Rod Viney

A good field of eighty-two lined up for race seven of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s season.

The Renaessance five kilometre handicap was run in the bush near the Coastal Motocross Club’s track behind Penguin and was the first of a series of trail runs to be held by the club.

Following recent rain, the track was slippery with numerous puddles and the runners used to trail running certainly showed out.

The race was won in excellent fashion by Dallas van Rooyen. Starting from a middle mark, van Rooyen showed sure-footedness and composure to race through the field, hitting the front with about a kilometre to run and holding off Troy Reader and Aaron Robertson who finished second and third.

Van Rooyen has been training hard for the club marathon and that toughness showed through in this shorter race.

Jonathon Cahill, having his first race for the year ran strongly to finish sixth and Hayden Bishop put in a very promising effort to make eighth place.

Fastest male was Ewen Troughton, who was also fifth over the line, with sixteen year old Emma Saint-John the fastest female.

Nominated time winners were Thomas Ward, Ashley Fehlberg, Trinity Luttrell, Kelsey Anderson and Catherine Greenhill.

Race 7 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Penguin Trail Run 5km

Race 7 2017 Placings – Penguin Trail Run 5km

Race 6 of the season was the Wrights Mechanical eight kilometre handicap at Wynyard.

Co-markers Greg Smith and Troy Reader had a great battle with Reader eventually winning by five seconds from Smith who recorded his second runner-up position in succession. Lachlan Barry was third. Barry lead with two hundred metres to run, in a promising effort.

Reader, of Turners Beach, credited his victory to a good summer of long distance work plus the speed that comes from Saturday morning doing the Devonport parkrun.

Fastest male and female were Brad Taylor and Kim Reader.

Nominated time winners were Harry Taylor, Bec Taylor, Brian Paine and Paige Aitken.

.Race 6 2017 Placings- Wynyard 8km

Race 6 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Wynyard 8km

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