Race 20: AJL Lifestyle/AJL Yamaha Half Marathon

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Turners Beach runner, Kim Reader, started one of the main fancies in Sunday’s AJL Leisure/AJL Yamaha half marathon and she did not disappoint, having a narrow but strong win.

A good field of forty-seven started the race, some runners being deterred by the possibility of heavy rain which didn’t eventuate.

Reader had three co-markers for the race and two of them, in Chris Purton and Owen Thomas, ran second and third respectively. They ran the outward leg to Turners Beach together and on the return to Ulverstone it appeared that the two men would fight out the finish, but Reader finished the better and after taking the lead from Eric Hughes with about three kilometres to run hung on for a great win.

This was Reader’s third win, the last being over five kilometres, at Devonport four years ago.

Kelly Baxter and Kim Steven ran into the top ten and look like coming winners, while backmarker, Brad Taylor, stormed into sixth place and ran the fastest time.

Reader had the fastest time of the women.

Nominated time winners were Kelsey and Eimear Anderson, Selwyn Maxwell, and Lucy van Rooyen.

Race 20 2017 Placings – Half Marathon

Race 20 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Half Marathon

AJL Lifestyle/AJL Yamaha Half Marathon


2017 Half Marathon Handicaps Take Two

This Sunday the PCCCT conducts the AJL Lifestyle/AJJL Yamaha half-marathon – a much sought after race. The 21.1 is a classic distance and this version is run from River Park, Ulverstone to Turners Beach and return. The course is a flat one but requires contenders to have done solid training and be very fit.

A runner who fits the bill perfectly is Evan Brett. Brett was noticed finishing hard two weeks ago for a close-up second and rested from last week’s event.

His main danger is sure to be Matthew Rolls who has returned to the club this year, after a long break, in great form.  He was fifth in a 12km event two weeks ago and has other recent placings. He won’t have to improve much to breast the tape first.

Aaron Robertson and Brad Taylor will also look potential winners at some stage, while Kim Reader will fly the flag for the female runners. She is another who will love this longer distance but will need to be at her best to catch Anna Murton and Ann Horton.

Entries have closed with the race starting at 9:30

Nominated time events will be held at 8:45

Race 19: Anvers Confectionery 10km Railton

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Cooee runner, Jason Fehlberg, has won the Anvers Confectionery twelve kilometre handicap at Railton on Sunday.

Fehlberg was not one of the top fancies for the event and admitted he was surprised with his win. However, he has been running consistently and had looked promising a little earlier in the season.

Running over his favourite distance of ten kilometres, Fehlberg also got his preferred terrain and weather, the wind staying away.

These factors combined to see him take the lead from front marker, Eric Hughes, with about five hundred metres to run and then hold off a late challenge from Kyle Groenewege.

Groenewege’s second followed on from a third last week and for him a win can’t be far away. Greg Smith, who won the club marathon earlier in the season, finished third showing he has maintained his form.

Other runners to turn in strong efforts included Owen Thomas, Bryan Tuit and Grant McCormack.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with Brad Taylor the fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Brooke Riley, Nat Luttrell, and Dominic and Mackenzie Troughton.

Race 19 2017 Placings – Railton 10km

Race 18: Raymond Spinks/CRC 12 km at Somerset

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Yolla runner, Cobie Walker, the pre-race favourite won the Raymond Spinks/CRC twelve kilometre handicap at Somerset on Sunday.

Walker had been showing excellent form all year following some hard training over summer for the Gone Nuts event. Since then he has trained more lightly to nurse some injury “niggles” and this has worked well for him.

In his fifth year with the club, this was Walker’s second win with his debut victory four years ago at Stanley.

Initially, he took up running to lose weight and is now proudly thirty-seven kilograms lighter than when he started.

Taking the lead from a brave Eric Hughes at the ten kilometre mark, Walker had to maintain focus and effort to stall off fast-finishing backmarkers Evan Brett, Kyle Groenewege and Thomas Wilson.

The husband and wife team of Russell and Ann Horton both ran top races while the two back markers Phillip McConnon and Brad Taylor stormed through the field.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with McConnon, having his first run with the club, the fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Kelsey and Eirmear Anderson, Brooke Riley and Will van Rooyen.

Race 18 2017 Placings – Spinks-CRC 12km

Race 18 2017 Fastest to Slowest – SpinksCRC 12km

 

Race 18: Raymond Spinks/Coastal Running Club 12 km handicap

The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania returns to the hills this week, after a couple of flat runs.

The Raymond Spinks/CRC twelve kilometre handicap is raced over a circuit course from the Somerset Soccer Club. Following a long uphill haul on the Murchison Highway to Village Lane the race continues on country roads before the final stretch along Cardigan Street.

This is a course for those who like it tough and one runner who does is Cobie Walker. He will relish the hills and is in great form with a recent second over similar terrain. He was a good fourth last week in a race that didn’t suit as much as this and is the one to beat

Matthew Rolls looks the likely danger. He has finished third and then sixth in his last two starts and won’t need to improve much to take this out.

Others with strong chances include Lyn Saint-John, Isaac Troughton, Ann Horton and Bryan Tuit who won this event two years ago.

Race 17 Spreyton Cider Co 5km

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Devonport runner, Allan Bakes, has won the Spreyton Cider Co five kilometre handicap at Spreyton on Sunday.

Bakes was strongly fancied to win after an excellent second the previous week and certainly lived up to expectations..

This was Bakes third win with the club, his last coming in the final race of 2015.

Bakes was very pleased to win especially as he will soon be 74. He doesn’t do a lot of training but has natural fitness and always runs consistently well.

After holding off Bakes until close to the finish, Club president, Barry Ling, achieved his best result for some time, finishing second. He has been plagued by injuries recently but now can look forward to a win soon.

Strong performances were turned in by Ron Chequer, Cobie Walker and Thomas Wilson while Andrew Plapp finished in the top ten in a promising sign for the future.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with Brad Taylor the fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Harry and Blake Taylor, Julie Elphinstone and Will van Rooyen.

Race 17 2017 Placings – Spreyton 5km

Race 17 2017 Fastest to Slowest -Spreyton Cider 5km

Spreyton Cider 5km Trail Run

The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania heads to Spreyton this week for the Spreyton Cider 5km handicap.

This is the third in the series of four trail runs. The course will take competitors on an out and back course through apple and cherry orchards and on country tracks. The off-road runs have proven very popular and a large field is expected.

This looks the perfect race for Alan Bakes. The septuagenarian showed some good form last week with an excellent second. He would not have to improve much to take this out.

However, these shorter races are generally hotly contested and there are a host of other chances.

Tobin Mason is a young runner who ran a great fourth last race and looks well suited. Liz Murton could fly the flag for the women while Dane Febey is getting fitter and could surprise.

The contests for fastest times look to be at the mercy of Lyn Saint-John and Brad Taylor for the women and men respectively.

Entries close at 9:30 with the race commencing at 10:00am

Nominated time events will be held at 9:10.

Race 16: Molly Malone’s 6km handicap

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Barrington athlete, Susan Moodie, was excited to win her first PCCCT when she took out the Molly Malone’s six kilometre handicap at Devonport on Sunday.

Well suited by the distance and flattish course, which used the paths beside the Mersey and the track to the Bluff Lighthouse, Moodie took her chance and ended up having a comfortable victory.

One of the club veterans, Alan Bakes was a gallant second with the much improved Matthew Rolls finishing third.

Moodie was surprised but delighted with her win. Although she had been running consistently, she had not been able to get into the placings previously this season.

Race favourite, Eric Hughes, looked a chance early in the race off his front mark but was not able to match the efforts of the placegetters as runners headed back along Victoria Parade.

Others to show good form were Tobin Mason, Liz Murton and David Wright.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with the consistent Brad Taylor fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Shi Bennett, Heidi D’Monte, Sandra Elphinstone and Hannah Elphinstone.

Race 16 2017 Placings -Molly Malone’s 6km

Race 16 2017 Fastest to Slowest -Molly Malone’s 6km

Race 15: Paine Family Memorial 10km handicap at Burnie

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Pre-race favourite, Devonport runner, Hayden Bishop, took out an exciting Paine Family Memorial 10 kilometre handicap at Burnie on Sunday.

Bishop had been threatening to win a race for some time and was delighted to finally breast the tape, after taking the lead with just 300 metres to run, to win by just two seconds.

He was chased to the line by a gallant Cobie Walker, for whom a win must be just around the corner, with Lyn Saint-John third.

Bishop has been a consistent competitor with the club this year after only having two runs late last season, after he was encouraged to take up the sport by his father-in-law, Club stalwart Greg Smith. Smith has also provided some training tips enabling Bishop to make steady improvement.

Owen Thomas, in his first season with the club continues to improve and finished fourth with other strong performances recorded by Chris Purton, Eric Hughes and Isaac Troughton who was fastest male.

Saint-John was the fastest female.

Nominated time winners were Emily Aichberger, Will van Rooyen, Ashley Fehlberg, Thomas Ward and Mia Fehlberg.

Race 15 2017 Placings – Burnie Paine’s Memorial 10km

Race 15 2017 Fastest to Slowest- Burnie Paine’s Memorial 10km

Race 15: Paine Family Memorial 10km handicap at Burnie

The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania resumes its season this Sunday, following a break for the Launceston Ten, with the Paine Family Memorial ten kilometre handicap.

The event starts at finishes at the Burnie Council depot in Three Mile Line and covers a hilly circuit course over Mooreville and West Mooreville Roads.

Hayden Bishop has been in great form and looks to be a top chance to take this out. He ran an excellent time in Launceston over this distance and rested from the Iron Man two weeks ago.

Kim Reader could be his main danger. The hilly course will suit the slightly built Reader and she will be looking a winning chance at some stage.

Lorraine Shepheard off a front mark is also going to be hard to run down although first she will have to catch veteran Eric Hughes who is in great form.

Others likely to show up include Ann Horton and Owen Thomas.

Entries close at 9:30 with the race commencing at 10:00am

The nominated time event to be held at 9:10 will be the feature race for the year, and have extra prizes.