Race Reports 2017

Burnie runner Tony Stewart has stormed home to convincingly claim the final race of the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Sea-Lyons Swim School 6km handicap at Burnie on Sunday.

In his first year with the club it was Stewart’s second PCCCT win after taking victory in the Fernglade last month.

Stewart overtook go-marker John Lucas before the halfway turn but only managed to reign in race leader Natalie Lutrell with about 700 metres left to race.

The Sea-Lyons 6km follows an flat and easy out-and-back course starting at the Burnie Surf Club and turning near the old Cooee saleyards.

Kelly Baxter was second just catching Mary-Lou Troughton in the final sprint along the boardwalk to the line while Owen Thomas finished fourth and Cooee’s Josh Febey rounded out the top five with his best performance of the season.

Evan Brett collected fastest time honours from Kyle Groenewege and Hayden Bishop with Ben Saint-John, at only 15 years-of-age the youngest competitor, was fifth fastest overall. Lyn Saint-John managed to just edge out Danielle Mitchell for fastest female.

At the following presentations Brad Taylor and Judy Ray were announced as club champions of 2017 while Hayden Bishop and Greg Smith both tied for the Consistency award.

Female Club Champion Update. A subsequent review of the points revealed that Lyn Saint-John was actually the 2017 female club champion and Judy Ray runner-up. Both competitors were notified of the change.

DOWNLOAD Sea-Lyons Race Report

DOWNLOAD Sea-Lyons Fastest to Slowest

Turners Beach runner, Will Cleaver, has won the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s Somerset Pharmacy 10km handicap in Somerset on Sunday holding out Thomas Wilson.

In his first year with the PCCCT, the 17-years-old Cleaver is one of the club’s youngest competitors and starts each race from the challenging backmarks.

Cleaver hit the lead when he overtook Ann Horton with about one and half kilometres left to race and he stormed to the line, never glancing back to gauge the following runners.

Nearly 60 runners enjoyed Sunday’s perfect running conditions as the field started the tough out-and-back course from the beginning of the Murchison Highway and then tackling Back Cam Road.

The Somerset 10km is one of the more difficult courses in the PCCCT programme.

Last week’s winner Thomas Wilson was a surprise runner-up despite registering the fastest time of the day. It’s a great feat, achieved by very few over the club’s 50-year history to record back-to-back wins after a handicap review.

Somerset’s Dale Lancaster held the lead until after the halfway turn before the youngest competitor in the field, Vicky Knapman hit the front.

In his best result of the season, Michael Purton crossed the line in third position while co-markers Gerard Lowry and Greg Smith climbed their way to the front of the field to reach the first ten.

Backmarkers Kyle Groenewege and Hayden Bishop both enjoyed the harder course to cross the line just outside a podium finish and Cooee’s Ricky Cross also ran well to be the seventh runner home.

DOWNLOAD Somerset 10km Race Report

DOWNLOAD Somerset 10km Fastest to Slowest

Backmarker Thomas Wilson has won the Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania’s West park Grove IGA Big Six 6km handicap in Burnie on Sunday followed by last week’s Feature Race runner-up Devonport’s Bryan Tuit with Kelly Baxter gallantly holding out Kyle Groenewege for third.

Wilson crossed the line some forty metres ahead of a fast-finishing Tuit, who also collected fastest time honours.

In Sunday’s rainy conditions, 69 runners assembled at the Howe Street Netball Courts to hear the starter’s instructions for a circular course that takes in pathways of West Park, along Parklands Bass Highway then tackling the challenging Brickport Road hill before finishing with a sprint down West Park Grove.

The Big Six is arguably the toughest short distance race in the PCCCT programme and it usually favours the backmarkers and strong hill runners and Sunday proved no exception with ten backmarkers among the first dozen to cross the line.

Veteran John Purton took the lead from frontmarker John Lucas before the long climb up Brickport Road but it was Kelly Baxter who led the field into the final kilometre.

The youngest runner in the field, 16-year-old Vicky Knapman, reached as high as third-placing with little over a kilometre to race and did well to maintain her pace to finish thirteenth while young Will Cleaver also ran well.

Rochelle Hammond and Sally Atkinson put in some great efforts in tough conditions while Louise McMullen registered the fastest female run of the day.

Earlier in the morning Chloe Bates, Lochie Riley, Mia Fehlberg all ran well in the nominated time event with Bethany Boyd predicting her time perfectly.

DOWNLOAD Race 25 2017 Placings BigSix 6km

DOWNLOAD Race 25 2017 Fastest to Slowest BigSix 6km

The fiftieth running of the PCCCT Gowans Motor Group 17.6 kilometre Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race was run in good conditions on Sunday.

Penguin runner, Lyn Saint-John has triumphed winning her second Feature Race after victory in 2010. Since then she has had to overcome illness to finally regain her best form. She was able to hold off a quickly closing Bryan Tuit, who ran from the third back handicap, with pre-race favourite, Chris Purton in third.

Nearly ninety starters gathered to hear the starter’s orders before go-marker John Lucas got underway at 9:30.

With a few kilometres to run, Eric Hughes was in front but soon after he was overtaken by Rick Ferguson who had Kelly Baxter in tow.

Purton was looking ominous but Saint-John had him in her sights. Further back Evan Brett and Bryan Tuit were finishing strongly.

With a kilometre to go, Purton hit the lead but shortly after Saint-John was in front with Tuit the only danger but unable to reel her in.

A brilliant run by Brian Lyons gave him fastest time for the men while Saint-John was fastest woman.

2017 Feature Race – Placings

Feature Race – Fastest to Slowest

Penguin runner, Chris Purton, has won his second race for the season, taking out the eleven kilometre Kevin Burn Memorial at Gunns Plains on Sunday.

Run over a scenic circuit course, the race is a favourite among club members.

Despite having had three rehandicaps due to his first win and subsequent placings, the tremendous effort that Purton has put into his training, plus trimming off some kilograms, has had its reward.

Purton also credits football umpiring on Saturdays and competitive co-markers with improving his performances.

He was chased hard all the way by Owen Thomas with Kelly Baxter hanging on well to finish third.

Evan Brett and Isaac Troughton impressed with strong runs from back marks, to finish fourth and fifth respectively while Christine Wright, Ann Horton and Mary-Lou Troughton all finished in the top ten.

Other runners turning in promising efforts for the big Wynyard to Burnie Feature Race this Sunday included Michael Purton and Hayden Bishop.

Fastest time was recorded by Jason Fehlberg for the men while Kim Reader was the fastest woman.

Nominated time winners were Robyn, Trinity and Natalie Luttrell and Brian Paine.

Race 23 2017 Placings – Gunns Plains 11km

Race 23 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Gunns Plains 11km

Cradle Mountain runner, Mike Taylor, has broken through for another win in the Fish Frenzy five kilometre handicap at Burnie on Sunday.

A veteran of the club, with more than seven hundred starts, this was Taylor’s ninth win but one of his more satisfying, as has he has been struggling for form recently.

Starting from a front mark, the fast, flat course suited Taylor so that he wound up a comfortable winner from Owen Thomas and Andrew Plapp after taking the lead about 500 metres from the finish. A good field of 82 competed.

Promising runs were recorded by David Wright, Mary-Lou Troughton and Ricky Cross. Thomas Wilson was the best of the back markers with a strong-finishing sixth.

The race incorporated the club’s five kilometre championships, based on fastest times. For the men this was won by Brad Taylor from Bryan Tuit and Thomas Wilson while Daille Moyle took out the win for the women from Michelle D’Monte and Anna Murton.

Nominated time winners were Quinn Aitken, Bethany Boyd, Page Aitken, Keryn Aitken, and Maverick Baxter.

Race 22 2017 Placings – Fish Frenzy 5km

Race 22 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Fish Frenzy 5km

First year Burnie runner, Tony Stewart, was pleased to take his maiden win in the Motors 5km handicap at Fernglade on Sunday.

This race was conducted as a trail run and the wet, slippery conditions suited Stewart who took up running to deal with a chronic back issue and to lose some weight after he was forced to give up football umpiring due to clashes with work.

Starting from a front mark, Stewart quickly took the lead and was never challenged although second place getter, Will Cleaver was rattling home from a back mark to get within 31 seconds.

Another front marker, John Purton hung on for third while race favourite, Owen Thomas, did not disappoint with a strong fourth.

Other good performances, were recorded by Barry Ling, Mike Taylor and Anthea White, who was having her first start with the club in sometime..

Fastest male was 15 year old Ben Saint John who started from the very back mark while his mother, Lyn Saint-John, was the fastest woman.

Nominated time winners were Trinity Luttrell, Mackenzie and Dominic Troughton, and Maya Bramich.

Race 21 2017 Placings – Fernglade 5km

Race 21 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Fernglade 5km

Turners Beach runner, Kim Reader, started one of the main fancies in Sunday’s AJL Leisure/AJL Yamaha half marathon and she did not disappoint, having a narrow but strong win.

A good field of forty-seven started the race, some runners being deterred by the possibility of heavy rain which didn’t eventuate.

Reader had three co-markers for the race and two of them, in Chris Purton and Owen Thomas, ran second and third respectively. They ran the outward leg to Turners Beach together and on the return to Ulverstone it appeared that the two men would fight out the finish, but Reader finished the better and after taking the lead from Eric Hughes with about three kilometres to run hung on for a great win.

This was Reader’s third win, the last being over five kilometres, at Devonport four years ago.

Kelly Baxter and Kim Steven ran into the top ten and look like coming winners, while backmarker, Brad Taylor, stormed into sixth place and ran the fastest time.

Reader had the fastest time of the women.

Nominated time winners were Kelsey and Eimear Anderson, Selwyn Maxwell, and Lucy van Rooyen.

Race 20 2017 Placings – Half Marathon

Race 20 2017 Fastest to Slowest – Half Marathon

Cooee runner, Jason Fehlberg, has won the Anvers Confectionery twelve kilometre handicap at Railton on Sunday.

Fehlberg was not one of the top fancies for the event and admitted he was surprised with his win. However, he has been running consistently and had looked promising a little earlier in the season.

Running over his favourite distance of ten kilometres, Fehlberg also got his preferred terrain and weather, the wind staying away.

These factors combined to see him take the lead from front marker, Eric Hughes, with about five hundred metres to run and then hold off a late challenge from Kyle Groenewege.

Groenewege’s second followed on from a third last week and for him a win can’t be far away. Greg Smith, who won the club marathon earlier in the season, finished third showing he has maintained his form.

Other runners to turn in strong efforts included Owen Thomas, Bryan Tuit and Grant McCormack.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with Brad Taylor the fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Brooke Riley, Nat Luttrell, and Dominic and Mackenzie Troughton.

Race 19 2017 Placings – Railton 10km

Yolla runner, Cobie Walker, the pre-race favourite won the Raymond Spinks/CRC twelve kilometre handicap at Somerset on Sunday.

Walker had been showing excellent form all year following some hard training over summer for the Gone Nuts event. Since then he has trained more lightly to nurse some injury “niggles” and this has worked well for him.

In his fifth year with the club, this was Walker’s second win with his debut victory four years ago at Stanley.

Initially, he took up running to lose weight and is now proudly thirty-seven kilograms lighter than when he started.

Taking the lead from a brave Eric Hughes at the ten kilometre mark, Walker had to maintain focus and effort to stall off fast-finishing backmarkers Evan Brett, Kyle Groenewege and Thomas Wilson.

The husband and wife team of Russell and Ann Horton both ran top races while the two back markers Phillip McConnon and Brad Taylor stormed through the field.

Fastest female was Lyn Saint-John with McConnon, having his first run with the club, the fastest male.

Nominated time winners were Kelsey and Eirmear Anderson, Brooke Riley and Will van Rooyen.

Race 18 2017 Placings – Spinks-CRC 12km

Race 18 2017 Fastest to Slowest – SpinksCRC 12km