Tour de Mountain
Mawson ACT
Sunday 18 December 2008
HOSKING COMPLETES TRIFECTA
Canberra’s David Hosking completed a trifecta of wins in major running events in 2008 when he took out today’s Tour de Mountain 25 kms over the peaks around the Woden Valley. Earlier in the year he won the Bush Capital Bush Marathon and the Brindabella Classic. There was an element of luck in the victory as then race leader Stuart Doyle went off course in the Isaacs pine forest after directional arrows had been turned around by mischievous persons unknown.
Hosking clocked 1 hr 46 mins 35 secs and will now direct his summer training towards the Australian Trail Running Championships at the Six Foot Track 45 kms in March. The much improved James Minto was a close second in 1:47:01 and 2007 world veteran champion Trevor Jacobs was third in 1:47:53.
Former world triathlon and duathlon champion and Commonwealth Games marathon bronze medallist Jackie Fairweather was fastest female in 1:54:46, with Hannah Flannery second in 2:00:33 and Andrea Ilakovac third in 2:02:13.
The 17 km Tour was won by ANU mathematics professor Vince Craig in 1:15:00, his time increased by stopping to correct several of the directional arrows. Junior world orienteering representative Lachlan Dow was second in 1:17:19 and Wayne Corlis was third in 1:19:19. Australian mountain running representative Vanessa Haverd finished 3rd outright in 1:17:51, with Elizabeth Humphries second female in 1:24:33 and Sandra Oliver third in 1:25:51.
Top German veteran Wolfgang Vehlewald won the 9km Mt Taylor Challenge in a fast 37:27, with 15 year old ACT junior orienteering representative Paul de Jongh second in 46:48 and M50 veteran orienteer Michael Burt third in 53:28. Fastest female was Kate Palisi in 1:00:09, with Jodie Davis second in 1:06:32 and Edelfraud Begemann third in 1:24:51.
The Archer family won the 25 km relay in 2:00:43 from the ‘Oh-me-oh-my’ team in 2:05:34 and ‘Brians Bunch’ in 2:09:43.
There was a record field of 150 competitors to take on the new fully off-road courses at the new race venue at the Mawson sports fields. The 25 km course took in five peaks: Mt Taylor, Farrer Hill, Mt Wanniassa, and two peaks on Isaacs ridge.