Race Previews 2017

Race 4 of The Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania season is the Glow Cosmetics 7 kilometre handicap.

Popularly known as the “Heybridge to weighbridge” race, the course is flat and fast and should suit front and middle markers.

One of these, who is in great early season form and who will have a second to no one chance, is Kelly Baxter.

Baxter finished second two weeks ago and is another who has trained hard over the summer. She looks very well suited to take out her second win with the Club.

Others with a strong chance include Ricky Brown and Don McCreadie, who surprised with his strong showing at Don last week.

Cobie Walker is another showing strong form and a win would not shock.

If there is a backmarker to show up, it could be Bryan Tuit while Ewen Troughton and Hayden Bishop will also be racing through the field at the business end of the race.

The race will begin at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30.

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

This week’s race, the Dowling and McCarthy Tyres 5 kilometre handicap at Cooee will take place on Saturday because of Run Devonport on Sunday.

Starting at the Cooee Hall, the course is out and back with a short sharp climb to the turn.

Last week’s race showed up those who have worked hard over summer and this week’s winner should come from among those.

Two who fit this category and who could well fight out the finish are the evergreen Greg Smith and Brad Taylor. Smith finished strongly into fourth last week, while Taylor was close to winning for most of 2016 and was a fast–finishing fifth in race one this year.

Seventeen year old Andrew Bates will be keen to get a win before the football season starts. He has shown good improvement from last year.

Others with good prospects include Thomas Wilson, Bryan Tuit and Ann Horton. Horton was the first woman to finish last week and looked strong.

The race will begin at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30.

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

The 2017 season of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania gets underway this Sunday with the Burnie SportsPower 5km handicap commencing at Wivenhoe Showgrounds. The course takes competitors to Fernglade Reserve and return.

Each new season is eagerly anticipated by members and this one will be no different. It is always interesting to see who has been training hard over summer and who has naturally improved. These factors make it hard to predict those likely to be break the tape.

Husband and wife team, Brett and Debbie Riley, have both been putting in many kilometres as well as competing in other events and either could take out the main prize.

This race tends to favour front and middle markers so others in strong contention include Louise Morse and Lorraine Shepheard among the women while Richard Lawson and Chris Purton are men with strong chances.

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

New members will be very welcome. The minimum age to run in the handicapped races is fifteen, but as in past years, nominated time events, which are open to all ages, will also be held. Those intending to compete in theses need to register by 9:05.

The final race of the season is this Sunday, the Sea Lyons Swim School 6km handicap. The course is out-and-back from West Beach. The flat course will see some fast times, particularly as runners who have not been successful in 2016 will realise this is the last chance for a win this year.

Following his excellent second last week, Ricky Brown should start favourite. Brown has been in excellent form and was one of the strong fancies for the Feature race until he injured himself in training the week prior.

A steadily improving Chris Purton will be another strong chance. He surprised with an excellent run last week.

Club president, Barry Ling, holds the record for the most runs with the club (1100+) but it is a long time since his last win. Recent efforts, though, indicate that he might take this one out and would be a very popular winner.

Bec O’Garey, who is often the fastest female, is another who will be looking to finish the season on a high.

The club will provide a barbecue following the event, for members and their families.

The penultimate race of the PCCCT season to be run Sunday has had to be switched from Fernglade to the Penguin motocross track in Dial Road. The Motors 6 kilometre handicap will remain a trail run and the course will be different from that used at this venue earlier in the year.

This is the fourth and final run in the inaugural trail run series. Members have appreciated the chance to run on courses which are unsealed, and which have, on occasions, been very wet and muddy.

With only two races remaining this season, runners who have not won yet will be desperate to not let all the raining put in this year be in vain.

This should mean a close and exciting race, with perhaps a surprise winner.

Dwayne Barry, in his first year with the Club, has been showing a lot of promise finishing close to the winner in several races over all distances. He was fifth in last week’s half marathon, beaten just over a minute.

Tim Dowling was fifth in a similar race two weeks ago and should show up with a similar effort. Likewise, Rebecca O’Garey, who was just behind Dowling in eighth has been consistent and a win would be well deserved.

Other strong chances include Kim Steven, Rebecca Marien and Patrick McMullen.

The AJL Heavy Equipment Half Marathon may provide a consolation win for someone who finished close-up in the Feature Race two weeks ago. The course is, like the Wynyard to Burnie one, all flat. This one is out and back, starting at River Park, Ulverstone before heading to the turn at the end of the Esplanade at Turners Beach.

The 21.1 kilometre distance of the half-marathon has become a very popular one and no doubt many runners will be seeking PBs.

Adrian Lakeland ran a wonderful Feature Race to be beaten only eight seconds. He should start favourite but will need to be at his best. Should he falter, Ben Hoare or Stuart Wilson could well break the tape

Andrew Winkel followed his good run in the Feature Race with a great showing last weekend at the National Cross Country Championships in Canberra. He will be a strong chance.

Among the front and middle markers, Sarah Hiller, Amie Bramich, Kim Reader and Patrick McMullen are sure to be to the fore. Hiller was first female to finish in the Feature Race so the distance is sure to suit.

2016 Half Marathon Handicaps

This week the PCCCT returns to Burnie for the West Park Grove Store/Big Six 6 kilometre handicap. Commencing at the Howe Street Netball Centre the circuit course runs through the Burnie Park, and along the Bass Highway before the tough climb up Brickport Road.

John Castledine ran a great Feature Race last week and could take this out as the shorter distance will suit him.

Father and son, Dwayne and Lachlan Barry are first year Club runners and have been impressing all year. They could very well fight out the finish. Dwayne’s best recent finish was his third two weeks ago at Gunns Plains and he followed this with a great fourth in last week’s Feature Race. Lachlan was second at Railton recently.

Following her excellent result last week when she was first woman to finish, Sarah Hiller will be very hard to beat although she will be better suited over a longer distance.

Mike Taylor has become a specialist on this course with a number of wins. Although he has not been prominent in recent races, he could well surprise.

Members are reminded that entries for the half-marathon need to be in this Sunday.

Entries close at 9:30 with the race starting at 10:00. There will be nominated time events at 9:05.

The main race for the PCCCT each year is the Gowans Motor Group Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race. The event starts in front of the Wynyard Post Office and finishes 17.6 kilometres later with a lap of west Park Oval.

The fact that so many runners are now peaking, the flatness of the course and the unusual distance make it very difficult to pick a favourite.

The gun will fire for go-marker Liane Hanson at 9:30 with the back marker, Club champion Thomas Murton starting his quest for victory 57 minutes and 40 seconds later. There are 89 entries in total.

Of the front markers, the strongest chances appear to be Sarah Hiller, Alan Bakes, and Anna Murton with Anna probably the best chance.

The favourites among the middle-markers would be Gerard Leary, Wayne Wiseman, Peter Elphinstone and Adrian Lakeland. Elphinstone won comfortably at Gunns Plains last Sunday and won’t be rehandicapped for that win until after the Feature Race. He will be very hard to beat.

The winner may well come from the strong and in-form backmarkers. Any of Mark Saint-John, Matthew Atkins, Brad Taylor, Bryan Tuit or Thomas Murton could easily breast the tape.

In a race full of chances, one thing is certain: it will be an exciting event with the likely winner not known until the finish is in sight.

Feature Race Handicaps 2016

Calcutta 2016

The Gowans Motor Group Wynyard-Burnie Feature Race to be run on

Sunday 14 August 2016.

1. The Calcutta Draw

This will take place at the Burnie Surf Lifesaving Club at 7:00pm on Tuesday 9 August. The result of the draw will be published in “The Advocate” and on the PCCCT website.

2. The Calcutta Auction

This will take place at the Burnie Surf Lifesaving Club commencing at 7:00pm on Friday 12 August.

3. The Feature Race (17.6 km)

The race starts at 9:30 am in Goldie Street, Wynyard and finishes with a lap of West Park Oval.

Be at West Park Oval between 8:00 – 8:30 am if you need to arrange a lift to the start in Wynyard.

There is no nominated time event.

4. Post-race Luncheon and Presentations

The post-race luncheon and presentations will be held at the Burnie Surf Lifesaving Club.

The presentations will take place at approximately 1:00 pm.

The club will supply food (sandwiches from Crusty’s) and tea and coffee.

Club members are asked to bring a plate of sweets.

The bar will be open for members to purchase drinks.

The PCCCT heads to Gunns Plains this Sunday for the Kevin Burn Memorial 11 kilometre Handicap, sponsored by Michael and Sandra Wilson Petroleum and the Brown Family.

The race is usually run over a circular course covering both sides of the river but this year, as Marshalls Bridge was lost to the June floods, the course will be a simple out-and-back layout,

It is very flat and fast times are assured, especially as the winner will not be re-handicapped prior to the Feature Race the following weekend.

This looks to be a perfect race for Devonport runner Matthew Greenhill who has been close-up in numerous recent races. He finished seventh at Railton last week and fifth at Burnie the week before. A win would be just reward for his consistency.

Adrian Lakeland has been going under the radar while slowly getting closer. This week could see him break the ribbon.

Wayne Wiseman was getting close to a win before having a few weeks break from the club but ran a great race at Railton which showed he has retained fitness.

Sarah Hiller has also been improving and ran a great race in the Ironman to show the distance won’t be a problem. She should be first female to finish and could beat all the males as well.

The race starts at 10:00 with entries closing at 9:30. There will be nominated time events at 9:05.