Race 2: Glow Cosmetics 7km at Port Sorell

Kyle small

Race two of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s season was run at Port Sorell on Sunday, the first race for the club in this area.

Most of the loop course was run on scenic bush tracks which proved popular with competitors.

After a string of placings since he first ran with the Club in 2017, Somerset runner Kyle Groenewege was thrilled to finally break through for a victory. He had to pull out all stops, however, to hold off the fast finishing backmarker, Thomas Murton who is back in form after a long recovery from a lower leg injury.

Groenewege is unable to run every week due to working shifts on the West Coast so he feels he has to make the most of the chances he has and he certainly did that on Sunday.

He had just ten seconds to spare at the finish from Murton with one of the pre-race favourites, Simon Gates, finishing just nine seconds further back in third.

With about a kilometre to run, John Badcock who had taken over the lead from Sally Milbourne looked the winner, but he was not able to hold off the placegetters who started from back marks.

Others to record promising runs were Josh Febey, Marcus Cook and Brooke Fehlberg

Murton was the fastest male with Ellen Elphinstone the fastest female.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Kaleb Turner, Will van Rooyen, Zoe Lakeland and Jan Purton.

Race02 Port Sorell Line Position 7km Glow Cosmetics-1

Race02 Port Sorell Fastest 7km Glow Cosmetics

Port Sorell: Glow Cosmetics 7km

2019-03-27 (2)

Race 2 of the 2019 PCCCT season will utilise a new course when the Glow Cosmetics seven kilometre handicap takes runners to Port Sorell. It is believed to be the first time the Club has conducted an event in this area.

The race will start adjacent to the Panatana Paddling Pool Family Park in South Esplanade before crossing the Rivulet and using tracks in the Squeaking Point area.

With last week’s run under the belt to shake off the cobwebs, a very competitive race should ensue.

After his excellent second last week, Sven Mason looks hardest to beat. Following a disappointing 2018 when he was plagued by injuries, Mason has worked hard over summer to get back to full fitness and the extra two kilometres this week will suit him

Behind last week’s winner, new handicapper, Pat McMahon had ten runners finish within thirty seconds and any of these could win. Perhaps the biggest danger to Mason will be Ewen Troughton as he will be well suited to the bush tracks.

Others with strong winning chances are Simon Gates, Brooke Fehlberg and “the flying farmer”, John Badcock. Gates was unlucky not to get a victory last year and looked very sharp at Wivenhoe last Sunday, while Fehlberg is a sponsor of this event and will be keen to collect some of her own money.

Members are reminded that numbers and timing chips must be worn.

There will be nominated time events at 9:15.

Race 1: Burnie Sportspower 5km at Wivenhoe

Vicki small

The PCCCT’s  year got underway on Sunday with the running of the Burnie Sports Power five kilometre handicap at Wivenhoe.

Seventy-eight runners, an excellent number, gathered to hear the starter’s orders, endorsing the slightly later start to the season.

They enjoyed the out and back course to Fernglade and also the great running weather.

The race provided an early birthday present for Ridgley runner, Vicki Knapman, who will be eighteen next week. In her third year with the club, Knapman has trained very hard over the summer months under master trainer, John McGuire.

She has been running up to eighty kilometres a week and the work has paid off. The huge improvement she has made from the last two years gave her victory by almost three minutes from second placegetter, Sven Mason, after she took the lead at the halfway turnaround point. Another young runner in Andrew Bates was third.

Mason’s run was an excellent one and indicated an early season win while Bates continued his great form from last year.

Other runners to catch the eye for future races included Simon Gates, Ewen Troughton, Brooke Fehlberg and Caroline Brett.

Fastest time for the men was recorded by Hobart runner, Phil McConnon with Lyn Saint-John fastest woman.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Quinn Aitken, Will van Rooyen, Kyla Cassidy, Cayla Ward and Milla Price.

Race01 Wivenhoe 5km Burnie Sportspower Fastest

Race01 Wivenhoe 5km Burnie Sportspower Line Positions

Wivenhoe: Burnie Sports Power 5km

The 2019 season of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania gets underway this Sunday with the Burnie Sports Power 5km handicap commencing at Wivenhoe Showground. The course takes competitors to Fernglade Reserve and return.

The shorter distance tends to suit frontmarkers and there are several who missed a win last year despite being close and who will be keen to get  a victory under the belt.

Chief among these may be Roselyn Hendriks while Lorraine Shepherd and Darlene Jacques can’t be discounted.

Among the middle markers Sven Mason will be looking to put an injury-plagued 2018 behind him with John Badcock and Nick Young also looking big chances.

The race will begin at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30. As registrations for the new season will also need to be done before this time, runners are urged to arrive early.

The minimum age to run in the handicapped races is fifteen, but nominated time events over shorter distances and open to all ages, are also held. Those intending to compete in these need to register by 9:05.

Those who were members in 2018 need to remember their numbers and timing chips while new runners are welcome and will be allocated these on Sunday. There will be a morning tea after the event and members are asked to bring a plate to contribute.