Rod Viney

Race 6 of the 2022 PCCCT – Running Club’s season, the Wilkinson Pharmacy’s 6km handicap was run in perfect conditions on Sunday. Starting at the pony club at Fern Glade, Burnie, the course, while short in distance, provided plenty of hills for members to enjoy.

This course usually has some muddy, slippery sections but with the recent weather, the off-road sections were very dry.

The winner, Forthside runner, Andrew Winkel, was pleased to take out the win, his first since two victories in 2013. Although he first joined the Club in 2010, he has not been able to run consistently because of his work patterns and this has effected his ability to always be competitive.

Those two wins in 2013 demonstrated his versatility, as one was 5km and the other the Club’s marathon. Therefore, he handled today’s course easily. He has no particular running ambitions other than to keep training with his son, when his work allows.

In second place was Cameron Bissett, a winner earlier this year, showing his improvement has continued, just in front of Kelly Baxter and Mary-Lou Troughton.

Tony Abel continued his good form to finish fifth with Rhian Miles a promising sixth.

Fastest male was Tom Murton who burnt up the course in 20:49 while Miles (24:53) was the fastest female. Earlier, nominated time winners

Well done to the 38 starters in the Wilkinson’s Pharmacy 6km Handicap at Fern Glade this morning.

Congratulations to Andrew Winkel, who won from Cameron Bissett and Kelly Baxter.

Fastest male was Tom Murton (20:49) while fastest female was Rhian Miles (26:22).

Nominated time winners were Tracey Turner, Chad Burr and Paige Aitken.

Race five of the PCCCT – Running Club season, the Somerset Pharmacy ten-kilometre handicap, was run Sunday on a tough hilly course utilising Somerset’s Back Cam Road.

Numbers were a little down due to other events but still a good-sized field fronted for the longest and toughest event of the season to date and it was held in excellent running conditions.

The race proved a triumph for Burnie’s Ellen Burgess who won this event for an amazing third time, with the other victories coming in 2015 and 2018. Clearly, she is well-suited by longer, hilly courses as her other Club win was in the 2017 Burnie to Ridgley Mountain Classic.

Burgess credits her strength on such courses to mixing her running training with some boxing, cycling and trail-running.

She had a reasonably comfortable margin to spare over Felicity Lovatt, who continued her recent excellent form, and Gerard Lowry.

Other eye-catching performances were recorded by Simon Gates and Steve Tammens, while Chris Talbot and Troy Donald also ran promisingly.  

Fastest man was Josh Febey (40:27), while Lovatt was the fastest female (47:13) and was sixth fastest overall.

Nominated time winners were Tracey Turner, Chad Burr and Brian Paine.

Runners are advised that entries are now open for this year’s Burnie to Ridgley Mountain Classic which takes place on Sunday May 2. Entries will close Sunday 24^th April at 11:59pm

Well done to the 30 starters in the Somerset Pharmacy 10km Handicap at Somerset this morning.

Congratulations to Ellen Burgess, who won from Felicity Lovatt and Gerard Lowry.

Fastest male was Josh Febey while fastest female was Felicity Lovatt.

Nominated time winners were Tracey Turner, Chad Burr and Brian Paine.

Members headed to Wynyard for Sunday’s race, the Findex 8.5-kilometre handicap taking in tracks on both sides of the Inglis River with the start/finish in picturesque Gutteridge Gardens.

The constant undulations made the course a tough one and more likely to suit backmarkers. This proved to be the case and the race turned out to be an exciting one with co-markers, Josh Febey and Ben Young, having a great personal battle as they worked their way through the field. Young led Febey for most of the race but Febey finished more strongly to cross the line first and take out his fourth victory with the Club.

It was also his second win over this course, having won when it was used in the COVID-shortened. 2020 season.

Febey credited his victory with having competed in his first carnival series over the ‘21/’22 summer, gaining more leg speed and losing some weight. He has also changed his training to include more hill work.

The consistent Jason Scott was third, just in front of Ellen Burgess, who again showed her liking for this course, Ben Brockman and Jason Fehlberg.

Fehlberg was the fastest male (35:14), while fastest female was Isabelle Sharman (37:59) which made her the ninth fastest overall.

Other runners to record good performances were Steven Tammens, Felicity Lovatt and Kelly Baxter while young first-starter, Rhodry Robinson, ran a very promising race.

Earlier, nominated time winners were Paige Aitken, Brian Paine and Chad Burr.

NOTE: Due to a starting error, three runners were sent off one minute earlier than their posted handicap. This has been adjusted in the results to have the runners starting from their correct handicap. Therefore finishing positions listed on results may be different to where you finished at the race.

Well done to the 59 starters in the Findex 8.5km Handicap at Wynyard this morning. Congratulations to Josh Febey, who won from Ben Young and Jason Scott.

Fastest male was Jason Fehlberg (35:14) and fastest female Isabelle Sharman (37:59).

Nominated Time winners were Paige Aitken, Brian Paine, and Chad Burr.

Race three of the PCCCT – Running Club’s season was run at Port Sorell on Sunday.

The The Trend Shed seven-kilometre handicap is a loop course run mostly on scenic bush tracks although there is a road section in the middle part of the race. The event proved very popular with a good field attending, including nine first time Club runners.

In his third season with the Club, Devonport athlete Anthony McCullagh broke through for his first victory. This followed an impressive fourth on a similar course last week at Don.

McCullagh is showing great improvement in his form this year as he has begun running with the Meercroft Park training group. This has meant that instead of just doing consistent slower pace runs, he is now undertaking interval training, tempo runs and hill work. His aim now is to continue his improvement and remain competitive for the remainder of the season.

He had a comfortable margin of 29 seconds to the fast-finishing second-placed Ben Brockman, while the consistent Jason Scott ran into third ahead of Ross Smith and Josh Febey.

Felicity Lovatt made a promising return from injury with a strong run into sixth while debutant Liam Burley ran from the third back mark to finish a good seventh.

Evan Brett was the fastest male (24:15) with Isabelle Sharman recording fastest of the women (29:08) in her first run with the Club.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Lachie Riley, Brian Paine and Howard Crispin.