Warm sunny conditions greeted the fifty-one starters in the longest and toughest race of the season to date – the High on Penguin, Burnie to Ridgley “King and Queen of the Mountains” 16.5 kilometre handicap.
This event is one of the longest running in the club’s annual programme and is highly sought after due to its prestige and also that it needs a fit determined runner to take it out due to the almost constant uphill course.
Northdown runner, Owen Thomas, showed he had the necessary attributes, to finally break through for a well-deserved win – his first with the club. He had previously had four seconds and numerous other close-up results and was very excited and relieved to finally break his duck.
The warm weather didn’t worry Thomas as he had been in NSW on holiday for two weeks, training in the heat. He was also fresh for Sunday as he has not been pushing himself so hard. He took up running after losing weight working with EPT and has now lost more than twenty kilograms.
Debbie Riley was second and first female thus taking out the Queen of the Mountains title just in front of Karina Mason. Mason led for most of the race from the second front mark and produced a very gallant performance. Ann Horton finished next, meaning women filled three of the top four placings. Paul Birch was fifth suggesting a win is just around the corner.
Brad Taylor stormed through the field to take fastest time and finish eighth. Fastest woman was Natasha Mapley.
Other excellent performances were recorded by co-markers Gerard Lowry, Kyle Groenewege and Greg Smith with not much between them at the finish to all run into “the ten”.
Earlier the nominated time winners were Trinity Luttrell, Robyn Luttrell and Indra Taylor.
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