made their way through apple and cherry orchards.

It promised to be an event for front and middle markers and so it proved to be with Devonport runner, Amie Bramich, taking out an overdue win.

This was Bramich’s first win with the Club in her third season of competitive running and she was delighted to finally break through after being close in several recent events.

She began quickly and was concerned that it might be too fast and she would fade late in the race, but she continued strongly and had a comfortable win after taking the lead from Natalie Luttrell with about a kilometre to run. Ken Troughton continued his recent good form to finish second with pre-race favourite, Alan Bakes, finishing third.

Barry Ling and Roslyn Hendriks ran promising races while Dallas van Rooyen and Russell Horton indicated they will be hard to beat in the much longer events coming up.

Brad Taylor took fastest time honours for the men with Michelle d’Monte the quickest of the women.

The nominated time winners were Kasia and Indra Taylor, Lucy van Rooyen and Ashley Fehlberg.

Race18 Line Position Spreyton Cider 5km Trail Run

Race18 Fastest Spreyton Cider 5km Trail Run

Horrendous conditions faced runners competing in race 17 of the season – the Raymond Spinks/CRC twelve kilometres at Somerset. While there was no rain, very cold, gale force winds made running extremely difficult.

However, this did not stop a good field of forty-eight hardy competitors from setting off on the hilly circuit course which commences with a four kilometre climb up the Murchison Highway.

After showing promise in several races this year, it was Somerset runner, Neville Sweetman who hung on for a well-deserved win, his fifth with the club in over five hundred starts. Sweetman started from one of the front marks, being the eighth runner away, and defied the odds to take out the win as the course and conditions better suited backmarkers. This added credit to his victory.

Sweetman’s win was well overdue as he had run in nearly two hundred and fifty PCCCT races since his last victory in 2006.

Backmarker Troy Reader finished very strongly to finish second, beaten by just five seconds. Josh Febey, with a win under his belt already this year, was third with Ellen Elphinstone first woman home in fourth.

Michael Bates turned in his best run for the year to finish next with great efforts from the very backmarkers, Evan Brett and Bryan Tuit, placing them sixth and seventh respectively.

Brett was the fastest man with and Rachel young the quickest of the women.

The nominated time winners were Lucy van Rooyen, Thomas Ward and Milla Price.

Race17 Line position Spinks 12km

Race17 Fastest Spinks 12km

The Paine Family Memorial ten kilometre handicap at Burnie is conducted over a tough hilly circuit and this is exactly the kind of course favoured by the winner of the race, Yolla runner Cobie Walker.

Walker’s previous win, which was last year, was over a similar course and he enjoys trail running hills, having completed the Gone Nuts event earlier this year.

However, the win came as a surprise to him, so much so that none of his family, who usually support him, were there to see him break the tape.

Walker took up running to lose weight a few years ago and he has lost a total of forty-two kilograms. He is another great example of why this sport is such a healthy one.

Chasing him home for a strong second was Simon Gates. He has not been able to attend many events this year but showed that another win is not far away if he is able to run consistently. Gerard Lowry was a fast-finishing third, just in front of the club’s oldest runner, Ken Williams.

Other strong performances were returned by Ellen Elphinstone and Ann Horton, while Kim Steven looked good in finishing seventh. Winners earlier this year, Owen Thomas and Josh Febey, both continued their great form finishing in “the ten”.

Jono Price and Lyn Saint-John were the fastest man and woman respectively, with Saint-John fifth fastest in the whole field.

The “Feature Race” nominated time winners were Ashley and Mia Fehlberg, Robyn Luttrell, Indra Taylor and Thomas Ward, with Will van Rooyen first finisher.

Race16 Line Position Paine Memorial 10km

Race16 Paine Family Memorial 10km Fastest to Slowest