Rod Viney

This Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club will conduct split division races at Meercroft Park Devonport.

Until last year, the event has been split into Frontmarkers and Backmarkers. However, last year saw the races run by gender which proved very popular and has been retained for 2022.

Split division races events are very popular with runners because as well as competing in one event, they get to watch the other.

The course is a flat, fast, four lap one on the road around Meercroft Park. and this also makes them great viewing for spectators.

The Ketelaars Male Five-kilometre Handicap will be run first at 9:30.

There are many men who have been close without winning lately and one who will be well suited here is Brendan Burr. After starting the season slowly, he has been getting closer each week and was not far away in finishing ninth last week.

He will be challenged strongly by Jordan Mathews, Steven Tammens and backmarker, Hayden Bishop.

Pat McMahon will also be a big chance to take a deserved win.

The Everyday Lions Female Five-kilometre Handicap will follow and should also be an exciting contest. Selina Crispin is favoured here. She won this event last year so proved the course suits her. She is back in winning form running a great sixth last week

Felicity Lovatt will be the hardest to beat while Lyn Saint-John, Rhian Miles and Anne Thomas will also be chances. Runners are reminded that entries are online only and close at 6pm Friday. New members are always welcome.

This week sees members of the PCCCT- Running Club head to Burnie for the Glow Cosmetics “Big Six” 6km handicap.

The course is a circuit, starting and finishing at the Howe Street Netball Centre and uses West Park Grove, the Bass Highway and Brickport Road. It requires runners to be proficient at steep gradients, both downhill and uphill.

The shorter distance, following two longer events will be welcome for some and a good field is anticipated.

Following her great victory in the Club’s ten-kilometre Women’s Championship last week, Penguin runner, Lyn Saint-John, will be a top chance.

Amazingly, Saint-John ran nearly a minute faster in taking out that event than she did in winning it in 2021, indicating she is in great form. She also placed eighth overall on time, thus beating all but seven of the men. This course will suit her perfectly and she could be the one to beat.

Jason Scott and Steve Tammens have both had numerous placings this year and will be her main challengers. They were third and fourth respectively last

Other competitors whose recent form gives them top chances include Pat McMahon, Ross Smith and Rhian Miles.

Entries close at 6:00pm on Friday with the race beginning at 9:30. New runners are always welcome but must register for membership first. Both registration and entries can be done at www.pccct.org.

There will be a nominated time event at 9:00.

The PCCCT – Running Club next event is the Physiotas “City of Devonport” 10-kilometre handicap which starts at Devonport’s Bluff Beach and uses the foreshore path and tracks in the Don Reserve.

This event will also incorporate the Molly Malone’s 10km Women’s Club Championship and the UTAS Athletics Club 10km Men’s Club Championship. The race will be a mass start, seeing all competitors commence at the same time. The first three males and females across the line will be the placegetters in the Championships. Handicaps will be applied after the race to determine the winner of the handicap race.

Thomas Murton will be the clear favourite to take out the championship for the men but if he falters there are others who will come into contention. These include Andrew Winkel, Hayden Bishop, Tom Young and Josh Febey.

The women’s championship should see a tight contest between Rhian Miles, Lyn Saint-John, Ellen Burgess Isabelle Sharman and Felicity Lovatt with any capable of taking it out on the day.

In the “City of Devonport” handicap there are many potential winners as many runners have shown consistent form without breaking through. David Murton will have a great chance as he has been improving each week and ran a great race to finish fourth in last week’s “Mountain Classic”.

His main danger is definitely Jason Scott who followed a one second defeat two weeks ago with fifth last week.

Others with good chances include Dominic Troughton, Andrew Lucas and Kelly Baxter.

Runners are reminded that entries are online only and close at 6pm Friday. The race will start at 9:30am Sunday. New members are always welcome and encouraged to check our website. www.pccct.org

Nominated time events will be held at 9:00.

The first of the season’s major races will be run this Sunday, with the running of the High on Penguin Mountain Classic 16.5km Handicap.

Starting at Burnie Park, the course heads up via West Park Grove, Mooreville and West Moorville Roads, to finish at Ridgley. It has a reputation for being a very tough course, with over 400m of elevation gained over the distance and members look forward to testing their fitness and resolve. It typically has suited the stronger runners, who can maintain a solid pace while conquering the hills.

A good field of forty-six has entered and while there are many realistic chances, Ben Brockman could very well be the strongest among them. He has shown great promise in shorter races this year and this distance will suit him down to the ground.

His biggest challengers look to be Ben Young, Jason Scott and Kelly Baxter. They have all recorded seconds in earlier races this year and will be hard to beat again.

Aaron Robertson, Felicity Lovatt and Rhian Miles all bear watching as they are each nearing a win and it could be here.

Gerard Lowry has won this race twice and is running well enough to make it a hattrick. Clearly, he loves the course.

Entries have now closed, with the first runner away at 9:30am. Handicaps, as well as the race brief, will be posted on the website www.pccct.org on Friday at 6pm.

Following some tough races, this Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club provides members with a short and mostly flat course with the running of the Spreyton Cider Co five-kilometre handicap at Spreyton.

The course provides plenty of variety, taking competitors on quiet country roads, through paddocks, apple orchards and even a cherry orchard.

The race will commence at the later time of 11:00am to allow members to run in the Great Train Race at Don earlier in the morning.

With many members opting to compete in that earlier seven-kilometre event and then backing up over five kilometres shortly later, picking the likely winner is more difficult but one runner who will certainly be a top chance is Rhian Miles.

Miles has been running very consistently and finished strongly into sixth last week. She can easily take this out and make it the second win this year for the female runners.

Her biggest threat maybe another female in Kelly Baxter. After making a late start to the season, Baxter has quickly hit form and is putting in some big kilometres in training.

Others to keep an eye on include Steve Tammens, Mary-Lou Troughton and Tony Abel.

New runners are very welcome and can register for membership on the website www.pccct.org. Entries can only be made on the website and close at 6:00pm on Friday.

There will be nominated time events at the earlier time of 10:30 for those wanting a shorter event.

Members are also reminded that entries close this Sunday at 11:59pm for the High on Penguin Mountain Classic to be run on May 1st.