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Ulverstone: The Greg and Dianne Woodhouse Marathon 42.195km and Rod and Judith Priestly 5km

The PCCCT marathon is the longest-running continuously conducted marathon in Australia and the 2019 version will be held this Sunday. It is also unique in that it is a handicapped race.

The Greg and Dianne Woodhouse marathon runs from River Park, Ulverstone to Turners Beach and back twice and is a wonderful test of fitness and character.

Entries have closed, and a small, but quality field will start the event with almost every runner in with a chance of victory. The go-marker, Hobart runner Wendy Meadowcroft, will set off at 7:00am with Kyle Groenewege last to leave 1 hour 45 minutes later.

Second backmarker, Matthew Atkins, looks one of the strongest chances. He specialises at this distance and in the last two runnings of this event he has been second and fifth. He would be a very deserving winner.

Chris Talbot and Shane Hansen are others who can run all day while Karina Mason has been in great form and will have set herself for this event. She will have exactly an hour start on Atkins.

Teresa Seaman and Michelle Chopping are also coming from Hobart for the race so must be respected.

The Rod and Judith Priestly five kilometre handicap will be run at 10:30 for those not attempting the marathon. Entries for this will close at 10:00. The winner of this race could come from an in-form group of woman runners – Liz Murton, Lorraine Shepheard, Judy Ray and Michelle d’Monte.

 A nominated time event will be held at 9:45.

Marathon handicaps:

Wendy Meadowcroft               00:00
Karina Mason.                        37:00
Gerard Leary.                         37:00
Christopher Talbot.                 37.00
Kelly Baxter.                           43:00
Vicky Knapman.                     55.00
Shane Hanson.                   1:12:00
Paul Birch.                          1:12:00
Teresa Seaman.                 1:12:00
Michelle Chopping.            1:12:00
Ethan Butler.                      1: 20:00
Daniel Summers.               1: 20:00
Matthew Atkins.                 1:37:00                                                                                      Kyle Groenewege.             1:45:00

 

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 11: The WT House Betta Home Living “Steve Hanson Memorial” “Ace of the Green Hills at Stanley

Andrew Rolls

Race eleven of the PCCCT season, the W T House Betta Home Living “Steve Hanson Memorial”, was conducted over an eight kilometre circuit course in Stanley.

The race, also known as “The Ace of the Green Hills” was well-attended and proved very competitive as members looked for a solid hit-out before next week’s marathon.

After seconds in the previous two races, Wynyard runner, Andrew Rolls, showed his love for the course winning this event for the second time, his previous victory coming in 2015. It was his third win overall with the Club. Although Rolls first ran with the Club in 1999, lower leg injuries have restricted him to less than a hundred Club starts in that time.

However, those injuries led to him doing a lot of bike-riding, which in turn led him into triathlons. Such has been his success in that sport that in August he’s heading to Lausanne, Switzerland, to compete in the world age-group championships.

Close behind, filling the placings, were frontmarkers, Karina Mason and Lorraine Shepherd while David Murton, Josh Febey and Amie Bramich continued their strong seasons, Bramich also running the fastest of the women (31:03).

Other eye-catching performances were recorded by Tim Dowling, Vicki Knapman and Anna Murton.

The fastest man was Thomas Murton, recording an excellent 25:39.

Earlier the nominated time winners were James Frankcombe, Robyn Luttrell, Mitchell Elphinstone, Maya Bramich and Chloe Bates.

Race11 Stanley8kmLinePosition

Race11 Stanley8kmFastest

By Rod Viney, ago

Stanley: The WT House Betta Home Living “Steve Hanson Memorial” “Ace of the Greenhills” 8km

The PCCCT heads to Stanley this week for the WT House Betta Home Living “Steve Hanson Memorial” eight kilometre handicap, another of the club’s “blue ribbon events”.

The course has a short testing hill early on but then competitors are rewarded with a great run along the Green Hills before descending with views of The Nut followed by travelling along the main street before returning 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 Dallas van Rooyen who should start this race with fresh legs.

Van Rooyen’s last PCCCT start saw him just outside “the ten” at Wynyard, but the best pointer to his chances is his strong finish into third over a tough course at Penguin early in May. He also had some promising runs earlier in the year and this distance and course look perfect for him

Several runners have been consistently in “the ten” and will be top chances. Andrew Rolls has had a string of placings while Josh Febey has looked a coming winner all season. Karina Mason and Amie Bramich, both very improved runners, weren’t far away at Devonport in the last race and would not surprise.

The event starts at the later time of 10:30 with entries closing at 10:00. New runners are welcome.

 A nominated time event will be held at 9:45.

Runners are reminded that entries close this Sunday for the following week’s Marathon.

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 10: The Physiotas/Meercroft Crew “City of Devonport” 10km

Ros small

Victory in the Physiotas/Meercroft Crew 10 km “City of Devonport” handicap is much sought after by members and a strongly competitive field faced the starter for the race on Sunday.

This year’s winner, Spreyton runner Roselyn Hendriks, had been close to breaking through for some time and was thrilled to do so in this race.

Commencing with the Club three years ago, Hendriks has made constant improvement to the extent that she won running a personal best time for 10 km.

While very pleased, she didn’t expect to win and, in fact, wore older, heavier running shoes that she wouldn’t mind getting dirty if the bush sections were muddy.

It made no difference, however, as she finished 71 seconds in front of race favourite Andrew Rolls with David Murton in third, followed by Karina Mason and Amie Bramich.

Other promising performances were handed in by Hayden Bishop, Josh Febey and Anna Murton, while Lorraine Shepheard rounded out “the ten”.

The Club 10 km championships were conducted based on fastest times in the race. For the women, Amie Bramich took it out from Natasha Mapley and Sarah-Jane Tregenza, while Thomas Murton, who finished seventh in the race, won the men’s championship from Brian Lyons and Brad Taylor.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Kasia Taylor, Indra Taylor, Mitchell Elphinstone, and Maya Bramich.

Members are reminded that here will be no race next week and the next event is at Stanley on June 9th.

Full details at www.pccct.org.

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Race10 Devonport10kmFastest

By Rod Viney, ago

Devonport: The Physiotas/Meercroft Crew “City of Devonport” 10 km

The next “blue-ribbon” event in the PCCCT season is to be held this Sunday.

It is the Physiotas/Meercroft Crew City of Devonport 10 kilometre handicap which starts at Devonport’s Bluff Beach and uses the foreshore path and tracks in the Don Reserve.

Wins in this event are much sought after due to its history and prestige and it will be hotly contested, especially given the increased prizemoney this year.

The Meercroft Crew, a joint sponsor, is a group of runners meet for training at Meercroft Park and run with the Club. No doubt one of them would love to win and Bryan Tuit, Evan Brett and Haydon Bishop will be three of the strong chances. Bishop, in particular, has been in sparkling form.

However, the favourite for the race should be the very fit, Andrew Rolls, who has had several placings this year without breaking through. He was an excellent third in the Mountain Classic two weeks ago before a narrow defeat into second last week at Wynyard. Everything looks suitable for him on Sunday.

Other hopes look to be Dallas van Rooyen, Anna Murton and Lyn Saint-John while a strong effort from Michael Bates would not surprise.

If there was to be a surprise winner, it could be Richard Lawson who is improving with each run.

The event starts at 10:00 with nominations closing at 9:30. New runners are always welcome.

 Nominated time events will be held at 9:05.

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 9: The Findex (formerly Crowe Horwath) 8 km at Wynyard

Ken Williams

Members headed to Wynyard for Sunday’s race – the Findex 8 kilometre handicap. The scenic course takes in tracks beside the Inglis River with a short, sharp climb to the lookout at Fossils Bluff.

This race is normally very popular with runners but this year with a couple of competing events, the number of starters was a little down. Nevertheless, strong backmarkers and many in-form runners meant it would still be very competitive.

John Purton led the field away off the front mark of 0:40 with Isaac Troughton, from his mark of 25:25 last to commence his run.

Two frontmarkers, in Ken Williams and Roselyn Hendriks, had taken the lead with a couple of kilometres to run and were looking very hard to catch.

Smithton veteran, Ken Williams managed to hold on by just four seconds from a fast-finishing Andrew Rolls with Hendriks a close third, eleven seconds further adrift.

Williams, who will be 80 later this year, is the oldest member still running after commencing with the Club in 1985. He is sixth on the Club’s run tally list having started in 730 races and this was his eleventh win.

Simon Gates, Josh Febey and Karina Mason were all close up, indicating wins for each of them are just around the corner.

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

Earlier, nominated time winners were: Kaleb Turner, James Frankcombe, Thomas Ward and Lucy van Rooyen.

Race09 Wynyard LinePosition 8km

Race09 Wynyard Fastest 8km

By Rod Viney, ago

Wynyard: The Findex (formerly Crowe Horwath) 8km

This Sunday members have the chance to run on a mostly new, scenic course at Wynyard with the staging of the Findex (formerly Crowe Horwath) eight km handicap.

The race will still start and finish at the Wynyard Showgrounds and will use tracks beside the Inglis River, so no road running will be needed.

Those who ran the tough Mountain Classic last Sunday will enjoy the flatter, shorter race.

One runner who will love the distance, and always does well on trail courses, is Aaron Robertson.

Robertson ran a solid “Classic” to finish in the top twenty, but in previous weeks had finished much closer to the front and provided he has pulled up well from that event will be a big chance. Two weeks ago he was fifth at Penguin and also impressed with his seventh the week before at Ridgley.

Terry Watson looked a likely winner for much of last week’s race before finishing fifth and is another who is close to a win. It could be here.

Josh Febey will appreciate this distance and has been in great form all season, while other possibilities are Kelly Baxter, Ewen Troughton and Tim Dowling. If it turns out to be a frontmarkers’ race then Ken Williams and Ros Hendriks could take the win.

Members are reminded to wear both their timing chips and chest numbers and to register by 9:30 with a 10:00 start. New runners are always welcome.

Nominated time events will be held at 9:05.

By Rod Viney, ago

News from the committee meeting May 13th

At the committee meeting last night (May 13th) some decisions were made that we would like to share with you.

First, there was strong support from members for the 5 km Fish Frenzy race on July 14 to be a massed start, sealed handicap event. This race doubles as the Club 5 km championship. The committee decided to make this race a sealed handicap for this year.

Second, Hayden Bishop had offered to set up a system to enable us to take on-line entries and registrations. He kindly attended and demonstrated how it would work. The committee agreed to trial the system for the Ironman Classic, run on July 7. Stay tuned for more information.

Finally, it was decided to allow nominated time runners who are 12, 13 or 14 years old, to run in Club 5 km and 6 km events as non-competitive entrants. They would be timed by hand timers (not chip) and of course not be eligible for prize money. The handicapper would place them on a mark which would mean they wouldn’t finish near the front of the race. Thus they couldn’t affect results nor break the tape. We expect only two or three of our nominated time members will be involved in this way.

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 8: The High on Penguin Mountain Classic Burnie to Ridgley 16.5km

Kim small

Warm sunny conditions greeted the forty-two starters in the longest and hardest race of the season to date – the High on Penguin, Burnie to Ridgley “Mountain Classic” 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.

The race proved to be a triumph for Ulverstone runner, Kim Steven, who once again showed his liking for the most challenging events.

Steven is also a dual winner of the equally as tough, 25 kilometre Ironman Classic in the Forth Valley and is a regular competitor at the coastal trial run, Gone Nuts.

He had run third in this event two years ago and was thrilled to breakthrough, albeit for a narrow win over the extreme backmarker, Thomas Murton, who ran a wonderful race to pass every competitor but Steven and also take out the fastest time of 60:38.

The fastest woman was Amie Bramich, who also took out fifth place, continuing her great season

Andrew Rolls, was a strong third from a back mark, just in front of middle-marker Terry Watson who looked a likely winner at the half-way mark and should salute soon.

Other excellent performances were recorded by Hayden Bishop and Evan Brett, while Karina Mason showed her liking for longer events with a great run into ninth. The winner from two years ago, Ellen Elphinstone rounded out “the ten”.

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Race08 MountainClassic16.5kmFastest

By Rod Viney, ago

Drinks during the Mountain Classic

Like other running organisations we are keen to reduce our impact on the environment. Consequently we are going to try to limit the use of disposable plastic cups in our events.

Could runners in the Mountain Classic on Sunday please provide their own drinks in drink bottles, labelled with your name and race number (see example). There will be a box at the start in which to place them. Please have them in the box by 10:00am.

They will be taken to the drink station for you and then to Ridgley for you to collect.

Also there will be a soup lunch provided after the event. A big thank you to our soup makers.

drink bottle

By Rod Viney, ago