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.