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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