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Race ten of the PCCCT season was also the second of the trail run series and was held in the park behind Hellyer College at Burnie. The Wilkinson’s Pharmacy five kilometre handicap was conducted over a hilly two lap course in still, sunny conditions.

The venue provides great spectator viewing as the runners are in sight for much of the race and a good audience watched a close and exciting contest.

During the first lap and much of the second, it appeared that the front markers would hold out the chasers. The two best positioned “fronties” were Ron Chequer and Ricky Brown.

With a kilometre to travel it appeared as if Chequer would take a long awaited victory but with about a hundred metres to run he was overtaken by a charging Isaac Troughton who had come through the field from almost the very back mark.

Chequer managed to hang on for second from Brown, who was close up in third. Race favourite, Ann Horton was not far back, finishing fifth.

This was Troughton’s third win with the Club, the other two coming in his first season two years ago. He was surprised but delighted with his victory, pointing out that his brother, with whom he has a friendly rivalry, had not even fronted for the race after a “busy” Saturday night.

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

Earlier the nominated time winners were Ashley Fehlberg, Lucy and Will van Rooyen, Max Anderson and Jemima McLaren.

Race10 Placings Hellyer Trail Run Wilkinsons Pharmacy

Race10 Fastest Hellyer Trail Run Wilkinsons Pharmacy

Race nine of the PCCCT season was the Bates Plumbing ten kilometre handicap and was conducted on a circuit using country roads at Stowport. The weather was kind to the seventy-one starters as they set off on the undulating, scenic course.

Starting from the second front mark, the race proved a triumph for Stuart Greenhill. Amazingly, Greenhill became the second winner in succession to come from the small farming district of Northdown, following on from the win of his neighbour, Owen Thomas, last week.

Taking out his first win with the Club in his third season of running, Greenhill said he took up the sport to not only lose weight and improve his fitness, but for the relief it brings from the pressures and worries of farming. He now just aims to continue to improve and keep running as long as he can.

While he was comfortably in the lead for moist of the race, back in the field, several runners looked strong chances at varying stages. Chief among these were Troy Reader and Greg Smith, with backmarker Ewen Troughton also making his way through the field.

One of the pre-race favourites, Ann Horton, ran up to expectations to eventually finish second, while Don McCreadie showed a welcome return to form with a strong run into third.

Ewen Troughton was the fastest male with Lyn Saint-John fastest female.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Cayla Ward, Ashley Fehlberg, Thomas Ward and Chloe Bates.

Race09 LinePlacings Stowport M&L Bates 10km

Race09 Fastest Stowport M&L Bates 10km

Warm sunny conditions greeted the fifty-one starters in the longest and toughest race of the season to date – the High on Penguin, Burnie to Ridgley “King and Queen of the Mountains” 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.

Northdown runner, Owen Thomas, showed he had the necessary attributes, to finally break through for a well-deserved win – his first with the club.  He had previously had four seconds and numerous other close-up results and was very excited and relieved to finally break his duck.

The warm weather didn’t worry Thomas as he had been in NSW on holiday for two weeks, training in the heat. He was also fresh for Sunday as he has not been pushing himself so hard. He took up running after losing weight working with EPT and has now lost more than twenty kilograms.

Debbie Riley was second and first female thus taking out the Queen of the Mountains title just in front of Karina Mason. Mason led for most of the race from the second front mark and produced a very gallant performance. Ann Horton finished next, meaning women filled three of the top four placings. Paul Birch was fifth suggesting a win is just around the corner.

Brad Taylor stormed through the field to take fastest time and finish eighth. Fastest woman was Natasha Mapley.

Other excellent performances were recorded by co-markers Gerard Lowry, Kyle Groenewege and Greg Smith with not much between them at the finish to all run into “the ten”.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Trinity Luttrell, Robyn Luttrell and Indra Taylor.

Race08 Placings King&Queen of the mountain

Race08 FastestKing&Queen of the mountain

The first in the trail run series, the Jacques Parcel Delivery 5 kilometre handicap at the Penguin Motocross track was run in beautiful weather conditions. A lack of recent rain meant the course was relatively dry and not wet and slippery as in previous runnings of this event.

The field was down a little in numbers with other events occurring elsewhere on the day, but still fifty eight starters enjoyed the tough terrain.

The race was a triumph for veteran competitor, Darren Brown, who recorded his ninth win with the club. Brown, who has been competing since 1981, had struggled with illness and injury over the past two years but proved he was almost back to his best with a gutsy win by the narrowest of margins from young gun, Ewen Troughton. Troughton actually hit the lead in the closing stages, but Brown, not to be outdone, fought hard to regain the lead and break the tape.

It was well-deserved as he travels from Hobart most weeks to compete, having moved there from the coast some years ago.

Ron Chequer was third after appearing the likely winner with a kilometre to run.

Stuart Greenhill started from the second front mark and led for a long way after overtaking front marker, Nat Luttrell. Greenhill managed to hang on for a promising seventh.

Fastest male and female were Brad Taylor, who finished a great sixth, and Lyn Saint-John respectively.

Earlier, nominated time winners were Robyn Luttrell, Ashley Fehlberg, Emily Aichberger and Milla Price

Race07PlacingsPenguin5km

Race07FastestPenguin5km

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

An excellent field of eighty two gathered in cool, windy conditions to listen to the starters’ orders.

Dale Lancaster led the field away off the front mark of 6:40 but shortly into the race was overtaken by Karina Mason. Ron Chequer then led for a time bit it was soon clear that the race belonged to one of a group of in-form middlemarkers.

Grant McCormack, Owen Thomas and Kyle Groenewege were the pre-race favourites and this confidence proved to be justified.

Thomas looked likely to break his run of close misses until McCormack sailed by and proved uncatchable, to take out his first win with the club. Thomas hung on for second with Matthew Rolls and Andrew Bates running strongly in to the next two places with Groenewege fifth.

Simon Gates, having his first run for the year ran a promising race to just sneak into the ten.

McCormack put his great form down to the training he’s doing to participate in the Club’s marathon in a few weeks prior to running in the Melbourne Marathon in October. He had also trained to complete 50 kilometres of the Gone Nuts in March.

Fastest male and female were Matthew Cunningham and Lyn Saint-John respectively.

Earlier, nominated time winners were Louise Morse, Mackenzie Troughton, Kasey Taylor and Heath Bramich.

Race06 Placings Wynyard Crowe Horwath 8km

Race06 Fastest Wynyard Crowe Horwath 8km