Rod Viney

Race 3 of the 2022 PCCCT – Running Club season will take competitors to Port Sorell this Sunday for the The Trend Shed seven-kilometre handicap.

The race will start adjacent to the Panatana Paddling Pool Family Park in South Esplanade before crossing the Rivulet and using tracks in the Squeaking Point area.

This course is similar to last week’s at Don and so it makes sense to look at last week’s results to try to select the main chances.

Chief among these must surely be Ben Young who not only finished second but that result followed another second in the first race of the season.

There is no runner in better form and if Young does not go one better here, it will certainly happen in the next couple of races

Andrew Winkel started from the very back mark last week and was just five seconds behind Young in finishing third. He could very easily turn the tables.

However, there is a host of other runners who will improve with a couple of events under their belts and would not surprise if they won. David Murton, Rhian Miles and Tony Abel, who loves this kind of terrain, are all chances, as is Anne Thomas who trains in the area and will have a home-ground advantage.

New runners are always welcome but must register for membership at www.pccct.org where entries for the race can also be made. These close at 6pm on Friday with the race to begin at 9:30am

There will be nominated time events at 9:00am.

Following the successful first race of the 2022 season, the PCCCT – Running Club moves onto Don for the Cradle Coast Sports and Events 7km Handicap where runners can enjoy the tracks in the Don Reserve.

As occurred last year, the race is being held on Friday evening to avoid a clash with Run Devonport on Sunday.

Starting at the Don Cricket Ground at 6pm, the race is conducted mostly on sealed tracks, but runners will also have to navigate sections of sawdust in a loop through the bush near the pool.

Following his great third last week, Jason Scott will start favourite. He is very fit, having trained hard over the last few months preparing for the Gone Nuts trail race.

Mark Saint-John wasn’t able to run in race one, but if he fronts here, he will be very hard to beat. He finished second in the last event of 2021 – the Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race – and while this is shorter, the hills and trails will suit him.

Brett Riley ran a great sixth last week from a front mark and he will prove very hard to run down, especially as he trains in the Reserve and so knows the tracks very well.

Rhian Miles showed great promise last year and ran well at Burnie and could easily take out her maiden victory.

Runners are reminded that entries are online only and will close at 6pm Wednesday.

The nominated time events will be held at 5:30pm.

The 2022 season of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania gets underway this Sunday with the Burnie Sports Power 5km handicap commencing at Wivenhoe Showground. The course takes competitors to Fernglade Reserve and return.

Picking a winner is very difficult as it is unclear how much training runners have been doing over the summer.

The shorter distance tends to suit front and middlemarkers and there are several who missed a win last year despite being close and who will be keen to get a victory under the belt early on.

One competitor that will be well suited is Steven Tammens while Ken Troughton and Rhian Miles can’t be discounted.

Danielle Newell should be getting back to her best form and that would be good enough to take this out. Among the backmarkers Mark Saint-John and Gerard Lowry will be strong contenders while Josh Febey is always a chance.

The race will begin at 9:30 with all entries to be made on-line on the Club’s website. They close at 6pm this Friday. Membership registrations for the new season will also need to be done at the same time.

The minimum age to run in the handicapped races is fifteen, but nominated time events over shorter distances and open to all ages, are also held. Those intending to compete in these need to register for membership on-line but can enter on Sunday by 9am.

New runners are always welcome.

The 2022 PCCCT – Running Club season commences this Sunday with a 5km handicap at Wivenhoe.

The Club will conduct 26 races across the North West Coast from Stanley to Port Sorell over a range of distances and courses to challenge competitors but also allow beginners to find their feet.

Most races are between 5 and 10 kilometres but there are also longer, tougher runs with the Greg and Dianne Woodhouse Marathon – the longest continuously conducted marathon in Australia – to be held on May 29 while the Wynyard-Burnie Feature Race, will be held as the last race on September 11.

Last year team relays were run in conjunction with both the marathon and half-marathon for the first time and were every popular so they have been retained and a new 4 by 5km relay has been added.

Most races are run on quiet country roads and or/paths but there are also some trail runs for those who prefer off road courses.

Races take place on Sunday mornings, with most starting at 9:30.

They are all handicapped which allows for runners of all abilities to be in with a chance of crossing the line first and taking home the prize money, trophy and sash.

The popular nominated time events return and these 2 to 4 kilometre events will be held thirty minutes before the main races. These provide a run for those under 15, the threshold age for the handicapped events, or any runners just preferring a shorter event.

Membership registrations and race entries must be done on-line at www.pccct.org where the full programme and further information can be found. New members are always welcome.

This Sunday sees the running of the Devonport/Burnie Toyota/Wild Ride Cycles Wynyard to Burnie Feature race.

This event, which is the richest and most prestigious of the season, is run over 17.6 kilometres, starting outside the post office and ends with a lap of West Park oval giving spectators a good view of the finish. The first runner away, Brett Riley, will commence his journey at 9:30 with the winner expected to finish at around 11:15

All members would like to add their name to the honour board listing previous winners, but only one will have that privilege. To win, a number of factors have to come together, but principal is a quality, injury-free preparation to enable a competitor to utilise the handicap provided.

The best of the frontmarkers looks to be Darlene Jacques who will be second runner away and prove very hard to catch while Kathy Franks also has a strong chance.

Best of the middlemarkers look to be Steven Tammens, John Saltmarsh, Nigel Baptist, Gerard Lowry and Rhian Miles. Miles especially will be very hard to beat after great recent results.

Any of several backmarkers would not surprise and be deserving winners. Mark Saint-John, Bryan Tuit, Lukas Pilkington, Shaun Batten and Tom Murton are all top chances but co-markers Ben Brockman and Josh Febey look to be the two most likely to take the victory and could run together the whole way before contesting a sprint finish on the oval.

Following the race there will be a luncheon at The Point for members and their families.

There will be no nominated time event this week.