ACT Mountain Running Championships
Mt Tennent ACT
Saturday 24 March
Former Australian champions Mark Bourne and Jessamy Hosking were in top form in the ACT Mountain Running Championships on the courses used on Mt Tennent for the Australian Championships in 2010. The 11 k men’s course had 1030 metres of climb and Bourne clocked 55.47, a time which would have placed him a close second in 2010. Chris Helliwell was second in 1.01.15, slightly faster than his 7th placed performance in the 2010 national title. Stuart Doyle was off colour and had a struggle to finish, nevertheless clocking 1.05.05 for 3rd.
The 8 km women’s course had a climb of 800 metres. Pre-race favourite Melissa Clarke led out but fell ill after 1 km. Former national champion Jessamy Hosking took over and ran away from the rest of the field to clock 48.25, a time which would have earned her second in the 2010 national title behind Vanessa Haverd who is currently away in Tasmania on a work trip. Louise Sharp improved three minutes on her 2010 run to finish second in 51.31 and could well press for national selection in the Australian Championships in Tasmania on 29 April. Elizabeth Humphries, second in last year’s national championship, made a pleasing comeback from injury to finish 3rd in 54.12.
The non-championship 5.8 km run up the mountain was won by Aaron Munday in 45.37 from Nick Melhuish and Hugh Moore, with the fastest females Kelly Bennett in 59.08, followed by Erica Smith and Annie Irvin in 1.17.39.
Photo album: http://hardingjohn.smugmug.com/Sports/Mountain-running/2012-ACT-Mountain-Running/
Results:
| 11k | 1 | Mark | Bourne | Male | 28 | 55.47 |
| 11k | 2 | Chris | Helliwell | Male | 42 | 1.01.15 |
| 11k | 3 | Stuart | Doyle | Male | 45 | 1.05.05 |
| 11k | 4 | Haydon | Gray | Male | 31 | 1.07.05 |
| 11k | 5 | James | Stewart | Male | 32 | 1.07.49 |
| 11k | 6 | Trevor | Jacobs | Male | 60 | 1.11.42 |
| 11k | 7 | Ian | Wright | Male | 57 | 1.17.39 |
| 11k | 8 | Stephen | Graham | Male | 48 | 1.21.03 |
| 11k | 9 | Norak | Theam | Male | 38 | 1.21.38 |
| 11k | 10 | Peter | Thomson | Male | 51 | 1.26.14 |
| 11k | 11 | Peter | Burke | Male | 39 | 1.29.41 |
| 11k | 12 | Michael | Burt | Male | 53 | 1.44.09 |
| 8k | 1 | Jessamy | Hosking | Female | 29 | 48.25 |
| 8k | 2 | Louise | Sharp | Female | 29 | 51.31 |
| 8k | 3 | Elizabeth | Humphries | Female | 26 | 54.12 |
| 8k | 4 | Kate | Vandenberg | Female | 32 | 59.19 |
| 8k | 5 | Leanne | Harrison | Female | 48 | 1.03.48 |
| 8k | Melissa | Clarke | Female | 29 | DNF | |
| 6k | 1 | Aaron | Mundy | Male | 24 | 45.37 |
| 6k | 2 | Nick | Melhuish | Male | 51 | 50.28 |
| 6k | 3 | Hugh | Moore | Male | 63 | 51.10 |
| 6k | 4 | Randolph | Albrecht | Male | 46 | 55.33 |
| 6k | 1 | Kelly | Bennett | Female | 42 | 59.08 |
| 6k | 2 | Erica | Smith | Female | 37 | 1.17.39 |
| 6k | 3 | Annie | Irvin | Female | 40 | 1.17.40 |
| 6k | 4 | Leonie | Doyle | Female | 42 | 1.19.55 |
Note: 6k was an all comers non-championship event and 5.8 kms on the day.