Deep Space Mountain Marathon
Former Honeysuckle Creek Deep Space Tracking Station
Namadgi National Park
Sunday 22 November
World and Commonwealth ultra distance running champion Martin Fryer produced a sizzling performance in the warm conditions to slash almost 7 minutes off the course record in today’s Deep Space Mountain Marathon. Fryer finished the 44 km course with 1800 m of climb in 3 hrs 43 mins 1 second. He has had a stellar year in which he won the 48 hour world running championship with a distance of 430 kms to be now ranked 2nd best in history to the great Yiannis Kouros and the Commonwealth 24 hour championship with a record 256 kms.
Fryer’s superlative performance was initially sparked by a storming downhill first 6 kms by Sydney’s Brendan Davies, himself well credentialed in ultra running after finished 9th and 3rd Australian in the Commonwealth 100 km championship. Fryer and strong Canberra trail runner David Hosking started more conservatively and closed the gap in the gruelling ascent of Mt Tennent. By the summit Fryer was in command and drink station attendant Trevor Jacobs was immediately fearful that his 3:49 race record was in jeopardy.
Fryer reached the 25 km point in 2:06:07 with Davies only 51 seconds in arrears, and Hosking just 22 seconds further back. The 5km climb from the Orroral river back up the Orroral range from the 35 km point proved to be the race breaker. Fryer kept his pace going; his challengers were forced to do some walking. Davies ended up second in 3:50:05, just 13 seconds outside the old record, with Hosking third in 3:58:38.
Sydney’s Shona Stephenson, almost a non-starter with a hamstring strain a week earlier, completed her first marathon in finishing first female in 4:56:18. Lynn Davies of Queensland was second in 6:40:19.
Arvid Streinmann took out the 25 km run in 2:15:54, with Brett McRitchie second in 2:27:42 and Richard Juckes third in 2:33:10. Sue Archer improved 13 minutes on her 25 km run in the snow last year in finishing first female and first W60 in 2:39:57. Bryony McConnell was next in 2:49:49.
Canberra Cockatoos orienteers Chris Helliwell and Lachlan Dow took the quinella in the 19 km run, Helliwell clocking 1:29:44 and Dow 1:35:24. M55 Peter Clarke was third in 1:40:36. W50 Cathy Crompton broke her own course record in finishing fastest female in 1:50:37. W40 Elle Knight was second in 1:58:27 and W50 Louisa Barnsley was third in 2:04:10.
Scott Wright took out the 8.4 km run to the Colmination Tower lookout and back in 44:12, with Callum Brindley second in 46:57 and Corbin Ellison third in 52:30. Olivia Cable was fastest female in 46:57, Melanie Callaghan second in 50:46 and Anne-Marie Catanzariti third in 55:24.