Race Previews 2019

The PCCCT goes “off the beaten track” this Sunday with the running of the Greg and Darlene Jacques Parcel Contracting five kilometres at Penguin..

The event will start and finish at the Penguin Motocross complex at Dial Road and be run in the bush in the vicinity. With the expected rain this week, there are bound to be plenty of puddles and slippery paths to be negotiated.

Some runners love these conditions and throw caution to the wind while others go steady and take great care with their footing.

Picking a winner here is not easy, however one runner who is getting back to his best is Hayden Bishop.

After taking up running, Bishop made rapid improvement until an injury last year set him back. But with solid training he has returned to great form, as his recent starts show.

His main danger could be Aaron Robertson, who is another who is proven in the conditions which are likely to prevail. He certainly has the class and fitness to give it a shake.

Other runners in form who will be chances are Simon Gates, John Badcock, Amie Bramich and Mollie Powell.

Members are reminded that entries close this Sunday for the following week’s Burnie to Ridgley Mountain Classic.

Entries close at 9:30 ready for a 10:00 start and new runners are always welcome.

Nominated time events will be held at 9:05.

The longest race of the season to date awaits runners this week when they head to Stowport for the MA and LJ Bates Plumbing 9km handicap.

A new course will be used this year due to the previous circuit having traffic risks at the start/finish.

The race will be conducted over an out and back course, starting at the Stowport Cricket Ground.

The outward leg will contain hills but the payoff will come with the mainly downhill run back from the turn.

Middle and back markers should be best suited and the extra toughness and distance from recent races could provide a surprise result.

One runner who has been in great form and will be well suited, and so wouldn’t surprise, is Thomas Murton who is likely to start from the very back mark and will have to pass every other starter. Murton certainly has the ability to do this and is in form with recent results including a second at Port Sorell and fourths at Devonport and Cooee.

The biggest dangers could well be his sister Anna and father, David, who have both been in great form. A Murton trifecta is not out of the question and would surely be a first for the club.

Others with strong chances include Dallas van Rooyen, Michael Purton and Caroline Brett

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

Nominated time events will be held at 9:05.

The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania travels to Cooee this week for the running of the Dowling and McCarthy Tyres five kilometre handicap.

The interesting out-and-back course which starts at the Cooee Hall, has a short, sharp climb to the turn and traverses roads, paths and grass areas.

With four events now completed this year, several runners have been consistently close-up and will likely break through soon.

One of those is Joshua Febey, who won this event last year, proving his liking for the course and distance. He has continued to improve, as young runners can, and is now very capable of winning again off his revised mark.

Andrew Rolls was a great second last week at Don, finishing slightly in front of Febey and will be his biggest threat.  He also recorded a high placing at his only other start this season.

Roselyn Hendriks was close to a win last year and showed this year she is on track for a win soon and it could well be on Sunday. She finished fourth in the front markers event at Devonport and is well suited by the five kilometre distance. Off a front mark she will prove hard to catch.

Others who would not surprise with a victory are John Badcock, Terry Watson, David Murton and Kelly Baxter.

Nominated time events will be held at 9:05

This Sunday members are able to enjoy the tracks in the Don Reserve as they compete in the Cradle Coast Sports and Event seven kilometre handicap.

The race starts at finishes at the Don Cricket Ground and heads out and back to the river before taking runners on a loop through the bush below the pool.

After three events this year, many runners have shown excellent form and the race will be very competitive.

However, the favourite to break the ribbon could very well be John Badcock, “the flying farmer”. A win would be very well deserved, as Badcock has worked hard to regain fitness after a bad fall from a bike during a race just over a year ago. His form this year has been excellent as he backed up from a close fourth two weeks ago with a great run over a shorter distance last week.

Marcus Cook ran a great race at Port Sorell and will be hard to beat. Others with strong chances include Hayden Bishop, Kelly Baxter and Terry Watson.

Young Gun Thomas Murton is back in great form and a win would not surprise, even starting from the tightest of handicaps.

Runners are reminded to wear both their timing chips and chest numbers and to register by 9:30 with a 10:00 start for the race.

The nominated time events will be held at 9:05.

This Sunday the PCCCT will conduct split division races at Devonport Bluff with the Devonport Mazda Front Markers and Simons Design Centre Back Markers, both over five kilometres.

These events are very popular with runners because as well as competing in one event, they get to watch the other – the only time this happens in the season.

The races are conducted over a four lap course of Meercroft Park and this also makes them great for spectators.

The strongest chances to take out a victory in the Front Markers look to be Sally Milbourne, David Murton and Sven Mason while Lorraine Shepherd and Tim Dowling must also be considered. Milbourne was a great sixth last week while Mason would have started favourite if he had been able to compete, following his second in the season’s pipe-opener.

The Back Markers looks a perfect race for Simon Gates who has had two close finishes so far this year. He won this event in 2017 and no doubt would like to take it out for a second time. Joshua Febey,  Andrew Bates and Ewen Troughton are three young stars of the Club and any of those could win without surprising.

Thomas Murton will start from the very back mark and could take out the win and fastest time double.

Members are reminded that numbers and timing chips must be worn.

There will be nominated time events at 9:15.

Race 2 of the 2019 PCCCT season will utilise a new course when the Glow Cosmetics seven kilometre handicap takes runners to Port Sorell. It is believed to be the first time the Club has conducted an event in this area.

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.

With last week’s run under the belt to shake off the cobwebs, a very competitive race should ensue.

After his excellent second last week, Sven Mason looks hardest to beat. Following a disappointing 2018 when he was plagued by injuries, Mason has worked hard over summer to get back to full fitness and the extra two kilometres this week will suit him

Behind last week’s winner, new handicapper, Pat McMahon had ten runners finish within thirty seconds and any of these could win. Perhaps the biggest danger to Mason will be Ewen Troughton as he will be well suited to the bush tracks.

Others with strong winning chances are Simon Gates, Brooke Fehlberg and “the flying farmer”, John Badcock. Gates was unlucky not to get a victory last year and looked very sharp at Wivenhoe last Sunday, while Fehlberg is a sponsor of this event and will be keen to collect some of her own money.

Members are reminded that numbers and timing chips must be worn.

There will be nominated time events at 9:15.

The 2019 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.

The shorter distance tends to suit frontmarkers 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.

Chief among these may be Roselyn Hendriks while Lorraine Shepherd and Darlene Jacques can’t be discounted.

Among the middle markers Sven Mason will be looking to put an injury-plagued 2018 behind him with John Badcock and Nick Young also looking big chances.

The race will begin at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30. As registrations for the new season will also need to be done before this time, runners are urged to arrive early.

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 by 9:05.

Those who were members in 2018 need to remember their numbers and timing chips while new runners are welcome and will be allocated these on Sunday. There will be a morning tea after the event and members are asked to bring a plate to contribute.