Race Reports 2018

The Sea Lyons Swim School six kilometre handicap was the final race for the 2018 season and was run on an out-and-back course from West Park, Burnie, in fine but windy conditions.

Off a front mark, Ros Hendriks led clearly at the half-way turn from Darlene Jacques and Barry Ling and maintained her lead until overtaken by Allan Bakes, with a kilometre to run.

Bakes, in turn, was being pursued by the race favourite, Arnie Elphinstone, who was running very strongly and looked the likely winner.

However, Bakes was able to use the leg speed he trains for to sprint strongly over the last two hundred metres and hang on for the win. He only took up running ten years ago at the age of sixty-five, and this was his fourth win with the Club – an impressive effort.

Rod Viney was third with Hendriks hanging on for fourth in front of Nick Young.

Fastest male and female were Jono Price and Lyn Saint-John respectively.

The nominated time winners were Chloe Bates, Brain Paine, Lucy van Rooyen and Dominic Troughton.

Following the event, the Club Champion awards were presented to Brad Taylor and Lyn Saint John with the consistency title going to Karina Mason, who was the first female to win this in the Club’s fifty-two year history.

Life membership was given to Club treasurer, Gerard Leary with John Lucas, Rod Viney and Rick Ferguson receiving Club service awards.

The Somerset Pharmacy ten kilometre handicap was run Sunday on a tough hilly course utilising Somerset’s Back Cam Road.

The event gave runners their second last chance to record a win for the season and so was keenly contested.

It proved a triumph for Burnie husband and wife, Arnold and Ellen Elphinstone, who ran the quinella with Ellen earning bragging rights by crossing the line first.

The pair have been enjoying close competition in recent weeks although neither has quite managed to break though.

Ellen won last year’s Burnie to Ridgley race so was well proven on this type of course. She mixes her running training with cycling which she was forced to take up a couple of years ago due to a persistent hip injury.

Roselyn Hendriks was the first away and led for all but the last kilometre when caught first by Ellen and then Arnold. She battled on very strongly to finish fifth with Troy Reader and Simon Gates running superbly from back marks in to third and fourth places respectively.

Other eye-catching performances were recorded by Josh Febey and Nick Young while Thomas Wilson finished eighth and also recorded fastest time. Terry Watson and John Badcock rounded out “the ten”.

The fastest female was Natasha Mapley.

The nominated time winners were Ashley and Mia Fehlberg, Brain Paine, Hannah Elphinstone and Lucy Campbell.

Race26LinePositionSomerset10km

Race26FastestSomerset10km

The McLean, McKenzie and Topfer Big Six six kilometre handicap at Burnie was run in perfect conditions and a good field gathered to hear the starter’s orders.

John Purton led the field away on the circuit course which incorporated the short but steep climb up Brickport Road.

Although front markers Barry Ling, Ken Williams Stuart Greenhill and Liz Murton featured for the first three kilometres, once the hill was reached middle-markers Alan Bakes, Andrew Bates and  Michelle D’Monte soon took over at the front.

However, backmarkers, Thomas Wilson and Bryan Tuit, were storming through the field and started to look the main chances.

As the ascent was completed with a kilometre to run, Tuit had taken over the lead with Wilson in hot pursuit. Tuit was able to hold on for a well-deserved victory, with husband and wife, Arnold and Ellen Elphinstone running into third and fourth.

Tuit was pleased to finally break through for his first win since 2015. He was well suited by the course which was hilly but also had sections that allowed him to utilise the speed on which he has been working in preparation for the coastal Christmas carnivals.

Other eye-catching performances were recorded by Mark Saint-John and Michael Bates with Alex Johnstone impressing with his ninth.

Wilson was the fastest male with Lyn Saint-John fastest female.

The nominated time winners were Dominic Troughton, Cayla Ward, Lucy van Rooyen and Mackenzie Troughton.

Race25PlacingsBigSixBurnie6km

Race25FastestBigSixBurnie6km

Race24PlacingsFeatureRace Wynyard17600m (1)

Race24 FastestFeature Race Wynyard17600m

The last race prior to the big one – the 2018 Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race – was the Molly Malone’s five kilometres and a big field of runners took advantage of the perfect conditions and fast, flat course.

The race was meant to be six kilometres, but due to a computer glitch with printing the handicaps, the distance was reduced just prior to the race.

Devonport runner Andrew Plapp took advantage of the change, producing an excellent time to take out his third win with the club and his first since early 2014.

He was particularly pleased to win this race as it was conducted near his home on one of his favourite training routes and his mother and brother were present to cheer him to victory.

He won comfortably from a fast finishing Arnie Elphinstone who showed why he is considered one of the favourites for the big one next week. Allan Bakes continued his great recent form to finish third.

Other runners to turn in efforts suggesting they have top chances next Sunday, were Rick Ferguson and Marcus Cook while Mollie Powell and Anna Murton also caught the eye.

Fastest male and female were Thomas Murton and Lyn Saint-John respectively.

The nominated time winners were Will van Rooyen, Mackenzie Troughton, Kasia Taylor and Lachie Riley.

Members are reminded the Feature Race calcutta draw is Tuesday and the auction on Friday, both at seven o’clock at the Burnie Surf Club. All are welcome to both events.

Race23 Placings Molly Malones 5000m

Race23 Fastest Molly Malones 5000m

Race 22 of the season, the Kevin Brown Memorial sponsored by the Brown family and Ulverstone Tyreright, was run at Gunns Plains in perfect conditions.

Runners relished the flat course although the distance of 13.5 kilometres can be a testing one.

Run on an out-and-back course, the race showed how much improvement Devonport athlete, Amie Bramich, has made over the course of the year as she won her second race in recent weeks. The first was over just five kilometres but the increased distance proved no obstacle as she took the lead from seventy-eight year old, Ken Williams, the club’s oldest runner, with just two hundred metres to run.

Williams hung on for second with another front marker, Roselyn Hendriks, running a great race for third.

Kyle Groenewege, one of the pre-race favourites, was the best of the backmarkers with a powerful finish into fourth. Other to impress were Nick Young, who finished fifth, and Simon Gates who ran into the top ten from a tough mark.

Husband and wife, Arnie and Ellen Elphinstone, were just behind the placegetters, with Arnie just pipping his wife.

Bramich attributed her win to a change in training from long slow runs to shorter, pacier runs which have given her leg speed to go with her high level of fitness.

Fastest male and female were Evan Brett and Lyn Saint-John respectively.

The nominated time winners were Phoebe Gillard, Nat Luttrell and Sandra and Hannah Elphinstone.

Race22 Placings GunnsPlains 13500m

Race22 Fastest GunnsPlains 13500m

Members were confronted by plenty of mud and puddles as they competed in race 21 – the fourth in the trail run series.

The Motors Burnie five kilometre handicap was conducted at Fernglade with the start and finish at the Burnie Pony Club grounds.

Nat Luttrell led the field away and had a good lead early from Barry Ling and Andrew Plapp. Stuart Greenhill and Roselyn Hendriks were running good races while further back Bradley Ward and Amie Bramich were  putting themselves in contention. Best chances of a backmarker victory looked to be with Michael Purton, Ewen Troughton or Kyle Groenewege.

As the pony grounds were re-entered, Ward took over the lead from Luttrell and was able to withstand all pursuers over the last two kilometres to take out his first win.

The fifteen year old from Sisters Creek is in his first season of senior racing after being a regular nominated time runner with the club. He has vastly improved in recent weeks due to taking part in every Burnie parkrun since it commenced on June second. He has been inspired to train more, resulting in a loss of weight and an improvement by several minutes in his times.

His goal now is to run a big personal best in the Burnie Ten in October.

Groenewege and Troughton filled the placings with Troughton also taking out fastest time. The quickest woman was Lyn Saint-John.

The nominated time winners were Maverick Baxter, Milla Price, Catherine Greenhill and Brian Paine.

Race21 PlacingsFerngalde 5km

Race21 Fastest Fernglade 5km

The Anvers Confectionery ten kilometre handicap at Railton was run in pouring rain. However a hardy band of thirty-five competitors – the smallest field for a long-time – gathered in Pioneer Park to hear the starter’s orders.

The course started with some unsealed roads, which were complete with large puddles, before heading up a tough hill and continuing to complete a circuit.

Burnie runner, Ken Troughton, showed his love for this circuit by winning the event for a second time. His previous victory, and only other one with the club, came in 2016. He had been in great form and started as one of the favourites for the event.

Dale Lancaster led the field away but was overtaken by Stephen Dutton and Ken Williams as the hill was approached at the four kilometre mark. On the tough climb, Troughton made his move with David Murton and Alan Bakes in pursuit.

Strong backmarkers, Gerard Lowry and Aaron Robertson were making good progress and further back Troy Atkins was moving strongly.

However, Troughton managed to hold them all at bay and won from Troy Atkins, who also took out fastest time, and Mollie Powell, having her first run with the club for some time.

The Club is a family affair for Troughton, with his wife also competing and his children often doing the nominated time events.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John.

The nominated time winners were Will and Lucy van Rooyen, and Brian Paine.

Race20 Line Position Railton Anvers 10km

Race20 Fastest Railton Anvers 10km

Competitors had perfect conditions for race 19 of the season – the AJL  Yamaha and Lifestyle half-marathon.

Light drizzle fell for most of the event and there was no wind, meaning runners could record good times and many personal bests were clocked up.

The course takes competitors from West Ulverstone to Turners Beach and return and is mostly flat, which is also conducive to fast running.

After looking the winner in so many races this year but not breaking through, finally Karina Mason was able to breast the tape for her third victory and first for five years. Coincidentally, her previous win was also in the half-marathon, albeit on a slightly different course.

On paper the race had looked like it would go to one of the backmarkers. Mason didn’t let this concern her, however, and after taking the lead from the very front marker, Dale Lancaster, with about seven kilometres covered, led for the remainder of the event.

Backmarkers did well though, with Hayden Bishop, Ben Brockman, Bryan Tuit, Evan Brett and Brad Taylor filling five of the next eight placings.

Middle markers to perform strongly included race favourite Ellen Elphinstone and Nick Young who were sixth and seventh respectively.

Unfortunately for Rick Ferguson, he went slightly off course in a momentary lapse of concentration and disqualified himself by deciding not to run through the finish. This incident probably cost him third placing.

The nominated time winners were Emma Aichberger, Will van Rooyen, Sarah Lakeland  and Hannah Elphinstone.

Race19 Line Position Half Marathon

Race19 Fastest Half Marathon

A good field gathered to hear the starter’s orders for the Spreyton Cider Company five kilometre handicap at Spreyton. This was the third race in the popular trail run series and there was plenty of mud and puddles for competitors to enjoy as they made their way through apple and cherry orchards.

It promised to be an event for front and middle markers and so it proved to be with Devonport runner, Amie Bramich, taking out an overdue win.

This was Bramich’s first win with the Club in her third season of competitive running and she was delighted to finally break through after being close in several recent events.

She began quickly and was concerned that it might be too fast and she would fade late in the race, but she continued strongly and had a comfortable win after taking the lead from Natalie Luttrell with about a kilometre to run. Ken Troughton continued his recent good form to finish second with pre-race favourite, Alan Bakes, finishing third.

Barry Ling and Roslyn Hendriks ran promising races while Dallas van Rooyen and Russell Horton indicated they will be hard to beat in the much longer events coming up.

Brad Taylor took fastest time honours for the men with Michelle d’Monte the quickest of the women.

The nominated time winners were Kasia and Indra Taylor, Lucy van Rooyen and Ashley Fehlberg.

Race18 Line Position Spreyton Cider 5km Trail Run

Race18 Fastest Spreyton Cider 5km Trail Run