Australian Mountain Running Championships
9am Mt Wellington
Hobart TASMANIA
Sunday 29 April 2012
Star studded fields have entered the Australian Mountain Running Championships this Sunday on uphill courses on Mt Wellington in Hobart. They will face tough conditions with a weather forecast of windy conditions and a good chance of showers.
The men’s 12 kms from the Waterworks Reserve to the summit has attracted current Australian champion Patrick Nispel (QLD), former champion Mark Bourne (ACT), current Australian representatives Jordan Harries (TAS), who will be very hard to beat on his home turf, Nick Wightman and Gerard Robb (VIC), and former Australian representatives John Winsbury (ACT), Stephen Brown (NSW) and Stuart Doyle (ACT).
The women’s 8 kms from Ferntree Bower to the summit features former Australian uphill champions Vanessa Haverd (ACT) and Jessamy Hosking (ACT), current Australian representative Lucy Blaber (QLD), and in form ACT up and comers Louise Sharp and Melissa Clarke.
The junior men’s and women’s races are wide open and not many are making the journey across Bass Strait. In the junior girls 4 kms from The Springs to the summit, Audrey Amiya-Hall (NSW) has been a potential world beater in the past but has suffered from injuries over the last couple of years. Grace Rowe-Smith (TAS) could have a home town advantage if she has trained on the mountain. Helen Baade (QLD) might be the one to spring an upset.
Stewart McSweyn and Riley Kennedy from Victoria are up against Ruairidh MacDonald (NSW) in the junior men’s 8 kms from Ferntree Bower to the summit.
The championships also include Masters age groups from W35 to W65 and over and M40 to M70 and over. Many of the winners are likely to come from late entries which are welcome.
Full event details and online registration are at https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?ID=5625