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Races 3 (A & B): the Devonport Mazda Front Markers 5km and Simons Design Centre Back Markers 5km at Devonport

Brooke Fehlberg resized Sally Milbourne resized

It was a day for the female runners at Devonport Bluff on Sunday with the Devonport Mazda Front Markers and Simons Design Centre Back Markers 5km events taken out by Sally Milbourne and Brooke Fehlberg respectively.

Milbourne, who started a strong favourite for her event, ran with the Club for a couple of seasons six or seven years ago but then injuries, work and having children kept her away until this year.

She had a comfortable victory with husband and wife, Sven and Karina Mason filling the placings. Sven gaining the bragging rights for this week by finishing forty seconds in front of Karina. Others to record promising performances included Ros Hendriks, Steve Allen and Barry Ling.

Fastest male was John Badcock with Kelly Baxter fastest female.

The Back Markers was an exciting event, the field being packed with some of the best distance runners on the Coast.  However, Fehlberg wasn’t daunted. Starting from the front mark, she defied all challengers to lead from start to finish and hung on for a narrow win from Amie Bramich and youngster Alex Johnstone.

Great runs were recorded by Thomas Murton and Brian Lyons, the last two runners away, both storming into the top ten.

Fastest male and female were Thomas Murton and Amie Bramich respectively.

Nominated time winners were Jennifer Fuller, Marion Badcock, Ruby Greenhill and Alicia Bramich.

Race03 Devonport Frontmarkers Line Position 5km Devonport Mazda

Race03 Devonport Frontmarkers Fastest 5km Devonport Mazda

Race03 Devonport Backmarkers Line Position 5km Simons Design Centre

Race03 Devonport Backmarkers Fastest 5km Simons Design Centre

By Rod Viney, ago

Devonport: Devonport Mazda Front Markers 5km and Simons Design Centre Back Markers 5km

This Sunday the PCCCT will conduct split division races at Devonport Bluff with the Devonport Mazda Front Markers and Simons Design Centre Back Markers, both over five kilometres.

These events are very popular with runners because as well as competing in one event, they get to watch the other – the only time this happens in the season.

The races are conducted over a four lap course of Meercroft Park and this also makes them great for spectators.

The strongest chances to take out a victory in the Front Markers look to be Sally Milbourne, David Murton and Sven Mason while Lorraine Shepherd and Tim Dowling must also be considered. Milbourne was a great sixth last week while Mason would have started favourite if he had been able to compete, following his second in the season’s pipe-opener.

The Back Markers looks a perfect race for Simon Gates who has had two close finishes so far this year. He won this event in 2017 and no doubt would like to take it out for a second time. Joshua Febey,  Andrew Bates and Ewen Troughton are three young stars of the Club and any of those could win without surprising.

Thomas Murton will start from the very back mark and could take out the win and fastest time double.

Members are reminded that numbers and timing chips must be worn.

There will be nominated time events at 9:15.

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 2: Glow Cosmetics 7km at Port Sorell

Kyle small

Race two of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s season was run at Port Sorell on Sunday, the first race for the club in this area.

Most of the loop course was run on scenic bush tracks which proved popular with competitors.

After a string of placings since he first ran with the Club in 2017, Somerset runner Kyle Groenewege was thrilled to finally break through for a victory. He had to pull out all stops, however, to hold off the fast finishing backmarker, Thomas Murton who is back in form after a long recovery from a lower leg injury.

Groenewege is unable to run every week due to working shifts on the West Coast so he feels he has to make the most of the chances he has and he certainly did that on Sunday.

He had just ten seconds to spare at the finish from Murton with one of the pre-race favourites, Simon Gates, finishing just nine seconds further back in third.

With about a kilometre to run, John Badcock who had taken over the lead from Sally Milbourne looked the winner, but he was not able to hold off the placegetters who started from back marks.

Others to record promising runs were Josh Febey, Marcus Cook and Brooke Fehlberg

Murton was the fastest male with Ellen Elphinstone the fastest female.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Kaleb Turner, Will van Rooyen, Zoe Lakeland and Jan Purton.

Race02 Port Sorell Line Position 7km Glow Cosmetics-1

Race02 Port Sorell Fastest 7km Glow Cosmetics

By Rod Viney, ago

Port Sorell: Glow Cosmetics 7km

2019-03-27 (2)

Race 2 of the 2019 PCCCT season will utilise a new course when the Glow Cosmetics seven kilometre handicap takes runners to Port Sorell. It is believed to be the first time the Club has conducted an event in this area.

The race will start adjacent to the Panatana Paddling Pool Family Park in South Esplanade before crossing the Rivulet and using tracks in the Squeaking Point area.

With last week’s run under the belt to shake off the cobwebs, a very competitive race should ensue.

After his excellent second last week, Sven Mason looks hardest to beat. Following a disappointing 2018 when he was plagued by injuries, Mason has worked hard over summer to get back to full fitness and the extra two kilometres this week will suit him

Behind last week’s winner, new handicapper, Pat McMahon had ten runners finish within thirty seconds and any of these could win. Perhaps the biggest danger to Mason will be Ewen Troughton as he will be well suited to the bush tracks.

Others with strong winning chances are Simon Gates, Brooke Fehlberg and “the flying farmer”, John Badcock. Gates was unlucky not to get a victory last year and looked very sharp at Wivenhoe last Sunday, while Fehlberg is a sponsor of this event and will be keen to collect some of her own money.

Members are reminded that numbers and timing chips must be worn.

There will be nominated time events at 9:15.

By Rod Viney, ago

Race 1: Burnie Sportspower 5km at Wivenhoe

Vicki small

The PCCCT’s  year got underway on Sunday with the running of the Burnie Sports Power five kilometre handicap at Wivenhoe.

Seventy-eight runners, an excellent number, gathered to hear the starter’s orders, endorsing the slightly later start to the season.

They enjoyed the out and back course to Fernglade and also the great running weather.

The race provided an early birthday present for Ridgley runner, Vicki Knapman, who will be eighteen next week. In her third year with the club, Knapman has trained very hard over the summer months under master trainer, John McGuire.

She has been running up to eighty kilometres a week and the work has paid off. The huge improvement she has made from the last two years gave her victory by almost three minutes from second placegetter, Sven Mason, after she took the lead at the halfway turnaround point. Another young runner in Andrew Bates was third.

Mason’s run was an excellent one and indicated an early season win while Bates continued his great form from last year.

Other runners to catch the eye for future races included Simon Gates, Ewen Troughton, Brooke Fehlberg and Caroline Brett.

Fastest time for the men was recorded by Hobart runner, Phil McConnon with Lyn Saint-John fastest woman.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Quinn Aitken, Will van Rooyen, Kyla Cassidy, Cayla Ward and Milla Price.

Race01 Wivenhoe 5km Burnie Sportspower Fastest

Race01 Wivenhoe 5km Burnie Sportspower Line Positions

By Rod Viney, ago

Wivenhoe: Burnie Sports Power 5km

The 2019 season of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania gets underway this Sunday with the Burnie Sports Power 5km handicap commencing at Wivenhoe Showground. The course takes competitors to Fernglade Reserve and return.

The shorter distance tends to suit frontmarkers and there are several who missed a win last year despite being close and who will be keen to get  a victory under the belt.

Chief among these may be Roselyn Hendriks while Lorraine Shepherd and Darlene Jacques can’t be discounted.

Among the middle markers Sven Mason will be looking to put an injury-plagued 2018 behind him with John Badcock and Nick Young also looking big chances.

The race will begin at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30. As registrations for the new season will also need to be done before this time, runners are urged to arrive early.

The minimum age to run in the handicapped races is fifteen, but nominated time events over shorter distances and open to all ages, are also held. Those intending to compete in these need to register by 9:05.

Those who were members in 2018 need to remember their numbers and timing chips while new runners are welcome and will be allocated these on Sunday. There will be a morning tea after the event and members are asked to bring a plate to contribute.

By Rod Viney, ago

Notes from our handicapper for 2019

Pat McMahon is our handicapper for 2019. He has asked that these notes be provided to runners to give an indication of how he will undertake the difficult task of handicapping our races this year.

Handicapping PCCCT 2019 Season

I thank the Club for the opportunity to perform duty as Handicapper for the 2019 Season. All systems aren’t infallible. I am not a computer savvy person but I have certain guidelines to enable all persons to be able to compete on an equitable basis.

My Guidelines when handicapping competitors :

All persons are entitled to a win providing consistent performance to their ability.

Consistent running to ability can only be measured by performance over a number of races.

Consistent Performance cannot be measured by poor form, injury or sickness.

New competitors will be given a mark in accordance with information given or obtained and after performances that mark may be readjusted.

New competitors should be competing for a win at least halfway through a season.

A competitor will not be penalised for consistent running to their ability.

A Handicapper competing in Club Races will not have an improvement on his handicap unless it is sanctioned by the Committee.

Ability is commensurate to age and gender.

It is an aim to have the majority of a race to finish in a three minute time frame. (Excluding poor form, sickness or injury)

Winners will only be penalised to be able to be competitive at the top end of the field, if in form.

We are not competing for sheep stations so all persons should be able to compete on an even basis, enjoy the moment, the company and atmosphere.

It is good to be alive and be able to front up . We are a long time dead.

We are fortunate to have a Club that is able and willing to provide an array of running races and social events for an affordable amount .

All the best for the upcoming season.

Regards,

Pat McMahon

By Rod Viney, ago