Arkinstall and Wichers win 2012 QLD mountain running championships

The Queensland Mountain Running Championships at Camp Mountain saw a mix of new and old competitors in its events. The races were held at Bellbird Grove-Camp Mountain which was the venue used for the Australian Mountain Championships last year. The Junior Girls ran a different course, up to the 1.7km mark and back to the finish. The Open Women and Junior Men ran 8.2km to the top of Camp Mountain and back to the finish, the Open Men did another five km loop clocking up 13.2km. These three races followed the same course as last year.

Gold Coast Victory athlete Andrew Arkinstall ran a great race, taking out the championship title in 1hour 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Ashgrove Rangers’ Paul Jackson placed second at 3 seconds. Both ran a very well paced race, with Paul running a very strong second half, just running out of time/course to catch up with Andrew. Scottish runner David Riach placed 3rd, at about a minute. A special mention goes to Graham Barralet who finished 4th and who achieved his personal challenge last week at the King of the Mountain in Pomona running a sub 30minute race being an 60+ year old. A great achievement for the man who held the record for the KOM for 21 years, until it was broken by Neil Labinsky a few years ago.

The Open Women’s race was won by Ashgrove Rangers’ Hubertien Wichers at 39:29, who is currently training for her first marathon. Toowong Harriers Meryll Fletcher and Cairns Road Runners’ Andrea Hardgreaves battled it out for 2nd and 3rd place and finished respectively in 41:44 and 41:45.

Maroochy runner Sam Blake ran a great race winning the Junior Men’s race in 36:19. Tait Hearps came second in 37:02, and University of Queensland Jordan Isaac won Bronze in 39:19.

The Junior Women had a competitive race with QEII Gabrielle Forest 14:38 placing first, University of Queensland Sophie Donatini 2nd in 14:46 and Gold Coast Victory Rebekah Matulis 3rd in 15:03.