Race Reports 2016

Ewen Troughton was cheered over the line by happy family members, including his pop, Richard, when he took out the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Wrights Mechanical 8 kilometre handicap at Wynyard on Sunday.

Ewen (18), together with his 21 year old brother Isaac, were told about ten years ago that neither would be able to play sport following the death of their sister due to heart problems. The boys were told they faced a similar risk due to the likelihood of having the same issue. However, as the boys reached their teens, they decided they could not stay inactive. Since then they have played sport and following some challenging long distance runs, including up Mt Ossa, the joined the PCCCT this year.

Ewen had displayed promise, finishing close up in several races and was delighted to break through.

The race started at the Wynyard Showground and followed walking tracks on both sides of the Inglis River.

Frontmarker Louise Morse led for much of the race before being overtaken with 2 kilometres to run, eventually finishing 9th. Co-markers Wayne Wiseman and Russell Horton were running strongly and looked likely to be in the finish. Further back in the field, Bryan Tuit, Ben Hoare and Tom Wilson looked chances, but in the end it was Troughton who triumphed.

Rebecca O’Garey was a very close second with Evan Brett third.

Fastest male was Thomas Murton with Rebecca O’Garey fastest female.

Race 7 2016 Actual

Race 7 2016 Fastest to Slowest

“Unbackable” favourite, Devonport’s Paul Birch, has finally broken through for a win at the Fish Frenzy 5 kilometre handicap at Burnie on Sunday. It was 276 starts and nearly 16 years since his last win (in the Marathon in 2000) so it was with great relief that Birch finally broke the tape first again.

Birch has been dogged with injuries over recent years – each time he was getting fit and close to another win something would go wrong. However, there has been nothing worrying him this year and after some promising results has been rewarded for the effort he always gives.

Chasing him home were some young gun runners. Kate Hawley (17), Keegan Powell (20), Ewan Troughton (18) and Maddi Baxter (17) were the next four runners home after Birch used his experience to hold them off.

It was great to see another veteran in Wayne Wiseman showing great form running into eighth spot, while Anna Murton and Rebecca O’Garey also showed they are not far off winning.

O’Garey took out the female 5 kilometre championship which was based on fastest times within the handicap race. She ran an excellent 20:12 to narrowly beat Sally Haynes and Michelle D’Monte.

In the men’s championship it was Thomas Murton who proved quickest taking it out in 15:51, an excellent rate of 3:10 per kilometre. Second was Bryan Tuit with Ben Hoare in third.

Race 6 2016 Actual

Race 6 2016 Fastest to Slowest

Judy Ray has held off a determined challenge from Keegan Powell to win the Professional Cross Country Club’s Cradle Coast Sports and Events 7 kilometre handicap at Don on Sunday.

Ray, of Penguin, won by just 2 seconds with a further 7 seconds to Ewan Troughton in the closest and most exciting race of the season so far. The first 13 runners finished within a minute of each other.

Ray gave Powell almost 2 minutes start but caught him with about 2 kilometres to race when she took the lead. Powell, not to be outdone, refused to concede and it was only in the last 200 metres that Ray knew she had the race won. Troughton was storming home and probably would have won had the race been a little further.

Backmarkers Thomas Murton and the evergreen Greg Smith were the next finishers.

A large field of 97 runners competed in the race which started at the Don Recreation Ground and utilised walking tracks in the Don Reserve.

Ray had two previous wins to her name, the last being in 2012. She was thrilled to win again and attributed the victory to the running shoes her brother had bought her as a gift in the USA. But consistent hard work and getting over a bout of asthma and hay fever no doubt played a bigger role.

Race favourite Louise Morse ran a creditable 13^th while Andrew Lucas and Evan Brett indicated a win for them is close.

Thomas Murton was the fastest male, while Sally Haynes was fastest female.

Race 5 2016 Actual

Race 5 2016 Fastest to Slowest

A solid summer of training has paid off for Miandetta runner Michelle D’Monte leading to a great win in the Professional Cross Country Club’s Simon Design Centre 5 kilometre Backmarkers Handicap at the Devonport Bluff on Sunday. D’Monte had been consistent so far this season and was thrilled to break through for her third victory with the club after a win at Wynyard last year and a maiden win in 2009.

As well as doing lots of running training, playing touch football has got D’Monte very fit. She started from a front mark, but took almost the whole race to rundown Paul Birch who was one of the go-markers for the race.

It was an exciting and very quick race, with many runners recording fast times over the flat four laps around Meercroft park. Fourteen runners averaged under 4 minutes per kilometre.

Another of the go-markers, Keegan Powell finished third. Brothers Ewan and Isaac Troughton were fourth and fifth, separated by the second woman, Judy Ray.

Sally Haynes was fastest woman with Thomas Murton proving quickest of the men.

In the Drift Restaurant Café 5 kilometre Frontmarkers Handicap, Aileen Powell ran well to achieve a deserved win. Powell had previously won at Don three years ago, but since then a persistent back problem has meant she hasn’t performed at her best. However, she has lowly recovered in recent months and she was able to take the lead early in the race and defy all attempts to run her down.

Kelly Baxter continued her consistent form for second and Anna Murton was third. Baxter was also the fastest woman. The fastest man was John Castledine.

Race 4 2016 FRONT MARKERS Fastest to Slowest

Race 4 2016 FRONT MARKERS Actual

Race 4 2016 BACK MARKERS Fastest to Slowest

Race 4 2016 BACK MARKERS Actual

Ulverstone runner, Robyn Locke, took full advantage of a chance to have a run with the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania with a comfortable win in the Glow Cosmetics 7 kilometre handicap at Heybridge on Sunday.

Locke, who couldn’t run at all last year due to having a baby, will only be able to have a handful of races this year as she can only do so when her parents come up from Hobart and are able to babysit her two young children.

Taking full advantage of her handicap, Locke raced away after taking the lead before the turn to win easily from two other female runners in Aileen Powell and Michelle D’Monte. In fact female runners filled the top five places.

Locke credited her form to training over summer by running with her two children in a running stroller, and to the fact the course had no hills.

A good field of 91 runners faced the starter at the Cuprona Football Club ground. The course took runners along streets and footpaths to the weighbridge at Howth and return.

Club veteran Eric Hughes and the youngster Keegan Powell both ran improved races to finish in the top ten, while one of the backmarkers, Brad Taylor, stormed through the field into 13^th place indicating a win is not far away.

The fastest male was Thomas Murton in 22:50, while the fastest female was Sally Haynes in a slick 29:07.

Race 3 2016 Actual

Race 3 2016 Fastest to Slowest

Sisters Beach runner, Michael Ward (pictured above with sons Bradley and Thomas) had his second success with the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania when he won the Dowling McCarthy Tyres 5 kilometre handicap at Cooee on Saturday.

Ward had previously won his very first start with the club, a 5 kilometre handicap at Wivenhoe, about 9 years ago so was thrilled to finally break through again and do it breaking the 4 minutes-per-kilometre barrier.

He won very comfortably, beating second placed Russell Horton by nearly a minute with Ken Troughton a promising third. In fourth place was the fastest male, Thomas Murton who ran a slick 16:58.

The race started at the Cooee Memorial Hall and took runners around the perimeter of the Burnie High School, along back streets and to the turn 400 metres up the Durham Road hill, then return.

Ward hit the lead about the 4 kilometre mark but said he felt confident at the turn. He has done a lot of running over the summer with The Coastal Running Club, usually pushing his youngest child in a pram.

Horton showed a win is not far away while young Tobin Mason and Paul Birch both finished comfortably in the top ten.

Fastest female was Judy Ray, finishing in ninth place.

Race 2 2016 Actual

Race 2 2016 Fastest to Slowest

The 2016 professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania season got underway on Sunday with race 1, the Burnie Sports Power 5 kilometre handicap, starting at West Beach, Burnie.

Warm and still conditions greeted the eighty-six starters as they made their way along the boardwalk to the rear of West Park and then along the walking path to Cooee and return.

The shorter, flatter courses usually suit the front markers and this proved to be the case on Sunday, Aileen Powell quickly took the lead from the go marker, John Lucas but with strong bunches working together she was eventually run down, although hanging on for an excellent fifth. Somerset runner Symone Denby off 4:10, took the lead about the four kilometre mark and ran away for a comfortable win.

This was Symone’s first win with the club and followed a year off which was forced on her by a run of niggling injuries. However, a strong summer of training, including regular runs with the Coastal Running Club, saw her back in great form once again. She gave herself a reasonable chance of success before the race but was still thrilled to cross the line first after about fifty starts with the club.

Father and son, Dwayne and Lachlan Barry finished close together in second and third. Michelle D’Monte, for whom a win must be very close finished fourth. She was fastest female in a time of 21:15.

The best of the backmarkers were Julian Lesek and Thomas Murton, in seventh and eighth respectively. Thomas won two races last year but this young gun has continued his improvement and will obviously be a force again this year. Thomas ran the fastest time of 16:05.

Further back, strong results were recorded by Brad Taylor (eleventh) and Bryan Tuit (thirteenth), while Ann Horton showed a win is not far away finishing in fourteenth.

Race 1 2016 Actual

Race 1 2016 Fastest to Slowest