Race Previews 2017

The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania resumes its season this Sunday, following a break for the Launceston Ten, with the Paine Family Memorial ten kilometre handicap.

The event starts at finishes at the Burnie Council depot in Three Mile Line and covers a hilly circuit course over Mooreville and West Mooreville Roads.

Hayden Bishop has been in great form and looks to be a top chance to take this out. He ran an excellent time in Launceston over this distance and rested from the Iron Man two weeks ago.

Kim Reader could be his main danger. The hilly course will suit the slightly built Reader and she will be looking a winning chance at some stage.

Lorraine Shepheard off a front mark is also going to be hard to run down although first she will have to catch veteran Eric Hughes who is in great form.

Others likely to show up include Ann Horton and Owen Thomas.

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

The nominated time event to be held at 9:10 will be the feature race for the year, and have extra prizes.

2017 Iron Man handicaps

The Burnie Trophy Centre/Troy Atkins Accounting “Iron Man Classic” will be conducted this Sunday with an earlier start of 9:00am. (Nominated time events will be at 9:30am).

The 25 kilometre handicap event covers a tough circuit course in the Forth Valley starting and finishing at the Forth Oval. Each year members look forward to challenging themselves in this race, especially as they attempt the notorious “Hamstring Hill” which comes 17 kilometres into the race. Even after the hills are finished the fast two kilometre stretch down Forth Road back to the township takes its toll on tired legs.

This event suits hardened athletes who have been training over longer distances incorporating hills.

Judging on her great effort to run second in the “King of the Mountains” two weeks ago, Sally Haynes has been doing just that and will have a second to none chance. She looked the likely winner of that race until the last couple of kilometres.

Shane Hanson runs many ultra-events and this will suit him down to the ground. He ran well over the shorter trip last week.

Kim Reader and Evan Brett are others doing plenty of training and a win by either would not surprise.

Beautiful Stanley is the setting for the next race in the PCCCT season. Starting and finishing at the Stanley Oval, the course takes runners on a circuit around the Green Hills

The WT House “Steve Hanson Memorial” is 8 kilometres – a distance that will be welcomed by runners following last week’s tough 16.5 kilometres.

This could be a front markers’ race and one who looks particularly well suited is Doug Murchie. Murchie has worked hard to greatly improved his fitness this year and ran a great third in the City of Devonport 10km event two weeks ago and was also close-up the week before where he finished sixth. He will certainly prove hard to run down.

Chris Purton could be a danger. He was unable to run last week and will have fresh legs.

Another front marker who rested last week and who will fancy herself to win this, is Lorraine Shepheard. Shepheard has been thereabouts without getting into the placings and this race will suit.

This event will start at the slightly later time of 10:30 with entries closing at 10:00.

Nominated time events will be held at 9:45.

2017 King of the Mountains Handicaps

Race twelve of the PCCCT season which takes place this Sunday, is regarded by many as the toughest of the season.

The High on Penguin “King of the Mountains” is a 16.5 kilometre test of character as well as fitness and strength.

Starting at the Burnie Park, the course takes runners via West Park Grove, Moorville and West Mooreville Roads, to the finish at the Ridgley Oval.

On recent form, Keegan Powell looks like starting favourite. He has been placed several times this year, including last week and looks very well suited by the toughness and the distance.

His main danger looks to be Ellen Elphinstone, who is getting fitter and ran a great race to finish sixth last week.

Kim Reader looks another strong chance among the women, while Kelly Baxter can be in the finish if she doesn’t go too hard early on.

Paul Birch loves these longer distances while the Troughton boys, Isaac and Ewen relish the hills.

Others with undeniable chances look to be backmarker Brad Taylor, Michael Purton and Patrick McMahon.

This Sunday sees the second of the PCCCT’s “Blue Ribbon” events with the running of the Total Performance Sports/Physica ten kilometre City of Devonport handicap.

The prestigious event starts and finishes at Devonport Bluff and takes an out-and-back route to the Don Reserve.

Although the distance tends to favour middle and back markers, the relative flatness of the course also brings “fronties” in to contention.

One of these who put in a big effort recently in the ten kilometre event at Stowport is the rapidly improving. Brett Riley. He finished fifth in that event and won’t need to improve much to take this out on an easier course.

Keegan Powell won this event last year and will be keen to go back-to-back. He knows the course very well as he trains on it regularly. His parents, Aileen and Stephen, are also possibilities for the victory or at least to make up the quinella.

Kelly Baxter, Hayden Bishop and Ellen Elphinstone also finished close-up at Stowport and have strong chances. Bishop in particular will be well suited and has been knocking on the door.

If there is to be a surprise packet it could be Kim Reader, who is very fit.

Race 10 of The Professional Cross Country Club season features the second of the trail run series.

The Wilkinson’s Pharmacy five kilometre handicap is a two lap race in the park at the back of Hellyer College.

Most members will be hoping that the rain stays away this week so the track doesn’t become slippery and muddy. However, regular trail runners will be hoping those conditions prevail as they handle them well.

Ewen Troughton ran a great fifth in the first trail run held four weeks ago. Four of the athletes in finished in front of him have since been rehandicapped for wins and this will give Troughton an undeniable chance to break the tape first.

Others who showed great form in that race were Jason Fehlberg and Jonathon Cahill. Both must be given a show on Sunday as must Troughton’s brother, Isaac, who no doubt would love to beat his sibling.

Ron Chequer looks the best of the Frontmarkers, while Mary-Lou Troughton and Brett Riley will be hard to beat based on recent runs.

The Professional Cross Country Club heads to Stowport this week for the MA and LJ Bates Plumbing ten kilometre handicap.

The undulating course on country roads is very scenic although on the last tough climb to the finish runners won’t be admiring the scenery.

The race will suit strong backmarkers but probably not those who completed the marathon last Sunday.

The best chance looks to be Hayden Bishop, who is still looking to break through for his first win in his second year of running. Bishop is coached by last week’s marathon winner, Greg Smith, and is sure to be inspired by Smith’s win.

He has been showing great form and finished seventh a couple of weeks back at Wynyard. This race will suit better.

Keegan Powell has been close-up in several runs and looks the main danger. He has had several placings in shorter races and he will relish the distance.

Others who could break the tape include Ricky Brown, Lachlan Barry and Lorraine Shepheard.

Members are asked to bring a plate of morning tea.

2017 Greg & Dianne Woodhouse Marathon Handicaps

The Professional Cross Country Club holds its longest race for the year this Sunday – the Greg and Dianne Woodhouse Marathon.

Although it has had a few different courses, it is the longest continuously held marathon in Australia. Sunday’s race will take runners from Ulverstone’s River Park to Turners Beach and back twice.

While no-one will threaten the record time of 2 hours 14 minutes run by Leigh Taylor in 1983, there will be many club members who will be very keen to take out the prestigious 42.2 kilometre event

One of these will be Greg Smith who thrives over these long distances. A previous winner in 2009 he has been in excellent form.

Cobie Walker is the fittest he has been and will thrive over this distance having run big kilometres over summer.

Others with strong chances include Matthew Atkins, Ewen Troughton and Chris Talbot.

Those not running the marathon can enter the Tyreright five kilometre handicap which will start at 10:30 with entries closing at 10:00. Thomas Wilson and Roselyn Hendriks look the top chances in this race.

Nominated time events, will be held at 9:45.

Last year the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania instigated a series of trail runs which were well received.

As a result, it was decided to continue the series this year and on Sunday the first trail run for 2017 will be held, commencing at the Penguin motocross track at Dial Road.

The Renaessance five kilometre handicap will take in bush tracks, traverse a paddock and the final section will be on a gravel road.

The different terrain could see new faces at the front of the field and it would not surprise if one of these is Stuart Young. Young is very fit and training over similar conditions during summer will mean he will feel right at home.

A front marker who showed good form last week is Ron Chequer with a strong run in to fifth place. The veteran would not have to improve much more to prove very difficult to run down.

Other with strong chances include Nick Young, Mary-Lou Troughton and Kim Reader while Bryan Tuit will fly the flag for the backmarkers.

Nominated time events, will be held at 9:05.

This Sunday the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania heads to the Devonport Bluff for two races – the Devonport Mazda Front Markers five kilometre handicap and the Simons Design Centre Back Markers five kilometre handicap.

The course covers four laps around Meercroft Park and provides excellent spectator viewing.

The Front Markers’ race could be fought out by Kelly Baxter, Ann Horton and Ricky Brown. All three have been close up recently and are in top form. While Baxter finished in front of the other two last week, the shorter distance will really suit Brown while Horton is getting better with each run.

Others with a strong chance include Steve Powell and Anna Murton.

Simon Gates ran brilliantly last week and should start favourite in the Back Markers. His biggest danger will be Greg Smith, although Troy Reader and Keegan Powell will be challenging strongly in the last lap.

Young runners Ewen Troughton and Hayden Bishop will also be looking to break the tape first.

The Front Markers race will be held first, beginning at 10:00 with all entries closing at 9:30. New members are always welcome.