Mt Tennent and Bushfold Flat Trail Runs
Namadgi National Park ACT
Sunday 5 February
CSIRO scientists Chris Helliwell and Vanessa Haverd have both been among Canberra’s best trail runners for many years. Today they added to a long list of stellar performances in the mountains by taking out the arduous 25 km Mt Tennent and Bushfold Flats Mountain Run. Haverd, the 2010 Australian mountain running champion on Mt Tennent, showed she will be a force to be reckoned with next month when she attempts her third victory in Australia’s premier long distance trail run, the 45 km Six Foot Track from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves.
Helliwell clocked 2.06.07, with Matt Hegarty runner up in 2.14.36, and Haverd third outright in 2.15.11. Richard White was third male in 2.20.41, just holding off former world veteran mountain running champion Trevor Jacobs, now M60, in 2.20.58. Louise Sharp ran a pleasing Six Foot Track tune up of 2.22.13 to be second female and Australian Defence mountain running champion Jessica Robson was third in 2.30.12.
Two runners on the comeback trail triumphed in the 12.6 km run to the summit and back on the Mt Tennent fire trail. Steve Bradford, M55, had a cardiovascular scare a few years ago after being one of the ACT’s most outstanding veteran distance runners in all disciplines for many years. Fully over the problem, Steve still does not fully extend himself these days but has an incredibly fluid and efficient running action and managed an outstanding 1.08.41 to comfortably take out the mountain ascent descent. Norak Theam has been absent from the running scene for several years because of persistent injuries but has kept himself very fit with bike riding. So he is still strong on the uphills and he finished second in 1.11.14. Third outright in 1.17.11, a new women’s record by 6 minutes, was Melissa Clarke who is shaping as a formidable contender in the ACT Mountain Running Championship on Mt Tennent on 24 March.
Third male finisher in 1.21.14 was M55 Anthony Olliffe, who broke a collar bone falling over while running down Mt Tennent in a training session several years ago. Fiona Fosterling was the second female finisher in 1.23.43 and Carol Harding was third in 1.31.26.
M60 Jim White has done more races than some people have had baked dinners but wins outright have been somewhat rare in recent years. He surprised himself with a cracking win in 1.10.44 in the Bushfold Flats 11 km, an out an back mostly flat run through meadows of wild flowers on the Mt Tennent, Bushfold Flats and Bluegum Creek fire trails. Tony Henshaw, M55, was second in 1.13.52 and the power walking orienteer Michael Burt third in 1.27.52. Lucy Patrick won a close duel with Maree Patrick to be fastest female in 1.18.32 to Maree’s 1.18.57. Outstanding W60 race walker Monika Short was third in 1.29.18.
Photo album by John Harding at http://hardingjohn.smugmug.com/Sports/Mountain-running/Mt-Tennent-Bushfold-Flats/
Photo album by Stuart Doyle at
http://hardingjohn.smugmug.com/Sports/Mountain-running/Mt-Tennent-S-Doyle-summit-pics/
| 25k | 1 | Chris | Helliwell | Male | 42 | 2.06.07 |
| 25k | 2 | Matt | Hegarty | Male | 42 | 2.14.36 |
| 25k | 3 | Richard | White | Male | 28 | 2.20.41 |
| 25k | 4 | Trevor | Jacobs | Male | 60 | 2.20.58 |
| 25k | 5 | Andrew | Blyton | Male | 32 | 2.22.26 |
| 25k | 6 | Richard | Juckes | Male | 42 | 2.24.32 |
| 25k | 7 | Tony | Hrstic | Male | 37 | 2.25.01 |
| 25k | 8 | Martin | Pogson | Male | 50 | 2.27.29 |
| 25k | 9 | Ian | Wright | Male | 57 | 2.27.42 |
| 25k | 10 | Phil | Corlis | Male | 28 | 2.29.14 |
| 25k | 11 | Stephen | Graham | Male | 48 | 2.29.36 |
| 25k | 12 | John | Kennedy | Male | 61 | 2.32.39 |
| 12k | 13 | Lee | Rice | Male | 31 | 2.35.00 |
| 25k | 14 | Peter | Thomson | Male | 51 | 2.49.04 |
| 25k | 15 | Matt | Ryan | Male | 39 | 2.49.04 |
| 25k | 16 | Michael | Wilson | Male | 63 | 3.06.03 |
| 25k | 17 | Mick | Corlis | Male | 52 | 3.23.40 |
| 25k | 18 | Dave | Hiatt | Male | 51 | 3.37.21 |
| 25k | 19 | Reece | McEwan | Male | 18 | 3.49.13 |
| 25k | 1 | Vanessa | Haverd | Female | 34 | 2.15.11 |
| 25k | 2 | Louise | Sharp | Female | 29 | 2.22.13 |
| 25k | 3 | Jessica | Robson | Female | 28 | 2.30.12 |
| 25k | 4 | Cathy | Crompton | Female | 54 | 2.42.58 |
| 25k | 5 | Penny | Deacon | Female | 27 | 2.57.00 |
| 25k | 6 | Gemma | Ruddick | Female | 27 | 3.01.42 |
| 25k | 7 | Maria | White | Female | 59 | 3.41.41 |
| 25k | 8 | Julie | Bell | Female | 62 | 3.47.00 |
| 25k | 9 | Jane | Hiatt | Female | 46 | 3.49.13 |
| 12k walk | 1 | Patrick | Whyte | Male | 46 | 2.01.30 |
| 12k | 1 | Steve | Bradford | Male | 57 | 1.08.41 |
| 12k | 2 | Norak | Theam | Male | 38 | 1.11.14 |
| 12k | 3 | Anthony | Olliffe | Male | 57 | 1.21.14 |
| 12k | 4 | Graeme | Lendrum | Male | 40 | 1.26.06 |
| 12k | 5 | Hugh | Moore | Male | 63 | 1.26.52 |
| 12k | 6 | Geoff | Barker | Male | 67 | 1.47.23 |
| 12k | 7 | Cameron | Eadie | Male | 30 | 2.04.59 |
| 12k | 1 | Melissa | Clarke | Female | 28 | 1.17.11 |
| 12k | 2 | Fiona | Fosterling | Female | 30 | 1.23.43 |
| 12k | 3 | Carol | Harding | Female | 52 | 1.31.26 |
| 12k | 4 | Diana | Schneider | Female | 65 | 1.32.30 |
| 12k | 5 | Leanne | Harrison | Female | 48 | 1.33.09 |
| 12k | 6 | Jennifer | Arnold | Female | 37 | 1.33.21 |
| 12k | 7 | Prue | Bradford | Female | 52 | 1.51.13 |
| 12k | 8 | Kristy | Bates | Female | 26 | 2.04.59 |
| 11k | 1 | Jim | White | Male | 62 | 1.10.44 |
| 11k | 2 | Tony | Henshaw | Male | 56 | 1.13.52 |
| 11k | 3 | Michael | Burt | Male | 53 | 1.27.52 |
| 11k | 4 | Nick | Blackaby | Male | 57 | 1.36.47 |
| 11k | 1 | Lucie | Patrick | Female | 30 | 1.18.32 |
| 11k | 2 | Marie | Patrick | Female | 40 | 1.18.57 |
| 11k | 3 | Monika | Short | Female | 64 | 1.29.18 |