Rod Viney

The weather couldn’t have been more different for the running of the postponed five kilometres backmarkers handicap at the Devonport Bluff on Good Friday.

Run in sunshine with a light breeze, Simon Gates revelled in the conditions to break through for his first win with the Club. Training hard to achieve his aim this year of running ten kilometres in sub forty minutes meant that he was able to take out this shorter event in great fashion. Second was Greg Smith with Nick young a strong third.

Fastest male and female were Brad Taylor and Daile Moyle.

Race 5 2017 Back Markers Placings – Devonport 5km

Race 5 2017 Back Markers Fastest to Slowest – Devonport 5km

This is the fiftieth year of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania and yet on Sunday, for the first time ever, the Club had to cancel an event.

Following the first of two races scheduled for the morning, the Devonport Mazda Frontmarkers five kilometre handicap, persistent, nearby lightning meant that it was considered too dangerous to hold the Simons Design Centre Backmarkers five kilometres handicap. When, and if, this event will be rescheduled will be shortly decided by the Club committee.

The Frontmarkers event was taken out by Liane Hanson, which made this her second win for the year. Despite having a handicap pull following her first win at Cooee in race two, Hanson’s rapid improvement allowed her to break the tape first once more.

The race was run in constant rain, but a lack of any wind meant for fast times. John Lucas led the field away but was soon overtaken by Hanson. Andrew Plapp, showing improved form, was not far behind. Back in the field Kelly Baxter was running strongly and looked a possible winner with Ann Horton chasing her closely.

However, there was no catching Hanson who won comfortably.

Fastest male and female were Chris Purton and Kelly Baxter.

Race 5 2017 Front Markers Placings – Devonport 5km

Race 5 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Devonport 5km

Devonport runner, John Castledine, was a very popular winner of race 4 of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s season.

Castledine won the Glow Cosmetics 7 kilometre handicap at Heybridge on Sunday. He was surprised as anyone with his victory, as he only finished 32^nd in a similar race the week previously. However, as he freely acknowledges, he has had some personal issues to overcome which have held him back.

Now he has been able to move on and complete this win which he said has come “out of the blue”.

Castledine is very fit, having recently completed the entire 101 kilometres of Gone Nuts.

A good field of ninety-one runners began the race and soon Andrew Plapp hit the lead and was running well. Race favourite Kelly Baxter had his measure with about two kilometres to run but was not able to hold off Castledine who hit the lead soon after and raced away to a comfortable win.

Baxter held on for second with Simon Gates recording his best result racing through the field from a back mark for third. Fastest male and female were Brad Taylor and Lyn Saint-John.

Anna Murton and Nick Young turned in promising performances finishing in the top ten.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Trinity Luttrell, Ben Saint-John, Mackenzie Troughton, Sophie Reimer and Dominic Troughton.

Race 4 2017 Placings – Heybridge 7km

Race 4 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Heybridge 7km

Devonport runner, Brad Taylor, has finally broken through for his second win with the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania.

Taylor won the Cradle Coast Sports and Events 7 kilometre handicap at Don on Sunday in hot and sunny conditions. His previous win had been in a 5 kilometre event eleven years ago. For a variety of reasons he has not been able to run regularly since then until last year

Running about 100 kilometres a week under the guidance of his coach and father, Leigh, he has been close to a win for some time.

He also trains twice a week with a group of very keen and experienced runners who meet at Meercroft Park for speed and strength work.

This enabled Taylor to recently complete his first marathon in an excellent time. His next aim is to break thirty minutes minutes for 10 kilometres.

Second and third were Greg Smith and Keegan Powell, while the fastest male and female were Taylor and first time club runner Daile Moyle.

Other excellent performances were turned in by Bryan Tuit, Stuart Young and Ann Horton.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Isabelle Murchie, Thomas Ward, Mackenzie Troughton and Dominic Troughton.

Race 3 2017 Placings – Don 7km

Race 3 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Don 7km

Burnie runner, Liane Hanson was thrilled to cross the line first on Saturday for her maiden win with the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania.

The Dowling McCarthy Tyres 5 kilometre handicap took place on an out-and-back course at Cooee.

Quickly taking the lead from go-marker, John Lucas, Hanson, who started off the second front mark, was never in danger. She has greatly improved her fitness this year through heavy training over the summer. She acknowledged her husband, Shane, for inspiring her to enter and successfully complete some challenging events in recent months.

Hanson has no great plans for the remainder of the year but just wished to continue to enjoy her running with the club, although it will now be off a more challenging mark.

Second was Kelly Baxter with Dallas Van Rooyen a promising third. Other good performances were returned by race favourite Greg Smith, who finished fourth, and Ann Horton while Ricky Brown showed a win is not far off.

Young runner Edward Murchie was just outside the top ten in a promising effort.

Fastest male and female were Ewen Troughton and Judy Ray.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Isabelle Murchie, Thomas Ward, Mackenzie Troughton and Dominic Troughton.

Race 2 2017 Placings – Cooee 5km

Race 2 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Cooee 5km

The PCCCT season got underway on Sunday with the Burnie SportsPower 5 kilometre handicap at Wivenhoe. It was raining as runners gathered to hear instructions but it cleared away to create great running conditions by the time the starter’s gun fired.

A good field of 92 set off on a course that involved a large lap through Wivenhoe streets before an out-and-back section to Fernglade Road.

Angela Wilson and Roselyn Hendriks soon took over from go-marker John Lucas but it was apparent that several very fit middle and back markers had the race between them.

Racing towards the finish, Aaron Roberston moved to the lead and held it to record his third win with the club.

Robertson’s last win was July last year but heavy training over summer to enable him to compete as part of a team in the recent Gone Nuts 101 saw his fitness greatly improve and enable another win despite the rehandicap. In fact it was Robertson’s fastest 5km time for 10 years.

Hayden Bishop and Keegan Powell were second and third while fastest male and female were Bryan Tuit and Judy Ray.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Will van Rooyen, Conor Purton an Catherine Greenhill.

Next week’s race at Cooee will be on Saturday due to Run Devonport being on Sunday.

Race 1 2017 Placings – Wivenhoe 5km

Race 1 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Wivenhoe 5km