Rod Viney

Following a week break for the Launceston Running Festival, race fourteen of the season takes members to Somerset this Sunday for the Raymond Spinks/Coastal Running Club twelve-kilometre handicap.

The circuit course starts and finishes at the Somerset soccer ground and commences with a four kilometre climb up the Murchison Highway to Village Lane, then continues on country roads until the final stretch along Cardigan Street. The toughness and distance suits strong middle and backmarkers.

Dominic Troughton is one of the great young runners in The Club. The sixteen-year-old won a tough race last year and along with natural improvement has been working his way towards another win. It could very easily come in this event.

His greatest threat will be Jordan Matthews. After completing his first marathon three weeks ago, Matthews followed up the next week with a great third showing he had recovered well. Now with a week’s rest he should be at his peak.

Kim Steven is another who will bear watching. He thrives on the long and hilly courses so he will be very well suited.

Darlene Jacques showed a return to form in the last race at Stanley and would not surprise with a victory.

Others to watch include Steve Tammens, Jason Scott and Sabrina Shields.

Entries close Friday evening at 6pm (online) with the race starting at 9:30am.

New runners are always welcome and they can register at www.pccct.org.

A nominated time event will be held at 9:00am.

The PCCCT heads to Stanley this week for the Dowling McCarthy Tyres/Hanson Family “Steve Hanson Memorial” Ace of the Green Hills.

This is run over an eight-kilometre course which has a short, testing hill early on but then competitors are rewarded with a great traverse of the Green Hills before descending with views of The Nut. After travelling along the main street, runners return to the start at the Stanley Oval.

As for every race recently, there are many runners who could easily break the tape, but one of the stronger chances looks to be Gerard Lowry – “the Railton Rocket”. One of the “Meercroft Crew”, who train regularly together at Devonport’s Meercroft Park, Lowry will be very much suited and could take out a well-deserved win.

After several finishes just outside “the ten”, his last two starts have brought him a fifth and a sixth and he won’t need to improve much more to be very hard to beat.

Young gun Dominic Troughton won this event last year and is running well enough that he can go “back-to-back”. Clearly, he loves the course.

Others with a strong chance are Felicity Lovatt, Isabelle Sharman, Steve Tammens and Jason Fehlberg.

The event starts at the later time of 10:30 with entries closing at 6pm on Friday. New runners are always welcome but need to take out membership first. For entries and membership see www.pccct.org .

A nominated time event will be held at 10:00.

The PCCCT – Running Club Greg and Dianne Woodhouse Marathon is the longest-running handicap marathon in Australia, and the 2022 edition of the race will be held this Sunday.

Alongside, it will see the second running of a relay marathon with teams of four runners sharing the hard work. This year the event has been named the Terry Watson Memorial Teams Handicap in honour of the late Terry Watson who was a Club member and promoted and sponsored the first teams marathon held last year.

Both races utilise the pathway between Ulverstone and Turners Beach, starting at River Park in Ulverstone, and heading out to the end of the esplanade at Turners Beach, before returning. The Marathon competitors will complete two laps of this course, with Teams Marathon competitors each completing a 10.55km point to point leg.

A small but quality field will assemble for the main event, the Marathon, with the first runner away at 7am.

It is always difficult to predict the winner of this event because of the distance and it is even harder this year as there are three runners having their first races with the Club.

On exposed form, Amy Courto should start favourite. She is proven over distances even longer than a marathon and is in good form. Troy Reader may be her main danger while Lib Smith always enjoys this event and will be very competitive.

There are eighteen entered in the relay and a close exciting race is anticipated. The first team will get underway at 7am.

Entries for both events have now closed. There will be no nominated time event this week.

Handicaps will be posted Friday at 6pm, along with the race brief.

Toilets and changerooms in the new facilities will be available.

NOTE – The men’s race will commence at 9:30 with the women’s race as soon as possible after the completion of the men’s race. (The order of the races was incorrect on the entry page)

Please be aware we are sharing paths with the public and need to give other users due consideration.

The course is a very simple one. It is four clockwise laps, plus a bit, of the streets surrounding Meercroft Park. Care will be needed running the back straight, North Street, as there is no footpath there.

Similarly, care is needed while running through the parking area on the William St side of Meercroft Park.

Thank you to our sponsors – Anne and Ben Ketelaar (men’s race) and Everyday Lions (women’s race).

This Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club will conduct split division races at Meercroft Park Devonport.

Until last year, the event has been split into Frontmarkers and Backmarkers. However, last year saw the races run by gender which proved very popular and has been retained for 2022.

Split division races events are very popular with runners because as well as competing in one event, they get to watch the other.

The course is a flat, fast, four lap one on the road around Meercroft Park. and this also makes them great viewing for spectators.

The Ketelaars Male Five-kilometre Handicap will be run first at 9:30.

There are many men who have been close without winning lately and one who will be well suited here is Brendan Burr. After starting the season slowly, he has been getting closer each week and was not far away in finishing ninth last week.

He will be challenged strongly by Jordan Mathews, Steven Tammens and backmarker, Hayden Bishop.

Pat McMahon will also be a big chance to take a deserved win.

The Everyday Lions Female Five-kilometre Handicap will follow and should also be an exciting contest. Selina Crispin is favoured here. She won this event last year so proved the course suits her. She is back in winning form running a great sixth last week

Felicity Lovatt will be the hardest to beat while Lyn Saint-John, Rhian Miles and Anne Thomas will also be chances. Runners are reminded that entries are online only and close at 6pm Friday. New members are always welcome.

This week sees members of the PCCCT- Running Club head to Burnie for the Glow Cosmetics “Big Six” 6km handicap.

The course is a circuit, starting and finishing at the Howe Street Netball Centre and uses West Park Grove, the Bass Highway and Brickport Road. It requires runners to be proficient at steep gradients, both downhill and uphill.

The shorter distance, following two longer events will be welcome for some and a good field is anticipated.

Following her great victory in the Club’s ten-kilometre Women’s Championship last week, Penguin runner, Lyn Saint-John, will be a top chance.

Amazingly, Saint-John ran nearly a minute faster in taking out that event than she did in winning it in 2021, indicating she is in great form. She also placed eighth overall on time, thus beating all but seven of the men. This course will suit her perfectly and she could be the one to beat.

Jason Scott and Steve Tammens have both had numerous placings this year and will be her main challengers. They were third and fourth respectively last

Other competitors whose recent form gives them top chances include Pat McMahon, Ross Smith and Rhian Miles.

Entries close at 6:00pm on Friday with the race beginning at 9:30. New runners are always welcome but must register for membership first. Both registration and entries can be done at www.pccct.org.

There will be a nominated time event at 9:00.