Orroral Valley Classic
Namadgi National Park
Saturday 24 October
Only a victory by Weston Creek runner Wayne Corlis (pictured) in the 20 km race prevented a clean sweep by the ACT’s leading orienteers of Saturday’s running events in the Orroral Valley Classic in Namadgi National Park. Corlis led the 20 kms from start to finish in 1hr 27 mins to defeat orienteers Chris Helliwell, 1 min 37 secs behind, and Jason McCrae, who clocked 1:33:54. Female Canberra Cockatoos orienteer Sandra Oliver was too good in the women’s field after overtaking front runner Kym Chisholm just after halfway and ran 1:40:51. Chisholm completed the course in 1:47:00 and veteran ultra distance runner and race walker Carol Baird made a successful comeback from injury in 1:50:30.
Shannon Jones, a 2009 World Orienteering Championships representative in the sprint event, showed that she has considerable endurance as well when she reduced the 32 km course record of Australian ultra running representative Kerrie Bremner by 10 minutes in finishing in 2:31:33. Her partner Grant Bluett, a former 8th place getter at the World Orienteering Championships, went close to bettering the men’s record in winning in 2:26:07, with former world veteran champion Trevor Jacobs second in 2:27:59, and Australian M50 orienteering champion Geoff Lawford third in 2:40:13.
The 8 km race was taken out by current Junior World Orienteering Championships representatives Ian and Belinda Lawford in 34:28 and 40:14 respectively. James Stewart was second fastest male in 35:23 and Shane Teahan third in 42:36. Ann-Maree Catanzariti was second female in 44.59 and Marie Janczura third in 49.20.
The 20 km walk saw some outstanding race walking performances. John Kennedy recorded the superlative time of 2:08:58, with the ‘Pink Panther’ Geoff Barker next in 2:41:28 and Peter Hogan third in 2:51:03. W70 veteran Jenny Odgers also walked an amazing 2:51:03, with Chloe Olliver second in 2.52.36 and Matilda Thomas third in 3.10.00.
Males:
20 km run:
1 Wayne Corlis 1.27.00, 2 Chris Helliwell 1.28.37, 3 Jason McCrae 1.33.54, 4 Peter Clarke 1.34.02, 5 Graham Atkins 1.39.25, 6 John Gosling 1.40.00, 7 Robbie Costmeyer 1.40.39, 8 Phillip Corlis 1.40.55, 9 Jim White 1.44.45, 10 Simon Wall 1.44.59, 11 Ned McRae 1.46.03, 12 Darren Leseberg 1.47.27, 13 Giles Lamb 1.48.05, 14 Mick Horan 1.49.02, 15 Peter Sexton 1.50.09, 16 David Booth 1.53.55, 17 Roger Pilkington 1.54.40, 18 John Alcock 1.55.11, 19 Shane Wright 1.59.13, 20 Michael Thompson 2.04.38, 21 Kevin Chapman 2.07.22, 22 Nicolas Bendeli 2.11.50, 23 Pete Sinfield 2.12.48, 24 Paul Simper 2.13.51, 25 Nick Blackaby 2.28.18, 26 Terry Maidment 2.50.03, 27 Graeme Patrick 3.38.02.
20 km walk:
1 John Kennedy 2.08.58, 2 Geoff Barker 2.41.28, 3 Peter Hogan 2.51.03, 4 Cameron Mitchell 3.10.00.
32.5 km run:
1 Grant Bluett 2.26.07, 2 Trevor Jacobs 2.27.59, 3 Geoff Lawford 2.40.13, 4 Steve Appleby 2.47.26, 5 James Savill 2.48.12, 6 Tim Shillington 2.52.43, 7 Mick Corlis 3.10.21, 8 Al Usher 4.00.00.
8 km run:
1 Ian Lawford 34.28, 2 James Stewart 35.23, 3 Shane Teahan 42.36, 4 Peter Snares 44.16, 5 Steve Gray 45.55, 6 Mike Siers 46.29, 7 Craig Smith 47.50, 8 Dallas McGee 49.05, 9 Chris Twigg 50.38, 10 Nathan Edwards 54.42,.
8 km walk:
1 Andrew Fountain 1.18.47.
Females:
20 km run:
1 Sandra Oliver 1.40.51, 2 Kym Chisholm 1.47.00, 3 Carol Baird 1.50.30, 4 Laura Marshall 1.53.20, 5 Maria O\’Reilly 1.53.35, 6 Catherine Montalto 2.06.09, 7 Robyn McClelland 2.06.29, 8 Maria White 2.16.47, 9 Judi Edwards 2.31.41.
20 km walk: 1 Jenny Odgers 2.51.03, 2 Chloe Olliver 2.52.36, 3 Matilda Thomas 3.10.00.
32 km run:
1 Shannon Jones 2.31.33, 2 Elizabeth Bennett 2.41.49, 3 Pam Muston 3.04.07, 4 Elle Knight 3.15.00, 5 Kelley Flood 3.15.00, 6 Bryony McConnell 3.25.48.
3 km run:
1 Adriana Edwards 28.16, 2 Judy Edwards 30.25.
8 km run:
1 Belinda Lawford 40.14, 2 Ann-Maree Catanzariti 44.59, 3 Marie Janczura 49.20, 4 Chloe Edwards 54.42, 5 Leharne Fountain 55.35.
8 km walk:
1 Diana Schneider 1.04.52.