Race Reports 2016

Isaac Troughton was thrilled with his victory on Sunday in the PCCCT’s Molly Malone’s 6 kilometre handicap.

After his younger sibling, Ewen, won at Wynyard a few weeks ago, Troughton was determined to emulate his brother and he did so in style punching the air as he crossed the line.

The field was packed behind him with the first 60 runners finishing within 3 minutes.

The course starts at Roundhouse Park and heads to the Bluff Beach before a circuit to the lighthouse and then returning to the start. Troughton took the lead from wily veteran, Alan Bakes, with less than 500 metres to run and then had to hold off a charging Tom Wilson. Bakes eventually ran third.

Other runners to turn on top performances were Andrew Aichberger and Gavin Blyth, who looked the winner for a while. Rebecca O’Garey (who was the fastest woman) ran a great race to finish 5th while Anna Murton also flew the flag for the women finishing 7th.

Fastest male was Thomas Murton (19:55).

Earlier the nominated time winners were Ben Saint-John, Mia Fehlberg, Thomas Ward and Blake Taylor.

Race 17 2016 Actual

Race 17 2016 Fastest to Slowest

The PCCCT’s Paine Family Memorial 10 kilometre handicap at Burnie on Sunday proved to be an exciting race. There was only 8 seconds separating the first four runners with Penguin runner, Jessica Stott, prevailing in a desperate sprint to the line.

The event which started and finished at the council depot in Three Mile Line takes in a tough course using West Mooreville and Mooreville roads.

Stott just managed to beat her co-marker, Kelly Baxter, after the two had a tremendous battle, with first one then the other seeming to have the upper hand. In the meantime, eventual third place getter Allan Bakes was running strongly leading the race having caught the front markers as the final 3 hilly kilometres were reached.

The back marker, Thomas Murton was closing rapidly on this leading bunch but eventually just fell short finishing fourth.

Stott was thrilled to win, crediting her improvement this year to finally being able to get fully fit after a minor foot operation two years ago set her back. She had had one victory, in a 5 kilometre race at Cooee, prior to that.

Top efforts were recorded from Dwayne Barry and Patrick McMullen while Owen Britt looked very promising with a strong finish.

Fastest male was Thomas Murton (35:13) while Danielle Mitchell, having her first run with the club, was fastest female (43:44).

Earlier the nominated time “Feature Race” winners were: Kobe McLaren, Ben Saint-John, Thomas Ward and Lucy van Rooyen.

Race 16 2016 Actual

Race 16 2016 Fastest to Slowest

After an hour and a half of running and 25 gruelling kilometres, only 10 seconds separated the first two runners in the Burnie Trophy House/Troy Atkins Accounting Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Iron Man Classic at Forth on Sunday.

Shearwater runner, Ben Hoare, who was one of the strong favourites for the event, held on to beat the rank backmarker, Thomas Murton, in a very exciting race. Hoare, whose father Chris had won this event back in 1993, was delighted with the win. He was not confident of winning until the final 200 metres, despite having taken the lead with about 2 kilometres to run, as he knew Murton was closing fast.

The race starts and finishes at the Forth football ground and takes in a circuit in the Forth Valley which includes some big hills after a gentle flat first 10 kilometres along Wilmot Road.

Sarah Hiller, off a front mark, lead for most of the race. She was closely pursued by Aileen Powell with Gerard Leary also looking a possible winner at the halfway mark at Melrose.

However there was no denying Hoare as he powered through the field until taking the lead on the downhill return to the Forth township.

Brad Taylor, Matthew Atkins and Mark Saint-John all ran excellent races to finish within the top six.

Thomas Murton (1:28:52) was fastest male with Sally Haynes (2:03:38) fastest female.

Earlier in the morning the winners in the nominated time events were Lisa Purton, Will van Rooyen and Laura Wilson.

Race 15 2016 IRONMAN Actual

Race 15 2016 IRONMAN Fastest to Slowest

Ulverstone runner Russell Horton broke through for a well-deserved win in The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s event on Sunday. The Spreyton Cider Co 5 kilometre handicap was run on a course largely through orchards. The muddy underfoot conditions were no problem for Horton as he powered home to a comfortable 19 second win. He was followed across the line by Ken Troughton, whose winning turn can’t be far away and Richard Lawson who had his best result to date.

A good field contested the race, which was pleasing considering the Launceston Ten was being run at the same time. The fine, sunny conditions no doubt contributed.

Stuart Greenhill and Andrew Plapp led the field early on but a strong group, including Kim Denwar and Kelly Baxter, was soon threatening. In the end, however, that group was no match for Horton who had to fight hard to hold off Dallas van Rooyen, Judy Ray and Stuart Young.

Horton had finished second in the previous club trail run and again last week in the tough Somerset 10 kilometre event. He had previously won two races with the club, with the last in 2001 before he took a break from racing for several years.

Fastest male was Ben Hoare (18:28 and 21st across the line) with the fastest woman being Rebacca O’Garey (21:14 and 12th).

Earlier in the day the nominated time event winners were Tali Brown, Heidi D’Monte, Trinity Luttrell and Bradley Ward.

Race 14 2016 Actual

Race 14 2016 Fastest to Slowest

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.

.

Race 9 2016 Actual

Race 9 2016 Fastest to Slowest

Keegan Powell, winner of the Total Performance Sports City of Devonport 10km handicap, receiving his trophy from TPS manager, Samantha Lawrence.

Wild weather conditions were presented for the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Total Performance Sports City of Devonport 10 kilometre handicap on Sunday.

However this didn’t deter the eighty-three runners who turned up at Devonport Bluff for the first of the club’s “blue ribbon” races for the year.

The course used the walking track towards Victoria Parade before returning to The Bluff and then continuing west to do a loop in the Don Reserve.

Being the longest race of the season to date, the frontmarkers started conservatively but led until the halfway mark. At this stage Ron Chequer, Louise Morse and Garry Heazlewood were looking good but shortly after the middle-markers started to make an impression with the eventual winner Keegan Powell and Paul Birch pulling away from the field with a couple of kilometres left to run.

Devonport’s Powell was delighted to hold Birch at bay and take his first win. He had looked good for the win last week at Wynyard until he hurt his ankle couple of days before the race. However, fully recovered, he ran a good time to win comfortably. Third place went to veteran Wayne Wiseman who continues to impress and is close to a win. Consistent Evan Brett was fourth with the first of the women runners, Kate Hawley, in fifth.

Mathew Greenhill, Patrick McMahon and Greg Smith ran well to make “the ten”.

Fastest male and winner of the club’s 10 kilometre championship for men was Thomas Murton with the women’s championship taken out by Sally Haynes.

Race 8 2016 Actual

Race 8 2016 Fastest to Slowest